Tonight, I am so past anger... I am just plain worried and heartsick. Here's the story:

I had Home Health take a urine speciman for culture on 9/13. The results came back positive for Proteus on 9/18. After calling for three days, the doc ordered another urine culture and blood cultures on 9/21. The results came back positive on 9/25. On 9/26 after repeated calls from both Home Health and me, the doc called and said she was awaiting a final sensitivity report on the bacteria (it only took me 10 minutes on Google to find out the antibiotic the bacteria is sensitive to...). The next afternoon, doc called at 4:30 and told me to admit mom because she was septic and would have to take vancomycin. I resigned myself to a hospital stay and we went up there. I patiently explained Mom's meds, care & feeding instructions over and over and over for the first couple of days.

Then, they kept bringing Mom meals for lumberjacks - not even a soft diet. Despite my warnings, they knew best, so she started barfing after two days of overfeeding. I kept on telling them, told the doc and they slacked off on the food. Doc added mucinex to her meds to thin the secretions. Mom was on a marathon no-sleeping binge and stayed awake from Wednesday morning until she finally went to sleep Monday night (that's 6 nights with only a catnap here and there, folks!). I told the nurse to PLEASE keep the lights dim, tippytoe in and out and don't worry if she didn't eat - she needed the sleep a lot more than food. Well, while I was having my "guilt-free day," the doc, who was aware of the food/barfing issue got all worried because she wasn't eating and prescribed magesterol, a steroid that perks up appetite. I discovered this last night when I went in to see her and found her in a dark room, with a half-filled emesis basin in front of her and her shoulder and gown & bedclothes all soaked & slimed from barfing. I turned on the light and went straight for the nurse and asked, "How long has my mother been vomiting?" I knew they did not know because Mom had grabbed the emesis basin herself and barfed on her mini-toothpaste tube. We got her changed & cleaned up and I asked the nurse to check what she had been fed over the last 48 hours... before she got back, two patients coded and she was busy. Mom started barfing again and for the next hour and a half, I was too busy with the emesis basin to even call the fools. Once she had heaved up the phlegm and a small amount of stomach contents (chyme), she settled down and I went looking for the nurse again. She came in and we checked the food record. Some entries were not filled in but I saw enough 90% and 100% to know Mom had ben overfed - again. Then the nurse came in with some meds and I said, those aren't oral meds, huh - she said yes. I told her absolutely NPO until at LEAST midnight. She replied, "You don't think she can hold the pill down?" I repeated that she could not and was to be given NOTHING by mouth until she could hold down a sip of water after midnight. Then I asked - what's that in the bottle, anyway? She told me magesterol and I hit the roof! I was FLABBERGASTED!!! Why in God's name would they give an appetite stimulant to someone who was already suffering from being overfed?!!! I told her to immediately take her off that stuff and do NOT give it to her again! She scurried out of there knowing that she was in the middle of a major messup and didn't want to be around in case I decided to kill the messenger. Then doc came in all surprised at Mom's barfing - I politely told her EXACTLY what had happened; that I had EXPLAINED all this to HER and to the nurses!! Well, she told us she was gonna release Mom in the morning and she would order dietetics to make her food portions smaller. I gritted my teeth and said great and silently vowed to get Mom out of there before they killed her.

Mom's been in the hospital now for 9 days on vancomycin and maxapime - was due to come home today. I called and reminded the nurse bright and early this morning to be SURE she was not overfed and asked when she'd be out - of course, nursie didn't know a thing. So I was fixin' to call them at 2 pm until I got the call from the case manager this afternoon. I wandered up to the hospital about 6:30 pm after being called by the case manager this afternoon at 1:30 and told Mom would be released this afternoon, after doc's office closed at 4 pm. So at 8:30 pm (no discharge orders yet!), the doc called the charge nurse and ordered a chest X-ray and a couple of blood tests - BMP & CBC. Said she would release Mom in the morning. I pressed the issue and said, do the tests and let us go home.

So they drew the blood, took the film with the portable X-ray machine and then the doc came and got me out of Mom's room at 11:30 pm to come look at the film. The chest X-ray showed something I was sorely afraid of - the fools have overfed her to the point that (on a chest X-ray, mind you) that she has a huge "bubble" of colon pressing her diaphragm so far up that her poor lung can only infate halfway! After looking at the X-ray, there was no choice but to leave her for a more specific intestinal X-ray in the morning and a non-barium enema. If that does not relieve the gas and whatever obstruction that we could not see on the film, we're looking at surgery - again.

SO, There you have it - sorry for rambling. I was angry last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday when the doc's office was busy doing nothing but dragging their feet. I resigned myself to the hospital stay and then patiently over and over and over TOLD these fools what they were doing WRONG with my mother and they WOULD NOT LISTEN. Oh. they told me, we're writing it in the chart, leaving a note for the doc, but I learned long ago not to trust that and I told the doc these things from my lips to her ears. I THOUGHT things were going smoothly and that I could TRUST them to take care of her.

How ironic that my wonderful mom, with a degree in hospital dietetics is in a life-threatening condition BECAUSE of hospital dietetics...

I can't scream - I have no screams left. I can't cry - I have no tears left. All I can do at this point is PRAY that the fools have not caused her death. I know my mom is gonna die, but merciful Father, NOT LIKE THIS!! NOT THIS WAY!! She deserves better than this...

Today was a trial of patience. Because of the waves I made, the staff avoided Mom's room like she had plague.

They did the X-ray this morning and I FINALLY heard the results from doc about 8:30 pm - the loop of bowel is smaller on the X-ray and she is not obstructed (I already knew that from her lack of symptoms) so the plan is to give her some strong "plumber's helper" tonight and do a repeat X-ray in the morning. If everything works out, Doc said she'd release her tomorrow.

In retrospect, it was this same scenario when she was admitted 2 years ago with a UTI and we were a day from being released when the volvulus occurred that required surgery.

I have only recently become aware of the desperate NEED for elderly folks to be treated as a specialty area of medicine, just as we do pediatrics. I do not believe that most of the workers are uncaring creeps - only a couple were of that ilk. The majority are really nice, kind concerned folks who are simply ignorant of geriatrics.

The ones who understand are wonderful, but the others, however well-meaning, are hazards because of their lack of knowledge.

Doc did screw up - she did not remember Mom's previous surgery (even though she was there...) and apparently did not refresh her memory by glancing through a history of her patient. But I messed up too. No matter HOW uncomfortable I feel when I have to intervene and ride herd on the staff, no matter HOW much I hate hospitals or need a few days off, Mom's care is MY responsibility and I will never treat a hospitalization the same after this. I will make SURE that I am there every evening and early every morning so that I can insure that I know what's going on with Mom. Staff are not in the habit of informing anyone of what they are doing and even if they think it's micro-managing for them to run every diddling thing through me first, that's the way it'll have to be. I THOUGHT we had everything understood, but with such a parade of faces during the day, then on the weekends - sheesh!! I feel like a broken record. I WILL find a better way to communicate her specific needs or die trying.

I have an outline begun for the letter that the hospital administration WILL receive as soon as I get Mom out of the line of fire. Doc and I WILL sit down and discuss how things have to be. Despite how angry I feel when she and I are on opposite sides with Mom in the middle, I like her and respect her opinions. This time, she blew it. I would like to say mistakes never should happen, but they do. Doctors, nurses and health care workers ARE human and DO mess up despite their best efforts. Some people never put forth a good effort, but for me to judge them all harshly because a few are turds is not fair.

Thanks so much for all your kind words - it really helps when one's guts are turning to water and feeling the "ohhhhh Noooooo" coming upon one to know that folks do care and understand. I am glad I took some critical time away so that I could center myself and decide which fight is the good one to take on...

This pitiful unfunny comedy of errors was caught in time. Once we get through it, I will do my very best to make sure it doesn't happen again - hopefully, not only to us, but to others as well.

I'll be going back to the hospital tonight - we're in for a ...ummmm... sh*tty evening and I want to be there to help comfort Mom and let the staff know I appreciate them doing all this sh*t...

Dear Mom's Buddy, I am also horrified but not surprised, isn't that so sad. There ought to be a law where we really could just slap some sense into these people. Makes me so mad!

Wishing you and your mom extra blessings to get through this.

Moms Buddym this is such a horible story.May I say that your experience does not surprise me.This type of thing is what killed my mother after 3 months out of my home.I cannot express my sorrow enough.This be a lesson to all when admitting aloved one to the hospital.You have to be there and ask questions at every turn.Moms Buddy, my prayers are with you and mom.Poor soul to have to suffer such because of pure negligence

That's just appalling, MB. Our last trip to the hospital was bad as well, but not life threatening like yours.

No words ... share your outrage

This is so horrific I can't beleive what I have read & I am so sorry this is happening to your Mom & you. I don't know what I would do if I were you MB. Hospital staff are usually asses who don't seem to really care, clock watchers & slackers. Doctors (most I've dealt w/ & worked for) think they are godly & don't like to be challenged w/ anything. I brought my Mom home from the hospitaql Wed. night & she is no better than she was. I am fed up.
You give em hell...wish this wasn't happening to you..(((())))

quote:

Originally posted by Moms_Buddy:
I just do not comprehend HOW people can be THIS incompetant in the face of ALL the information they have had... I am so dumbfounded, frustrated, angry and disappointed that I keep having to slam my mouth shut (when I'm not grinding my teeth)... Incomprehensible, inexcusable, incompetant, inhumane and intolerable for starters...

If they have to do surgery on her, I believe I will have to seek legal counsel...

I cannot believe this is happening...

This is because the staff are doing their jobs without any interest in what they're doing and this disease is widespread MB....and this includes the doctor who should have been instructing the staff. This is so friggen outrageous, my blood is boiling over for you at this moment. I really can't bare what I've just read.

Sounds like it's time to stop curbing your enthusiasm. You choose your battles carefully and it's time they finally heard what you've been saying all along and not listening to.

Whatever obstruction they couldn't see on film, they should have known about long before they exacerbated anything else that may have been brewing.

Hoping and praying for the best outcome on this.

Will talk with you later.

Thanks, y'all. I am pretty speechless myself, despite the length of my post! I just do not comprehend HOW people can be THIS incompetant in the face of ALL the information they have had... I am so dumbfounded, frustrated, angry and disappointed that I keep having to slam my mouth shut (when I'm not grinding my teeth)... Incomprehensible, inexcusable, incompetant, inhumane and intolerable for starters...

I will definitely be talking with some hospital officials tomorrow, but my first concern is to channel my energy to seeing her through this. If they have to do surgery on her, I believe I will have to seek legal counsel...

I cannot believe this is happening...

Oh MB I wish there was something I could say but I know there isnt we both know these morons in there are just that....They dont listen they dont write down crap they just treat without reguard to the patient and their specific needs.
We cant be there with our LO's 24/7 although I know you would like to be....Im pretty sure its time to yell the hell out of the DON by now but what good it would do I have no idea.....
I am wishing with all my heart that you and mom get through this....I know its sounds silly but try to stay positive in all this. With the staff however...Quiet but deadly... with a tongue lashing that rivals your best on record. Let em have it! And dont stop till you make them listen....Along the lines of...I have a lawyer on speed dial "WANNA TRY ME?!" It starts with willful negligence and ends with your butt on a silver platter if you defy another order from me!...Say this in the calmest voice you can muster...no yelling just quietly stating a fact.....
Your in my prayers

(((Hugs))) and Prayers. This is so outrageous I can't find words. When you can please update us. Gypsy