Just venting... - ThinnerTimes

Barb1024 · 11-11-2006, 09:09 AM

Hi all,,,I haven't posted in a week because I have been in the hospital...last Sunday I was ran over by a motorcycle and spent last week in the trauma unit with a lacerated spleen and a concusion. I am home now,,thank God, and doing ok...here's my dilema,,,while in the hospital,,the staff could not get that I am a RnY patient only 2 weeks out from surgery and that I can't EAT....they kept bringing me regular meals, no protein, no vitamins, no nothing...I complained over and over and met with their dietician who was tellling me I could eat sandwiches etc,,,so I finally had to have my husband start sneaking me things I could eat...anyways,,,I'm home now and I feel like my whole body has been messed up and its hard for me to get back on track...Just need some words of encouragement I guess from the people who understand what gastric bypass is all about...I am shocked that the medical staff was so ignorant and that they really don't understand what we are going through...even the ambulance medics didn't get it,,I had to beg them to not put any tubes in my throat,which they didn't,,thank goodness...but nobody seemed to get it...this is really frustrating to me and I think that the medical staff needs to be more educated on us.
Ok,,enough complaints,,I guess I just needed to vent these frustrations,,it is good to be home!

cassie7978 · 11-11-2006, 09:22 AM

Oh my gosh... I'm glad to hear that you are o.k. And they really need to be educated by the sound of things.. I'm sorry that you had to deal with that... Hope you start to feel better

AlabamaChick · 11-11-2006, 10:16 AM

WOW Barb.....sounds like you have been through a very traumatic time emotionally and physically with your accident. I am so happy you are doing okay and out of that hospital so you can take control of your health and diet now and do what is right for YOU! I have also found since my surgery that people in the healthcare industry are actually VERY uneducated to what our needs are, and it seems that the more uneducated they are, the more they don't want to listen to you or be bothered by you. If we were in a wheelchair and paralyzed, would they expect us to get up and walk???? There are things we just physically CANNOT do, as in eating, especially when we are so early out from surgery and we have special needs! I just don't get it! And it's SO frustrating! Anyway, I'm happy you are home and doing well now. We are here for support, so lean on us whenever you need to.

Zenomia · 11-11-2006, 10:30 AM

Barb...first of all I am glad you are home and recovering. What a harrowing experience!! Good greif, and only two weeks out. Good God!

Did your Surgeon come see you in the hospital? WOW.

Second. I would totally write a letter to the director of the hospital and inform them of your experience while you were in their care. The ignorance of the medical staff in a hospital is unexcusible in this day an age. Ok...messing up one meal is a mistake, but to continually not get it...that is just plain dangerous and could cause a health risk for people in your situation who may not have been able to speak for themselves. I know my surgeons group speaks to the hospital staff and educates them on the NEEDS of RNY patients and how our care differs from that of the 'normals'. With this increase in RNY proceedures being done, this should be a general education requirement for all hospitals. Complain....get something done....don't let your experience be repeated on someone else where it could actually harm them!!! Be an advocate for Patient's rights!!

I am appaled for you......

I pray you continue to heal and the rest of your recovery is motorcycle and incident free!

WOW. <<HUGS>>

sdgrrl · 11-11-2006, 10:49 AM

I couldn't have said it better myself, Zen. I'm so sorry that you had that experience to endure--and so soon after rny. I hope you continue to improve after this set back. With the spleen thing you need as much protein as you can cram in to assist in replacing the blood you lost. Best wishes for rapid healing!

LisaBoston · 11-11-2006, 11:22 AM

You have the right to vent my dear and I would be screaming at the top of my lungs. Glad to hear you are doing better now and what a crappy thing to go through and so early after your RNY. Take it extra slow and get lots of rest...your body has been through so much. Hugs coming your way.

NewMel06 · 11-11-2006, 11:22 AM

Barb, so happy you are better now, and so sorry you had to go through that! It is amazing how stupid and idiotic people can be at times!Did the accident hurt any of your incisions from GBS? Keep feeling better.

Barb1024 · 11-11-2006, 11:44 AM

Fortunately, no damage was done to the GB surgery that took place two weeks prior to this accident...The more I think about the incompetance of the medical staff, the more I want to do something about it....I think I will start by calling my surgeon who did the RnY,,he is not affiliated with the hospital that I was at, so I'm sure he is unaware of their ignorance....I felt like such a nag in the hospital complaining all the time, but they had nothing for me to eat,,I kept asking for SF popcicles,,,they didn't have any,,,I said what in the world do you people do if you get diabetics in here?? they had no answer other than "sorry",,,I was in the hospital for five days and took one shower,,that I begged for,,,never had the bed sheets changed,,not once. Terrible, terrible medical care,,,now I'm fuming,,,I think I am going to start making calls and writing letters first thing Monday morning....Thanks for listening to me...it is so good to have people understand!

coptergirl · 11-11-2006, 12:06 PM

Wow - Barb!!! What a harrowing experience - I am so soryy you had to endure that!! I implore you wo write letters and document everything - that is absurd that the hospital didn't listen to you.

Gina in NY · 11-11-2006, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barb1024

Fortunately, no damage was done to the GB surgery that took place two weeks prior to this accident...The more I think about the incompetance of the medical staff, the more I want to do something about it....I think I will start by calling my surgeon who did the RnY,,he is not affiliated with the hospital that I was at, so I'm sure he is unaware of their ignorance....I felt like such a nag in the hospital complaining all the time, but they had nothing for me to eat,,I kept asking for SF popcicles,,,they didn't have any,,,I said what in the world do you people do if you get diabetics in here?? they had no answer other than "sorry",,,I was in the hospital for five days and took one shower,,that I begged for,,,never had the bed sheets changed,,not once. Terrible, terrible medical care,,,now I'm fuming,,,I think I am going to start making calls and writing letters first thing Monday morning....Thanks for listening to me...it is so good to have people understand!

First of all - whoa - what a month you've had!

Because I can't get my jaw off the floor, I'll just move on to the other subject:

Call your insurance company and tell them everything - tell them they shouldn't pay. They'll charge you for the meeting with the dietician too - don't pay. Get your surgeon to write a letter that he is appalled. And don't pay them!

If you're paying for yourself - get a lawyer to write a letter saying you won't pay due to your horrible care and that they are lucky you don't sue them.

In the end, you might have to pay, but you should get some satisfaction before that. Your insurance company can get farther.

Good luck recovering! Can you even walk you poor thing??