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Having a problem with waiting


musemuse

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I just realized that I have a problem and don't know what to call it or what is really going on with me. I went to the emergency room today to have them look at my painful kidney. I drove myself because an ambulance wouldn't have taken me to my hospital. After I registered, I asked the nurse how long would I have to wait. I also told her about how I couldn't wait too long; I have a habit of leaving places during tests for whatever, especially if things are going right. 2 hours. ok I sit after the 2 hours I asked again, how many were in front of me. 4. Ok. Finally, she got me in. I'm not going to say that it was kaotic because it wasn't. The staff ignored the patients. and different other things went on. Anyway, I was there for 4 hours and I was ready to go. They had put an iv in my arm and the lady was upset because I told her it hurt and she was being too rough with me. So I asked a nurse a question and she just walked away. Then much later a doctor came in and poked and proded and said she would be right back. She can in with the registration nurse and they laughed because I told her then that I was ready to go. She left. After another couple of hours, I put on my clothes and asked them to take the iv out, that I was leaving. The nurse ignored me again. Anyway, a few other people say me walking with my walker toward the exit and one of them took the iv out and spoke to the nurse, who again ignored me, and said ok. Now around 1 o'ck I told the nurse that I had to eat because I'm diabetic and I would start shaking. She said ok and walked away.

I left. It's 5o'clock now and I know I had to leave because I drove myself and can't see in the dark to get home.

This waiting senario has happened before while waiting to take a brain scan, a heart MRI and things like that. I had had one brain scan that went perfect. The technician was nice. The second one they wanted a brain MRI. The technician had a lot of problems with the machine and making it work before while I was laying on the table. Finally, got in the tube after a long time. When I came out, she said that it wasn't good because she couldn't read it. I said sorry, I wasn't going through that again and left.

Then something like that happened with the heart MRI. This time they strapped me to a table, which was not really a table, but a strip of metal. I couldn't stand that and after the first part of the test I had to go and told the doctor that I could not stay and be strapped.

So what is wrong with me? I know that I do have a problem, but now I know that it is bad because I couldn't stay in the emergency room. Of course I get really anxious and worked up, but other people stay without problems for hours and hours, why can't I?

It

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Muse, I think you're probably the only normal person there.... walking out after waiting for hours and hours, and being ignored and laughed at, yep those are all good reasons to leave. We have become complacent and put up with this sad system, and we get treated like we are numbers. I know these are not easy jobs, and the system is very paper oriented, and it takes time, but man, you are an person :mad: When I go through the medical system now I feel like I'm part of an assembly line. I have had a lot of back issues and a few operations, and going through that system made me feel like meat. I was losing the use of my leg and the doctor was scoffing at me for complaining about it and trying to find out why - I was not a person sitting in front of him, I was the next case...

Well, that was a bit of a rant, but I don't think you have a problem Muse. You know your limits and when you've had it, you've had it. It appears to me you asked reasonable questions, after hours of being ignore for the most part, so you have nothing to worry about in my opinion.

I have friends that have come from France or Switzerland, and the only thing they don't like about Canada is the medical system which they say is slow and unefficient. There you would not wait more than 1 hour, and that would be a stretch. So if you get fed up by how long it takes, I think it's normal.... And your right, some of those machines are cold and hard and uncomfortable. I watched my grandmother be put on cold metal machines, when she was so old she could no longer be placed in all these positions without cramping, and still many had no compassion for her. I know the treatments are helpful, but some do look a lot like torture - take the mammogram machine. Now who the hell invented that!! :-0

Now where did all of that come from! I think you triggered the protective instinct I had for my grandma who passed last year.... man I miss her....

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Oh Symora,

I'm sorry, I know you miss her.

And the system has changed so much. This is supposed to be one of those high flutin hospitals. I only go because it is closer than the one I used to work at and go to. (I started getting loss with distance travel, then paranoid, so I don't go out of my range now, plus I can't read street signs like I used to). It was awful. Now the clinic doctors farm you out to another clinic for their specific specality. One doc used to take care of most things, but not now. When I first started going there, I wrote the clinic and it people up, about me waiting. The heads of this and that apologized and it doesn't happen again with me because I will start questioning what is going on. All they have to do is tell you and I understand and go back and sit down and wait. I probably will be writing this ER up to. They don't call you by name or even tell you their name. The woman next to me was coughing coughing coughing. I asked did she need some water or something. She said the nurse has been in and asked her whether she wanted another respirtory treatment, and she had said no. I explained to her what the medicine did in quieting her cough and she wanted it them. The nurse didn't even take the time to explain the purpose of the meds. So when the nurse came back again, she told her that she wanted it. She was in real respitory distress. I get like that sometimes. She stopped coughing, as they wheeled her somewhere. The point was, the nurse or anyone didn't do their job, I felt. But things are not what they used to be with this medical system. They want the jobs, but don't really take care of the patients that they have the job for. And me, I refuse to wait too long without communications, something that they don't give.

Forgive me for going all off the line. I really don't know what I'm going to do now because my kidney is still hurting. I'm drinking lots of water like the pharmacist told me. I hope it stops in the 3 month wait to see my doctor. lol, but I really do.

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You may have to go back, you can't wait 3 months for god's sake! Pack a lunch, bring a book, knitting, and consider it a picnick .... a long drawn out picnick with no sunshine :-)

Do you have a GP who can take you fairly quickly and send you for a scan or tests in a clinic that moves a bit more quickly? Has this kidney issue happened before? Do you know how it affects you and what you can do to make it better in the short term Muse? I have this really strong instinct to go over there and kick some butt to get you some service... :-(

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you are right and I know it. I just have to get up the (something)???? to get moving. I did take some oj with me this morning, but I guess I have to pack something more. I'll think of something by Monday. It was so hard for me to get going today, and everyday, really. I've been sitting around, hurting for a week or little more now, waiting and wanting it to just go away. It is so hard just to move sometimes for me. I don't know right now, but something will turn up. I had gone to bed, just before getting back up, and could hardly move.

thanks so much for your support. really, thank you

and God bless.

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Muse, you really do need to get someone to look at this if you can hardly get up and have been feeling bad for a week. I know it takes energy and patience in emergency rooms, but you need to do this for your health. Do you have someone you can call who can take you to a clinic or hospital, someone who could stay a while to help you pass the time during the wait?

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