Frustration 101

Although this is NOT a picture of me, it sure does represent how I felt last week.....

Here's why:

 I had been home for only 4 days after spending 3 weeks at a hospital with my mom and dad due to my dad's cancer deteriorating his hip causing him to require hip replacement.   Thinking my life was going to resume a semblance of normal until I received a phone call from my oldest daughter:

"Mom?  This is Sam....I'm in the hospital.  We think I am going to have my appendix removed today.  I've been in a lot of pain,  but on pain meds right now and I'm scared"

Ok, mom...what would your reaction be to such a phone call?  

Mine was:  Beam me up, Scotty...I HAVE to be there....and 3 hours later, driving at high rates of speed, I was there.  

And my frustration began immediately.  She had been in the hospital for 6 1/2 hours by the time I made it there. I figured she'd either be IN surgery or on her way.  Nope, not the case at all.  The only doctor she had seen was the ER one who "thought" it was appendix due to a  high white blood count and the symptoms.   He had her on morphine for the pain and had contacted the surgeon.

Morphine was prescribed for every 2 hours. It was NEEDED every 2 hours, but the nurse didn't  show up until every 2 1/2 - 3 hours at which time Sampy-June was crying in pain.  More times than I can count, Sampy-June's boyfriend, Jerm or her sister or myself would 'kindly' suggest to the nurse that it was time for her to pay attention to her patient and give her the scheduled pain meds.  Let me tell you, it is very difficult to watch your grown daughter cry in pain and be unable to take it away!

I had been there a couple of hours and still a no-show surgeon.  Once again, I 'kindly' talked with the nurse asking ever so gently what the hold up was.  Were they waiting for an emergency situation?  Is this the ONLY doctor in this hospital that can order a CT scan?  What kind of a Mickey Mouse place is this anyway?  I didn't actually say THAT, but I certainly wanted to!

Finally after TEN HOURS, she is taken for a CT scan.  Results:  kidney infection probably caused by a kidney stone.  A stay in the hospital, with fluids, more pain meds and antibiotics.  

She ended up staying 3 days. I have so many more stories to tell about the incompetency of this medical facility, but honestly, I am just happy she made it out alive!

The last ridiculous event was when she was discharged and I tried to fill her prescriptions.  The pharmacists refused to fill one prescription.  She stated that it would be "unethical" for her to do so.  REALLY???  Are you serious???  Unethical, yet I have been given this prescription by a medical doctor!  This is when I began to seriously question  when Disney started to hand out medical licenses.

For those of you  who have been wondering how my dad is doing...he is holding his own.  

Although he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, the current doctor says that other than the cancer and his rehab for his hip replacement, he's doing well.   He could continue this way for another 6-12 months.  My parents are planning to return to Florida within the next few weeks after dad is finished his rehab.  

Hopefully I can get back to a good schedule with my blog.  Thanks to so many who have checked in to see how I'm doing.