Story begins = Monday night, Midnight – Jeff had a lumbar spinal surgical procedure on Monday morning, February 9th. It went well and was an outpatient procedure with Dr. Mark Meyer. After returning home and passing the rest of the day uneventfully, Jeff became sick with severe vomiting around midnight. Around noon the vomiting became more severe and he began passing what the doctor thought could be blood so we went to the ER at Memorial North. When we arrived his blood oxygenation was very low and his heart rate was very high so he was admitted, put on an IV, anti-nausea meds, a catheter, heart monitor and oxygen. And that is how this chapter of Jeff’s story began.
Day 1 – Wednesday, February 11th. Horrible morning. Jeff has not had his normal pain medications since he began vomiting at midnight on Monday. He called me at home this morning because the only pain med on order for him was TYLENOL. For those new to Jeff’s story, he has been taking very large doses of narcotic pain killers for over 10 years as his degenerative disc disease has progressed through his back. He has a very high tolerance for pain medication.
I was furious and my mood was made worse by the fact that I was stuck at home without a car and trying to get a rental vehicle to pick me up. We had given an EXTENSIVE history to the ER doctor last night, had made two phone calls to Dr. Mark Meyers office requesting his visit to the hospital OR at least to call in with pain medication orders. NOTHING had been done. So I got on the phone and started calling, ranting and raving. Finally got Dr. Meyer’s office to call the hospital and talk with the attending doctor (who we had still never seen) to get some pain meds ordered. I gave up on the rental car and took a cab to the hospital, arriving right when I was told the assigned doctor, Dr. Vickery, was on the floor and would be seeing Jeff shortly. I rushed to the room, only to find the doctor still hadn’t shown up. I saw a gentleman sitting at the nurse’s station who looked like a doctor (don’t ask!) so approached him, introduced myself, and asked when he planned on seeing my husband, or dispensing some pain medication. He replied that the ER doctor had assigned him in ERROR! He wasn’t on the ‘team’ that was supposed to be assigned to Jeff. He had called the correct doctor and informed her that SHE (thank G** a woman finally!) had a new patient. I asked when she would be coming by. Blank Stare. I asked again. I have no idea was the reply. Can you see the steam coming from the top of my head???? this is like a three stooge episode, MY G**! So before I could rev up to full ‘rant’ stage he told me that he had ‘gone ahead and ordered the pain meds’. I thanked him and explained that from my position as my husband’s health care advocate, this entire system Sucked Big Time and was an atrocious show of the LACK of care continuity within this medical system. He did not respond. I told him I wanted to speak with the new doctor. Blank Stare. I, a patient’s family member, wanted to be given THE DOCTOR’S phone number? The stare said – who did I think I was?
After receiving reassurance from Jeff’s nurse (wonderful Crystal!) that the medications had been ordered and would be brought in as soon as the pharmacy delivered them. I told Crystal that I wanted to speak with the new doctor ASAP, preferably BEFORE I contacted the patient advocate to submit a complaint about all of this. Crystal came in the room with her own phone and allowed me to speak with this new doctor. She is at the other hospital in town, and as soon as she finishes with her patient’s there will be here to talk with us about Jeff’s care and case. I am calmer, Jeff is in less pain and we are waiting . . . . . for round 2, I assume.
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