Wednesday, November 14, 2018

wed

We went to the urgent care the other day.
Boyfriend had an abscess that needed to be incised and drained.
We had visited his doctor a couple of days prior who had started him
on oral antibiotics. He needed them but the abscess still got worse.
So while at the urgent care the nurse checked boyfriends vital signs.
His oxygen saturation was 78% while on his oxygen. It should be at least 91%. The nurse reported the doctor would kill her if she charted that result and that she would recheck it in a few minutes.
I told her she should chart all of the results, even if the doctor didn't like it, and that if everyone only charted the normal results then boyfriends chart would not reflect an accurate picture.  I was irritated.
I'm almost always irritated when we have a medical visit anymore and I have a hard time biting my tongue...though I seldom try to anymore. ........which brings me to our eye appointment day before yesterday where they sewed shut 75% of boyfriends left eye. The surgeon was a great guy. I liked his bedside manner, and his competence. The young girl who checked us in, probably a medical assistant, was very professional. But the guy who did the second set of numbing injections (the surgeon did the first set) was a twit. He had his fingers in boyfriends eye while injecting him but he wasn't wearing gloves. My thoughts went to last summer when we had to go everyday for 6 weeks Mon thru Sun for antibiotics to treat an infection. Now this twit has his fingers in boyfriends eye. I may or may not have over reacted. I just don't know anymore but I ask the guy to put gloves on and he says to me "WHY?" I could feel anger rushing through my body. When I'm angry
or when I confront someone I stammer, trip over words,  say stupid stuff and just find it difficult to express myself. So I'm not sure what I said in response to his why. He treated me like a dummy......and I probably felt like one because of my inability to say exactly what it was I wanted to say in response to his "WHY? "  Eventually though I found my voice and shouted "BECAUSE IT'S THE STANDARD OF CARE, AND YOU KNOW IT IS! I'M A NURSE AND I KNOW IT IS!. SO WHY ARE YOU ARGUING WITH ME ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU SHOULD BE WEARING GLOVES? Dude eventually did put on gloves and apologized but only after he tried to debate with me whether or not gloves are worn to A.  protect him or 3. to protect the patient......WTF!....... ......freaking idiot........
 When he left the room boyfriend began to cry. He'd already been stressed, and now my raising my voice and arguing with TWIT put him over the edge. I felt so horrible. I felt like the twit. I felt sorry for, and my heart ached for boyfriend.
I promised him I'd quit being confrontational at doctor appointments.........unless it was needed to protect him........................
After the procedure was over I apologized to Dr.  TWIT because at that moment I wasn't sure  how it ended up that I was yelling at him.....and I wasn't sure if I had over reacted. I felt like a jerk..........and I guess I was hoping apologizing to Twit would make boyfriend feel better...................
The procedure went fine..........boyfriend is bruised and a little swollen............hopefully the scratch, or ulcer (depending who is talking) will now heal and we can have his eye reopened (one says it's permanent, the other doctor says it can be reversed in 2-3 months)
I'm so sick of the medical profession.

2 comments:

PipeTobacco said...

Jane:

I can certainly understand your disdain for the medical professionals you have been encountering. It is very challenging at times.

Did your boyfriend's O2 saturation measure ever top 91% at the visit? If so, I am very glad. Below 91 (as you know) is very dangerous and does need to be addressed. If it did not, and they recorded nothing or something untrue.... it is still very important to consider having someone else evaluate this measure if possible. He may need to increase the concentration of 02 he is using or may need a medication adjustment for fluid on the lungs.

Even though this refers to an earlier essay... I am VERY glad your daughter saved one ornament for "sentimental" reasons. I can completely understand and agree with your daughter. I am almost a pack rat myself in the myriad of things I will save as what I call "momentos" of all sorts of special (or even quite mundane) activities I do with my family. It feels too important to not have some item to commemorate the event/action/time.... much to my family's chagrin at times. :)

Perhaps you could post an image of the ornament? I bet it is more artistic and beautiful than you give you and your daughter credit for making.

PipeTobacco

PipeTobacco

Jane said...

Hi Professor.
I'm ashamed to admit that I don't believe boyfriends 02 saturation was ever re-checked that day in the urgent care. Usually his sats will improve after a short rest ( he had walked from the car to the lobby, to the exam room).....and usually I wouldn't forget to have the nurse recheck it (especially given the fact that it was so low) if she doesn't check it without being asked .......... I'm not sure what the nurse charted!
His portable concentrator only goes to 3 liters, he was set at 3, so we couldn't titrate...
You are correct ......he was full of fluid that day and had taken an extra diuretic dose....it hadn't finished doing it's job!

I love the fact that she saved the ornament, Professor. I thought it was sweet that it meant something to her! I hope I didn't hurt her feelings by not saving one!
I think it's cool that you're the sentimental type who saves momentos/things/stuff that reminds you of time spent with the ones you love.
You're a good guy.