So many of my friends and members of our young single adult branch asked how Jerry is doing. I had to reply that I thought he was doing so much better and that life was getting back to normal. We still have a new doctor to interview and we have to make an appointment with a urologist. Jerry went to Wal-Mart today. We take things for granted in life. Don't we? An outing to a big box store all by himself is a major feat for him. He didn't collapse from being tired when he got home. We feel blessed that he has come this far in the healing process.
I have spoken to a few of my friends and some colleagues at work about how our doctor treated us while Jerry was in the hospital. He needs to study medical ethics and implement them into his practice. I am so disappointed in his behavior. I am actually physically sick when I think about that stunt he pulled. I had a dream the other night that he trapped Jerry and I into a hospital bed and wouldn't let us out of it. Bizarre, I know but now that I have had time to look back at the situation that is exactly how I felt.
I believe that he is a talented doctor and surgeon. But he was unethical in his treatment of a purely ethical action on my part. I called in the nursing supervisor when I thought that Jerry's medication was not administered properly by the nursing staff. The nurse was making a mistake between administering a medicine three times a day and every three hours. It was pain medicine so it did not endanger Jerry's life but he was in pain. There was another medication that was supposed to be reduced from 1 mg to .5 mg. The 1 mg was too much and was making Jerry incapable of making decisions about his care. We had asked the doctor to reduce the medication and that had happened during the night. But in the computer the 1 mg was still being prescribed.
The doctor came in the evening after the supervisor was called. He told us that Jerry may have to have surgery the next day. He would have an ultrasound and if he had an abscess the doctor would have to go in to drain it. He told us that the hospital would not want to do the surgery on a Sunday and he may have to postpone it until Monday. I told him that if he needed me to that I would call the hospital and advocate for the surgery on Sunday.
The doctor then said that I didn't have the power. I told him that I was powerful and that if Jerry needed the surgery that I would surely call the hospital and have a conversation with them. I didn't want Jerry to be in pain anymore. He told me that he was the one that would make the decision to go to surgery. I told him that I knew that he was the doctor and that he would make the decision. I told him that I would help if he needed me to talk to the hospital.
He then proceeded to tell me of all the problems I caused him today because of my call to the nursing supervisor. He said that the nurse could lose her job and that she would have to go in front of the hospital board. He would also have to write a report and go in front of a board also. He had received 5 calls today about the incident with the nurse. I was to call him if there was a problem with the nurses. He would handle his "staff". How would I like it if I made a mistake and someone called my supervisor?
I asked him why we were given a hospital guest relations telephone number to call if we had any problems? He said that it was "PR" and that he didn't want any of those people involved with his patients. I told him that I believed that I was just handling a miscommunication between the night nursing staff and the daytime nursing staff. The doctor said that I had to handle the problem the "Legal" way and that would get everyone in trouble.
I told him that I didn't realize that they would have to go in front of a board. I thought that I was just handling a miscommunication in the medication between the nursing staff.
He told us that the hospital would start making decisions about Jerry's care and that he would have any say in the matter. They would bring in the hospitalist and infectious disease and they would manage his care instead of him. But now he would have to work with other doctors that that they would take over and that he would get too many calls during the day about Jerry's care.
Then he started to tell me that he should "Just pack him up and send him to the clinic. Be rid of him." I started to get really mad at this point but I kept my cool. The doctor asked if we wanted another doctor. Jerry told the doctor that he didn't want that to happen. That he wanted him to continue on as his doctor.
He started up again and told us that we had to call him if there was a problem. I told him that I would call him from now on.
The doctor finally ended the nasty conversation.
I told Jerry that I didn't want him to have this doctor anymore. But he insisted that we keep him. So we decided that the doctor was being a jerk about this situation and left it at that.
The doctor treated us with respect after his verbal abuse. I think he knew that he did something wrong.
Now, we have decided not to see this doctor again. We will be heading to the Cleveland Clinic for his follow-up care. The Glickman Urology Department is rated #2 in the world. We were with them at the start of Jerry's care but this doctor switched to University Hospital and he followed him.
I don't ever want to have this happen again. It makes you feel as if you don't have any choice but to be subject to unethical treatment by a doctor. We felt powerless and scared. After the doctor treated us this way we had to be careful about how we approached him. We were scared to even asked him to bring in an infectious disease doctor. He finally admitted that he would have to bring someone in for a consult. That doctor was the answer. As soon as he changed the antibiotics Jerry started to get better and he went home in 5 days.
All of the staff at the hospital were great! Even the little nurse who made that medication mistake. She stepped up afterwards and gave Jerry wonderful care. The hosptial was new and had great private rooms that were comfortable and pleasant: Wooden floors, tiled bathrooms and healthy food, big screen TV's and and a comfy recliner and couch.
We also had the blessing of having our family, the branch and our friends fast and pray for Jerry. We know that God was with us in the healing process. Jerry began rapidly recovering after the fast happened. We thank all who prayed and fasted for him. God was listening and he blessed him. The hospital chaplain - Melanie - was wonderful. She knew our religion and gave us help when we needed it.
I know that angels were surrounding me as I was attending to Jerry's care. It was a 40 minute drive home from the hospital. When I was driving home late at night I believe that angels were helping me to drive the car and keep me awake.
Our girls were a great support to us. They called everyday to see how Jerry was improving. God Bless them, I needed them so much.
The people that I work with were a wonderful support to me. They stopped by daily to keep up my spirits and help me through the tough times.
No comments:
Post a Comment