Was BACK in E.R. last night..

I'm sure ya'll are sick of hearing about my drama, but I have to ask ya'll what I should do. I wen't to the E.R. at 5:30pm last night because even with all the care I've given my wounds I could see they were getting very swollen, hot and VERY red....and EXTREMELY painful....(INFECTION!!)
Anyway, I get in there, they insist on doing a whole nother round of X-Rays and another CT of my head. 7 HOURS later, they come in tell me eveything looks fine, but now I have cellulitis starting in my knee and arm and my site's have to be debrided. OMG:eek: NO pain medication was EVER offered to me which I don't like to take it anyway, but when they cleaned out my wounds....I would have taken ANYTHING. So it was 2AM by they time I got home. The E.R. was dead, the Techs were RUDE. So, do I bother writing a letter of complaint and to whom would I write it? Would they even care? Not once was I asked if I needed anything, I sat in the room and stared at the wall in pain for 7 hours. Don't you go to the hospital for relief?? Oh, and finally, EVERYONE that heard I was in a biking accident told me to stay off of MOTORCYCLES!!!:mad:

Did you ask for pain meds and they refused to give them to you?

What did they give you to take care of the cellulitis? (HipGnosis6 went through quite a merry-go-round with her biking wound)

That must be quite the intense road rash for them to assume it came from a MOTORcycle! Yowza!

Take care, rest, lots of fluids!

(((((jenn))..Sorry to hear you had to revisit the ER. It's ok to post about it kiddo!

I'd write a little letter to the head of the ER or patient services stating perhaps the staff might want to treat the patients a tad bit better than they normally do. They're there to treat you properly and with a bit of respect last time I checked!

(((((((Jenn))))

Sorry if i've babbled...

C

I asked for pain meds, and everytime the tech would say ok, let me go find someone, HOURS wen't by. So, I consider they did, but after hearing how they were talking about other patients at the Nurse station, they had people with chest pain in room so and so and forgot about...as they LAUGHED!
They put me on Keflex 4 a day for ten days and she did write me a script for Percocet which I'm finally going to HAVE to take at night just to sleep.:(

((((((((JEN))))))))))
Take care of yourself and keep a close watch on those wounds. It was smart of you to go to the ER. I've had cellulitis before and it turned out to be MRSA (deadly flesh eating bacteria). I had to have IV's and surgery and lots of antibiotics to get rid of the infection. If it doesn't start to get better in 24 hours, I would go to the doctor again.

Jen,
First, I am so sorry to hear of your accident. I hope you start to feel better soon. Cellulitis is not to be messed around with so please keep a close watch on the size of the red area and your temp. Watch closely to see if the area gets bigger. Many times we will mark the area so you can see if it decreases or increases.

Second, I am a Pediatric Nurse Manager and still work the floor and am so sorry to hear that you did not receive compassionate care in a hospital. As a nurse manager, if this occurred on my floor I would want to hear from you. YOU are the patient and YOU are the paying customer. You should have been offered pain medication and asked what your pain score was before, during and after cares. You should have been offered pain medication and not had to ask for it. This is basic nursing and is a JCAHO requirement. Scoring pain is the 5th vital sign (along with your temp, heart rate, resp rate and BP). I would suggest you call and ask to talk to the Nurse Manager and if you receive a survey in the mail asking about your care please feel it out and return it. I take all comments good and bad back to staff and talk to individual nurses about how they are perceived from the patients perpective. I frequently remind them about what is said from the nurses station is frequently heard by the parents and patients.

I hope you feel better soon!!!!

They asked me my pain scale when I walked in and I told them an 8 because the area was getting so red, hot and swollen.....and they did nothing.
Thank you for the information, I'm watching the sites, they seem to be not as big and red and hot today.

Hey Jenn,
Step back and look at the big picture- no concussion, no broken bones or cracked skull, didn't get RUN OVER by the car that turned in front of you. Bike is ok too. I'd say you were pretty lucky- this time.
You'll probably be on your bike again in a couple of weeks!

Good that you went and had your wounds cleaned by the pros, and good that you had more xrays just to be sure they hadn't missed anything.

Jenn, just a little helpful suggestion- you don't have to start a whole new thread every time you have something to update about your accident- unless it's a major new turn of events or something. There are now four threads about your crash, and it's getting confusing to keep up with it all. ;)

POOR YOU! That's just awful... I've been on jury duty for last 2 weeks hearing a case of medical malpractice. Part of it has to do with hospital care and wound infection. All I can tell you is that I've learned through this case that you have to demand your needs be met even if it means screaming your head off. You also need to demand that certain things be written in your chart if you think there's any chance that anyone is being neglectful.

Take very GOOD CARE of yourself and watch those wounds. I'm learning all about how nasty wound infection can be... In spite of how you must hate the hospital right now, don't hesitate to rush in there at the slightest hint you might need help. Do you have decent relationship with any particular doctor? If so, they can help to expedite your case if you have to go in to the ER again.

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Originally Posted by Lisa S.H.

Hey Jenn,
Step back and look at the big picture- no concussion, no broken bones or cracked skull, didn't get RUN OVER by the car that turned in front of you. Bike is ok too. I'd say you were pretty lucky- this time.
You'll probably be on your bike again in a couple of weeks!

Good that you went and had your wounds cleaned by the pros, and good that you had more xrays just to be sure they hadn't missed anything.

Jenn, just a little helpful suggestion- you don't have to start a whole new thread every time you have something to update about your accident- unless it's a major new turn of events or something. There are now four threads about your crash, and it's getting confusing to keep up with it all. ;)

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Don't worry I won't be posting anymore.

Shiraz is correct when she said cellulitis is not to be taken lightly. When I contracted cellulitis and went to the ER I was immediately put on IV antibiotics. Did they run blood labs? You should probably go back to your primary care physician. She/he knows you personally and should be a bit more concerned, plus they don't have the time/pressure constraints of the ER.

Be assertive! You have to be your own patient advocate!!!

See if you can find an urgent care clinic near you. They are much less stressed
and they are better set up to take care of people like you.
A friend of mine who was an ER doctor for many years got tired of the shifts and t he stress and the numbers of doctors and nurses vs patients in ER and is now a happy camper working for an Urgent Care clinic.

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Originally Posted by Jenn

Don't worry I won't be posting anymore.

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I hope you don't mean like....FOREVER!!!??? :confused: :confused:

Did I hurt your feelings?? I certainly didn't intend to. I was just trying to be positive and helpful.

Jenn,

Please don't stop posting just because of one person's comment (which, probably just came across the wrong way because it is through a post and not in person - for some reason, things can come across in ways not intended when done through e-mail or posts). We are rooting for you and want to hear from you, so please keep coming back . . .

Oh, Jenn - more gentle (((Hugs))):(

This is what I was afraid of with these abrasions. When I fell of my platform shoes years ago (in the 1970s) mine went septic and swelled up too. I can't remember the name of the dressing they put on me but it was covered in a creamy/sticky antibiotic goo. It took nearly two weeks for it to start healing up. The area was just where the worst part beside your elbow was. I couldn't bend my arm or even lift it above my head because it swelled up so much. I had to get help dressing and undressing for a while. Thankfully it made a full recovery although I did have some scarring for several months which eventually disappeared completely.

As for the way you were treated, I would most certainly complain and make sure you put it in writing and demand an explanation and an apology. It's the very least you deserve.

As for the pain meds, I don't like taking pills and potions either but sometimes we have to. They will make you feel better and help you to sleep. The body heals itself when it's sleeping.

I really hope you start to feel better very soon.

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Originally Posted by Jenn

Don't worry I won't be posting anymore.

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good grief, don't take yourself out Jenn!

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Originally Posted by Jenn

Don't worry I won't be posting anymore.

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Oh no Jenn! I know that's not what Lisa meant! We DO want to know how things are going, and that we CAN heal from this mess called road rash! I thought of you, pictures flashing in my mind's eye, as I was screaming through the new phase in our subdivision last night, faster than ever, wondering if I should slow down just in case! I didn't -- there are only four houses in progress, the blacktop was SOOOOOOOOOOOO smooth, there's still no traffic of any kind there, and it was so easy to just loop around and around -- and make DH worry!

(DH has a cold, said we were going to have a SHORT ride, like three miles, so I decided to play hammer head to get some kind of work out in the deal. It was a fun change from my usual ride!)

Karen in Boise

(((((Jenn))))) - I'm really sorry about your ER experience. I had a similar situation once, had to have serious wound debridement. Not only did they give me pain meds, they froze me locally and did not start the procedure until they knew I couldn't feel any pain when they poked around the tissue.

I hope you get better soon and if it was me I'd contact the nurse manager as someone else recommended.

As for the new threads, I appreciate the new threads when something like this comes up. If you had posted this on a previous thread, I likely would not have read it, thinking that you were commenting on peoples well wishes etc. I would not have realized that you had a new question and wanted input. I actually find it easier to keep track of things the way you have chosen to post.

I also think that Lisa SH did not intend to discourage you from posting. As someone else said, things are often misinterpreted in this type of format.

Keep us informed, we want to hear about you getting better!!

My feelings are just as tender as my face and body right now so I'm sorry if I'm a little over sensitive. I didn't mean forever, I just meant while I take a few percocet and finally lay down and rest and FLUSH my body with antibiotics. Lack of sleep doesn't help either.
Ya'll are the best....thank you so much for all the kind words and hel
{{{{HUGS}}}}
Jenn

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Originally Posted by Jenn

My feelings are just as tender as my face and body right now so I'm sorry if I'm a little over sensitive. I didn't mean forever, I just meant while I take a few percocet and finally lay down and rest and FLUSH my body with antibiotics. Lack of sleep doesn't help either.
Ya'll are the best....thank you so much for all the kind words and hel
{{{{HUGS}}}}
Jenn

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Great! :)
When your wounds heal you will have new tougher skin! (bad joke maybe)
Get some rest, girl. The body heals itself fastest when we are sleeping, did you know that?

Poor girl. Take good care of yourself. I'm so sorry this happened.

As an aside, I NEVER go to the hospital without a friend to advocate, to avoid the situation you describe. I've had a bunch of surgeries and a couple of ER visits, and I just find that hospitals are so short staffed these days, you may not get proper attention unless you have someone with you to be a friendly "nag" (I've also played this role for my friends).

For instance, when I had a myomectomy (removal of fibroids), I realized immediately after surgery that I couldn't tolerate narcotics (and was on a demerol drip), so was incredibly nauseated. The nursing staff kept "forgetting" to give me my anti-nausea meds, and fortunately I had a friend with me at all times to go ask for it before I lost my mind. I was way too sick to advocate for myself- constantly feeling like you're going to vomit when you have many abdominal stitches is not a good feeling.

Anyway, I know not everyone is able to bring someone with them to the hospital, but if you can, my advice is to bring someone who combines friendliness and pushiness in just the right measure.

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Originally Posted by Jenn

So, do I bother writing a letter of complaint and to whom would I write it? Would they even care?

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Jenn, so sorry to hear about your accident. Road rash is horrible, I've had my share of it so I feel your pain.

You asked if you should bother to write a letter of complaint, my opinion is YES! It's not about if they would even care, though being validated is always nice, it's about how it will make you feel. Also, your letter may help change things so that someone else doesn't have the same bad experience as you had.

Jenn, I am sorry this happened to you. I hope you get better quickly.

This is my advice to everyone.

My husband has been ill since the mid-1980s, and so there have many times I have been in the ER in the middle of the night. I have learned that unless I think my husband is dying, like a heart attack or stroke or intestinal bleeding (which he has had), or maybe a broken limb, that it is best for any other medical conditions to wait out the night and get into the doctor during regular office hours. It isn't effective to go to the ER unless he is in danger of dying, even if there is a lot of pain, because it is just sit and sit and sit and sit - for hours and hours and hours and hours - and by the time it is all over, I could have gotten him into the doctor during regular hours, or one of the other doctors if our primary physician wasn't available, or even a Physician's Assistant. Not only that, I swear, that being the relative and having to wait in the ER with my husband, has given me quite a few air-borne illnesses because of people coughing and hacking all over the place, and normally I am quite healthy.

Darcy

Feeling any better Jenn? ((Hugs)) to you. Tell the munchkins momma needs butterfly kisses for her booboo. Baby kisses are very healing in my opinion:p

Agreed on go somewhere other than an ER when you can. I've never had an accurate diagnosis in an ER for myself. I've had some unpleasant experiences when taking my parents. We're talking some large hospitals here. Always try to go to your own, or at least a reputable, physician who will be providing continuing care for you.

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Originally Posted by ace

As an aside, I NEVER go to the hospital without a friend to advocate, to avoid the situation you describe.

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oh boy; good call there! I was so glad to have the guy I'd been out biking with come with me to the ER for the whole clavicle incident. I have an inensely high pain tolerance--he was there to clarify, 'for her to call me at 5am to come back here means something is very, very wrong.' and he flashed my overlapped bone at anyone who came into the room and pointed out, 'that did NOT look like that last night.' ultimately that was what prompted the second set of x-rays which indeed showed shifting and led to my consult with the orthopaedic surgeon.

I tried to keep a sense of humour through the whole thing and found I got better treatment and more out of my treatment just by being very cooperative and appreciative. One doctor who was trying to determine if he could get the bone back into place was poitively smirking and chuckling as it popped in and out as he attempted new arm positions. He got out of me the only bona-fide scream through the whole ordeal--though I was in agony, I still took a step back and got a kind of sick enjoyment out of realizing how silly it was for a doctor and two nurses just bend me every which way trying to get the goshdarned bone back where it belonged, figuring out how the figure-8 bandage straps worked, etc. pain meds probably would have been a good idea before that round of torture, come to think of it!

my advocate also described my accident better to the doctors than I would have. I didn't just 'fly over the handlebars,' I was 'CATAPAULTED hard into the ground at serious downhill speed!'

those percocets are right gold, though, aren't they? enjoy 'em while ya got 'em. I am loving the ability to float on the surface of the pain. all I have to do is forget to take them with me somewhere--after a few hours I can feel the pain all the way into my bones again--to appreciate how they sustain me.

what has helped the most for me is keeping an eye on the big picture and appreciating the little pleasures. I'm sure the first shower was less pleasurable for you, jenn, than for me--but what about nice cool ointment in the wounds, or ice on your face? The buzz of the percocets once they kick in? after being in such intense pain, even the tiniest pleasure is magnified tenfold. I love taking my arm out of its sling for a stretch, finding someone to put my hair in a ponytail now that I can't make my own, having a good man to sleep next to now and then so I can lay flat and not worry that I'll get stuck lying down--he can pull me back into a sitting position... even having a bed to borrow now that I'm mid-move and squatting on the couch in my own apartment, hahaha..

oh, or thinking how amazing it will be to spend my first Victoria Day weekend since I was ten years old NOT WORKING and enjoying the festivities of my tourist town! Moving everything I own without having to lift a thing--got firends to help out!

Make a list of all the good things! supportive friends and family should be right at the top!

Run it, I've been thinking about you ALOT these past few days, bless your heart, I hope YOU are feeling better. Yes percocet and nice soak in the tub and a nap has worked wonders!!

And as for the comment about my healing I like my skin and myself just the way I am thank you I don't need anything to toughen up :D

I ALSO agree with the having a advocate with you when you go to the hospital. DH would have gone had we had someone to watch the little one.
He had a disc that ruptured in his back a few years ago and had major back surgery. The care he received was HORRIBLE, had I not been there to constantly stay on the nurses there's not telling how he would have ended up. Several nurses lost their jobs after my letter and family letters of his care. Our health system today is AWFUL, it's sad but true.

my friend the EX-ER doc was expected to take care of 12 patients at a time!!
(that's why he quit!) he said it wasn't fair to anyone! how could you be confident about your care working a LONG shift into the night with 12 people at a time needing you????

it's all about cutting costs... the wrong way.

Jenn, I've had a lucky nearly fifty years, I guess, not having dealt with the kind of pain you're going through, but I've watched family members, and understand some what you're talking about when it comes to the meds -- the spacey feeling is icky, but it helps you get through the most painful part and sleep -- which is pretty essential to the healing process!

So, use the meds, even though you don't like them, for a couple of days, rest as much as possible, and then kind of wean yourself off them, still keeping the pain managed -- advil or something in their place, with the pain pills at bed time. I'm told it's easier to deal with the pain by taking the meds before you have to play "catch up" with it -- don't wait til you're at 8 to deal with it! (especially if you have to keep up with your munchkin!)

Karen in Boise

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jenn

I'm sure ya'll are sick of hearing about my drama, but I have to ask ya'll what I should do. I wen't to the E.R. at 5:30pm last night because even with all the care I've given my wounds I could see they were getting very swollen, hot and VERY red....and EXTREMELY painful....(INFECTION!!)
Anyway, I get in there, they insist on doing a whole nother round of X-Rays and another CT of my head. 7 HOURS later, they come in tell me eveything looks fine, but now I have cellulitis starting in my knee and arm and my site's have to be debrided. OMG:eek: NO pain medication was EVER offered to me which I don't like to take it anyway, but when they cleaned out my wounds....I would have taken ANYTHING. So it was 2AM by they time I got home. The E.R. was dead, the Techs were RUDE. So, do I bother writing a letter of complaint and to whom would I write it? Would they even care? Not once was I asked if I needed anything, I sat in the room and stared at the wall in pain for 7 hours. Don't you go to the hospital for relief?? Oh, and finally, EVERYONE that heard I was in a biking accident told me to stay off of MOTORCYCLES!!!:mad:

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PLEASE tell me you got ANITBIOTICS for this. PLEASE!

This is a very serious matter and if not taken care of immediately with medicine can lead to the loss of a limb to the infection.

I got this after a surgery I had. My knee/leg was so swollen (knee- was around 14-16 inches in diameter) and it was painful. I then had to buy antibiotics that cost around $100 (not covered by insurance) to fix the infection.

I hope you are going to be OK. That infection is NOTHING to mess with or take lightly.

Wow! Take care of yourself! And for what it's worth, I have a slow connection, and I probably wouldn't have re-read the Crash thread. I saw this one and your name and thought "Oh, my gosh! Again? I need to read this". So I'm glad you started another Thread! After all, how many times do we have a new one about using Ipods?

((((((((Jenn)))))))))

I'm sure most of us have had various degrees of roadrash, one of the most painful and easily infected wounds to get. I hope you're feeling better!

I am so sorry you injuries have worsened. Good advice to always find someone to go with you!!!
Along with the advice to write/ talk to the nurse manager I would also cc the top administrator. Depending on how po'd you are, I would consider a report to either JCAHO or local agency. I would also make it clear that I refuse to pay for the additional x-rays and CT scan (I would also advise my insurance company not to pay). They were not medically indicated according to your complaints.
Hope you start to feel better soon.

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Originally Posted by mimitabby

my friend the EX-ER doc was expected to take care of 12 patients at a time!!
(that's why he quit!) he said it wasn't fair to anyone! how could you be confident about your care working a LONG shift into the night with 12 people at a time needing you????

it's all about cutting costs... the wrong way.

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Jeez, and I feel like I'm losing it when I only have 5 or 6 patients at a time!! (and it's not even life-or-death!)

It probably already been said a million times in this thread, but find out who the manager of the ED is, and write an email. If youd on't get a response, go through the chain of command. An 8 in pain is intolerable, and should have been treated.

Dear Jenn,

please take care of your self. And heal fast. Road rash happens to lot of us. but don't let this deter you from your cycling. In a short time, you'll be all recovered. Important thing about recovery is try to have a positive attitude the whole time. Healing goes much faster when you think postive thoughts.

Like you get to spend more time with family at home.

Jenn- My husband had a terrible ER experience last August where he was improperly diagnosed. I got a lot of good advice on who to contact, here's the thread: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=9877

Take care and COMPLAIN to anyone who will listen about your experience at the hospital.

Jenn,

Rest, rest, and then rest more. Take your meds and let your body heal. I give some good advice, yet rarely follow it myself. :rolleyes:
I am sorry you had a bad experience at the ER. :( Pain scales and emergencies often get trumped by even worse emergencies as I have learned from numerous trips to the ER. Strokes and TIAs are handled promptly, thank goodness. It is amazing just how fast I can be rushed from admin to CT all the while having IVs inserted and vitals and neuro checks. Other times I have gone in with pre-symproms, pain sclae of 9-10 and waited and waited until the pre-symptoms became the actual problem I was there to prevent. :rolleyes:
Ack-this was not suppoed to be about me. :o
Long story made less long... I have been to numerous ERs and in many states. Sadly they are over-worked and under-staffed.
The point- Feel Better soon!!

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Originally Posted by KSH

PLEASE tell me you got ANITBIOTICS for this. PLEASE!

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This was my thought, too.
All I could think of was staph infections.

Jenn, I hope you're doing okay.
Take care. Heal well.

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Originally Posted by Jenn

... The care he received was HORRIBLE, had I not been there to constantly stay on the nurses there's not telling how he would have ended up. Several nurses lost their jobs after my letter and family letters of his care. Our health system today is AWFUL, it's sad but true.

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And here the annual national meeting of the ultra-right-wing "Progress Party" has been on the news lately, with their new chairwoman bleeting on and on about how much better service we'll get if they have their way and privatize national and municipal health services. Right. :rolleyes: Not. Things can be slow here, and bureaucratically rigid at tims, but I have yet to experience rude or careless. Of course, that may be because we're simply a smaller country. You don't just hear of complaints via your nurse manager -- you'd hear them via your neighbor, and your cousin's brother-in-law, and your old school teacher, and your former scouts den-mate, and so on and so on. And too, you're likely to be treating your neighbor, and your cousin's brother-in-law, and and and.

But enough ranting away from the topic. How're you feeling? Is the swelling and redness getting any better? And have you written that story for the local paper yet? Or called a journalist there to write one? Two things would make good news now: Jenn's all better; and, the driver got his come uppance.