I have had a wild ride the past couple weeks, Jan 12th I had my reg quarterly labs for my fam doc. That afternoon it was panic calls from him to my home & cell phone and house phone was ringing off the hook when I got back home. Order to go to ER for an emergency eval, hooked up to IV and machines etc, I did avoid being admitted (they debated it) and later allowed to return home.
A week later I fell in the drive (clearing snow off my car) and I could not get up. For me nothing seems to go by the book. MY wife called 911, then we could hear the sirens, then silence…. Oops they went right past us, not once but TWICE! They had our address and intersection info. How hard is to find a well-lit house & bright floods to boot, and one of only two at the corner? So back on the cell to 911, twice more and finally they stopped.
At ER they did X-rays… told NO broken bones, however the X-ray techs tried to get me to lay on the damages side for further X-ray, I could not begin to turn on my left side, the pain was excruciating (not so nice X-ray techs etc)! Sent home that Thursday with pain pills and flexeril (told it was just bruised muscles).
Saturday, still in nasty pain, not helped much by the meds, I debated returning to ER. Later that day my urine turned dark. That was it, I was going back to ER again, no question, as I KNEW it was a sign. My kidneys were beginning to shut down, and took a urine sample with us (my son took me). IT was no easy task getting up, to the car etc.
Another meat-wagon ride Back at ER they did X-rays again with a much more considerate crew. My Ox was low, my kidneys were in distress so I was put on Ox, IV and morphine for the pain, FIVE broken ribs, the now nicer ER doc could not understand HOW they missed the broken ribs, saying it was very obvious on the x-ray. I was admitted to hospital but placed on the 7th floor HELL (bad reputation per my oldest son), which I call Nurse Ratchett (Of "One Flew Over the Cookoo’s Nest" fame) training ward.
Silver Lining? IN a way the previous weeks kidney scare & emergency evaluation made me more alert on the watch for danger signs, so in a way I was on guard more than usual for possible kidney issue. Taking the dark urine sample was also a good thing as well, they called it “brown”. By taking the sample they could SEE it for themselves and not have to rely on my describing it.
I am back home, not getting much sleep, but doing better despite continued pain. Last Monday I asked my fam doc if he could just take his medical mallet and wake me when its all over………….Ha ha.. no luck!
The hospital as usual did a So So job with my diabetes, glad I had my Humalog pen with me for making my own corrections and able to keep my BGs in reasonable control. They nurses on HELL floor were more than happy I was able to do my own corrections. It was as it they were not all that well versed in dealing with diabetics that are not a common type-2. I hate to think how bad it could have been w/o my own knowledge and tools, not to mention presence of mind to keep on top of things in addition to their lazy-fare, erroneous meds records. Just wish I could have had better PAIN control while hospitalized, and at home.
They sent me home with a brand spanking NEW Rollator, (bue). They past two weeks are still a bit of a blur.
Gomer
A week later I fell in the drive (clearing snow off my car) and I could not get up. For me nothing seems to go by the book. MY wife called 911, then we could hear the sirens, then silence…. Oops they went right past us, not once but TWICE! They had our address and intersection info. How hard is to find a well-lit house & bright floods to boot, and one of only two at the corner? So back on the cell to 911, twice more and finally they stopped.
At ER they did X-rays… told NO broken bones, however the X-ray techs tried to get me to lay on the damages side for further X-ray, I could not begin to turn on my left side, the pain was excruciating (not so nice X-ray techs etc)! Sent home that Thursday with pain pills and flexeril (told it was just bruised muscles).
Saturday, still in nasty pain, not helped much by the meds, I debated returning to ER. Later that day my urine turned dark. That was it, I was going back to ER again, no question, as I KNEW it was a sign. My kidneys were beginning to shut down, and took a urine sample with us (my son took me). IT was no easy task getting up, to the car etc.
Another meat-wagon ride Back at ER they did X-rays again with a much more considerate crew. My Ox was low, my kidneys were in distress so I was put on Ox, IV and morphine for the pain, FIVE broken ribs, the now nicer ER doc could not understand HOW they missed the broken ribs, saying it was very obvious on the x-ray. I was admitted to hospital but placed on the 7th floor HELL (bad reputation per my oldest son), which I call Nurse Ratchett (Of "One Flew Over the Cookoo’s Nest" fame) training ward.
Silver Lining? IN a way the previous weeks kidney scare & emergency evaluation made me more alert on the watch for danger signs, so in a way I was on guard more than usual for possible kidney issue. Taking the dark urine sample was also a good thing as well, they called it “brown”. By taking the sample they could SEE it for themselves and not have to rely on my describing it.
I am back home, not getting much sleep, but doing better despite continued pain. Last Monday I asked my fam doc if he could just take his medical mallet and wake me when its all over………….Ha ha.. no luck!
The hospital as usual did a So So job with my diabetes, glad I had my Humalog pen with me for making my own corrections and able to keep my BGs in reasonable control. They nurses on HELL floor were more than happy I was able to do my own corrections. It was as it they were not all that well versed in dealing with diabetics that are not a common type-2. I hate to think how bad it could have been w/o my own knowledge and tools, not to mention presence of mind to keep on top of things in addition to their lazy-fare, erroneous meds records. Just wish I could have had better PAIN control while hospitalized, and at home.
They sent me home with a brand spanking NEW Rollator, (bue). They past two weeks are still a bit of a blur.
Gomer
Comment