I'm home

I'm home from the hospital.    I am none too happy about it.  I had charge nurses and nursing students who knew nothing about thalassemia taking care of me.  I felt very dizzy and light headed today - blood pressure and temp was fine, but Hb and hematocrit were LOW...I asked for another CBC and for them to call my hematologist Dr. Roman with the results - they refused! Said it wasn't worth it to do anything.  Excuse me? I feel like I'm ready to pass out, I need blood, and you tell me I'm not worth it?

So here I am at home.  Dr. Kumar released me cause the nurses wanted me out of there so they could take care of more "serious" patients.  He's pretty pissed, too.

I'm making a complaint to the hospital as soon as I'm ready enough.  The surgery and surgical team was AWESOME!! The recovery team was AWFUL.

All in all, I am doing okay.  Dr. Kumar ended up making the umbilical incision 1.5 inches bigger to accomodate the spleen removal. I am on Vicodin for pain, so pardon any typos I've missed.  Love ya guys.

I'm soooooooo glad you're ok, Courtenay! 

I'm sorry about how you were treated, though.  I am all too familiar with that kind of treatment, so I definitely feel for you.  I hope you do complain.  I cannot STAND when medical staff think you are "not worth" their time, and don't take care of their patients the way they should.  That's part of why I went into nursing.  I would never treat my patients that way.  It makes me so angry. 

I am just glad that you are ok, and I hope that you don't end up needing a blood transfusion.  Relax as much as you can for now, and take it easy.
 

Courtenay,     
     Glad to hear that the operation is over. Hospitals send people home too soon, and people who have thalassemia seem to need more pain meds than others. I hope that you can get relief from the pain, and that you feel better as soon as possible. We are all thinking of you. Jean   
     

I wish you all the best during your recovery.  Sorry to hear about your experience with the nurses. 

Nurses are such a big part of the thalassemia experience.  Good and understanding nurses can be such a blessing, and the ignorant ones can make us miserable. 

I hope you get plenty of rest and take good care of yourself.
Best,
Sharmin

We have the same problem here at Strong Hospital because the University of Rochester's medical school uses it for it's teaching hospital. Even when you're lucky enough to have a top notch doctor do your surgery, the after care is usually left to residents and students. With the involvement of thalassemia you definitely need a better experienced staff who know more than what you read in any text about minor (no symptoms,  :blah  :blah  :blah). The last thing a patient needs is some know-it-all student making decisions about care. Refusing a simple cbc after a surgery is likely grounds for a lawsuit should anything go wrong afterwards.

Courtenay, I hope you    and survive this snowstorm. We're getting buried over the next day.

Hi Courtenay!

Glad to know it's over and I wish you

It's sad to hear about the poor behaviour of the lower staff. I think they are the most important part of being hospitalization. They are the one who should be the most caring ones and comfort the patient who has gone through tough times and operation etc. and boost up their morals by making sure they get best the hospital has to offer and have them recover with ease.

Well, anyway, now that you are at home. I hope you won't let this thing worry you on your way to recovery. Try to remain calm and don't try to think too hard and bad about it until you are completely recovered.

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Take care, Peace!

 Hi! so glad you had a successful splenectomy I wish for your fast recovery and I do understand for your disappointment over the staff nurse who was suppose to take care of you while recovering, it's so frustarating and really makes me mad but hey at least you're ok now, just take your time so you can recover well. Take care!

well done courtenay,
glad to hear the procedure is finished.  you must feel so relieved.  i know what you mean about some hospital staff.  when my son would go into pain episodes my husband and i would try and hold off until the morning to take him in as we were frightened of the grumpy staff on night shift and the registrars who you would have to explain everything to about a zillion times!!!  very frustrating.   

cheers vic

Hi Courtnenay,

Glad to know you are well. Typical problem you faced at the hospital. Even when my wife was in hospital expecting our child, all the doctors and nurses were wonderful except for a few and then you always have to be on top of things and keep asking them questions and let them know about Thal and possible complications. When my wife was expecting I told the doctor who was going to perform the C -section how many pints of blood she was transfused with when she had her spleen removed. The Dr. was glad I brought that up and made further preparations. Even if it seems irrelavent, I think we we should always let doctors know whats going on, after all we know our bodies best. Glad you spoke up.
Take Care
Bharat

Hi Courtenay,

Wish you a speedy recovery. I felt sorry for you when I learnt about the treatment you got from few nurses. What a shame.
Anyways, Hope you will get well soon. Do let us know if your Hb levels gets better?

--Hallu

Hi Courtenay

So happy you are okay now. wish you a speedy recovery, keep us updated
Manal