I had to get nasty with my transplant clinic...

[kellyt]

After SEVEN weeks with the kidney drain I finally got it out!  Two Thursdays ago I went in and they removed the bag and put the stent back in place.  They left about 4 inches of the drain tube in the kidney just in case the stent wasn't working properly.

However, the road to getting this done may have cost the job of two of my nurses.  Let me say that was not my intention.  Every single time I talked to my nurse she gave me the same ole answer of "I have paged him (the doctor) and he hasn't called me back".  I finally told her that that was not acceptable and I let her know that I was extremely mad.  When I called it took her days to call me back, no one else could help me, etc.

Anyway, two weeks ago on a Tuesday night I decided to just call the "on-call" doctor in hopes that it was my doctor on-call that night.  He wasn't, but I got a coordinator/nurse that I didn't know, but she was very interested in my story and experience I was having with this particular nurse.  I went in the next day to get lab drawn, met with the office Manager, and that night she called me and had my procedure scheduled for the next day!  Apparently, both of the nurses I was dealing with are no longer with the clinic.

Oh well, I don't know if I caused that or if I was just the straw that broke the camel's back, but I told the Manager that I was not being respected as the patient and that was not right.

I have labs again on Monday.  I hope everything is okay.  I urinate mostly at night once I've sat down to relax for the night.  I'm still having some bladder spasms, but they are getting a little better.

But here's the bad news... apparently there is a stricture in my ureter now and the stent may become a "permanent" thing.  ?  My doctor is going to talk to the surgeon to see if there is anything we can do that would be better than replacing the stent every 8 weeks or so.  That's going to suck!!!

[Chris]

Heck, I wish that would happen with a few nurses and staff at my transplant center and other doctor offices associated with them, especially with the last nurse I talked to.

I wouldn't worry about it Kelly, they are gone for a reason and had to do something more than just being slow with you.

[okarol]

Good for you Kelly - taking action. 

I was reading about the ureter stricture here  http://www.hmc.psu.edu/healthinfo/uz/ureteralstricture.htm
sounds like there are a few things they can try.

Good luck!

[kellyt]

I sure hope so, because them going in every 8 weeks or so to change the stent seems like it would leave me open to infection.

Thanks for the info.

[RichardMEL]

Kelly I think you were honest with your experience and YOU had to take proactive action because YOU were worried about YOUR treatment situation and body. You didn't insist the nurses be fired, or anything like that - you outlined the struggles you had had (and I think you were very reasonable to wait so long and put up with what was going on). Clearly it was the decision of the senior staff that this kind of situation for their patients(and for all you know you may have just been the last in a long line of complaints) was unacceptable and those staff (who may well have been warned on prior occasions-I would hope so anyway) were let go. I don't think you should feel responsible for what you did to try and do the best for YOU.

I hope things get resolved with the stent! that sounds a bit nasty 

[Jean]

Once again, Richard has it right on the nose.o way they would fire competent people on ONE complaint. Not your fault. You just keep on standing up for yourself.

[Rerun]

I'm sure those nurses already have a job!  Probably with us!!!!

                           

You go Kelly and I hope you don't have to have stints.   

[willowtreewren]

Kelly, your post made me wonder if transplant nurses are TRAINED to be uncommunicative! I waited 6 weeks for a response once. 

Could have just said, "Sorry I don't have the answer yet," at some point during that wait!

I surely hope you can solve this with other options besides the stent. 

Aleta

[Wattle]

   Way to go Kelly. It was taking them way to long to get their a%# into gear and have the problem sorted. You don't need nurses like that on your team. Thank heavens the drain is now finally gone!

[Romona]

Hi Kelly, I am proud of you. Good Luck with the other things you have going on.

[TeenHatesDialysis]

Hi Kelly! Your 1 year kidney-anniversary is coming up and I know that you and the "KID" will be perfect for the BIG DAY! You have had some bumps in the road to recovery, but it is time to have a BIG HEALTHY KIDNEY ANNIVERSARY celebration.....1 year! Yeah! Go Kidney Go!