Some days bad stuff just happens

[Hootie]

Here is our bad day story....in the past week we have had some fistula issues come up, so by wife who is the patient talks to her nephrologist who recommends we get the fistula checked since its been 8 months. Based on its performance, she confers with access doctor (vascular surgeon). He recommends we come in for a fistula gram. It's a fairly quick process, for a check and  potential balloon at the venous part.

So we go to hospital for our morning procedure. From the admitting room to the surgery center is a walk down a long hallway. On the way, my wife falls and breaks her femur close to the top. She is on floor wrenching in pain. They board her up and off to emergency room.. I counted ten hospital people around her. Five were doing patient care work for her and the other five were doing risk mitigation work.,asking what each saw, checking the floor, separating me and my wife asking each of us what happened etc.. It's a bad break and surgery was the next day. After surgery she got back on her pump but being groggy from anesthesia, she forgot to start it up. Blood sugar sky rockets. They moved her from regular room to progressive care to give her an insulin drip. That works and blood sugar is now normal.

 Next day we are up for PT . PT team did not give pain me long enough to work before getting started. She was in excruciating pain. nurse was apologetic and said it would not happen next time. Next day, PT came back BEFORE any pain meds were given. It was a disaster. She was screaming in pain. Session did not go very far. When I got to hospital, we had a " come to Jesus" meeting. We had doctors and nurses attention. I am not finished yet with me feedback with the executive team. There is no excuse  for PT sneaking in back door, being told no pain meds being given and saying we need to getting going and  stated "we will see what you can do". However, today pain meds were given and it was still tough. Her blood pressure dropped from the pain meds and session was cut short.

After she got her blood pressure back up, dialysis started late today. It was problematic due to venous clotting issues. Tech pulled several clots out. Nephrologist is conferring with access doctor. We will probably do the fistula gram in the next 24 hours.

I have heard leg and hip breaks are bad but could not imagine that they are this bad pain wise.The only good part of this whole scenario is my wife has an excellent attitude about  her predicament. She says she is going to get out of that bed and do what is asked. I admire her for that. We are probably headed to a rehab facility before coming home.

[kristina]

Hello Hootie,
 I am very sorry about your bad-day-experience and I do hope for you both that it won't ever happen again...
... I have had some bad-day experiences as well and in my case it perhaps continued,
because I was so upset about the bad luck I had already experienced, that I was too pre-occupied
to recognize and prevent other disasters to "come along" my way during the same day ...
I send you both my best wishes from Kristina.

[Simon Dog]

separating me and my wife asking each of us what happened etc..

I would have told them I would give a statement only in the presence of my attorney.

[Athena]

I agree with Simon D about the attorney!

Hootie, I am truly sorry to hear this awful story of what your wife has been through. While your wife does her best to recover from this, I'd quietly consult a lawyer if I was you. Hospitals seem to get away with this sort of thing far too often.

[iolaire]

Sorry to hear about these problems.  I'm glad that your wife has a good attitude, but I know it must be hard on you so feel free to vent.

[monrein]

So sorry to read about these troubles and I'm wondering if your wife is on Fosamax or Aranesp or any other bone meds. I'm curious because there is some evidence that these can account for femoral breaks. I was on Aranesp for quite a few years but no longer am.

[Hootie]

She is not on those meds. Nephrologist explained that CKD people can have a good bone density results but still be suspect for bone breakage. It has to do with the kind of mesh between the cells in bones. It does not overlap that well in CKD suffers. She hit her knee on the floor with her full weight. I guess the upper femur bone was the weakest link.  Nephrologist just started her on some vitamin D lower dosage last month. Over all we did blood work on Wednesday before it happened and her KT/V was 2.94. Only areas we still have to work on is a slightly lower Hemoglobin and protein. The hemoglobin tanked due to the surgery so they are trying to bring that back up with iron and other ways. We will see what happens today. Thanks for the support.

[cassandra]

I'm sorry you and your wife had such horrible things happening. Wishing you both strength, and that recovery will go smoothly.

Love, Cas

     

[Simon Dog]

separating me and my wife asking each of us what happened etc..

This was not a custodial police interrogation.  They had to right to separate you and your wife for questioning unless you consented, and you could either choose not to answer questions or, alternatively, refuse to answer questions when separated.

A problem with answering questions without an attorney is that the hospitals liability mitigation team is going to be keeping careful records of what you say to use to their advantage; all you will have (absent representation) is vague recollections of a conversation that occurred in a time of high stress.   There is the possibility you could say something to hurt your case.  There is no chance anything you can say will strengthen your litigation position.

And, before you start top feel bad about suing the hospital - ask yourself "If I didn't have insurance, and didn't pay my bill, would the hospital sue me?"

[Hootie]

Okay, here is the update on my wife. 12 days in hospital and surgery to place a rod and cross bar in her leg. Broke femur at top of leg near hip. Lots of leg pain. Therapy was very tough for the leg and hips as it was a bad break. Lots of pain meds but at times did not help a lot or so it seems. From there we went to an acute inpatient rehab facility. She has been there for 8 days and will probably be coming home at end of the week. It has been painful to watch her suffer through the pain and struggles on her mobility. She is very determined and that is serving her well.

My advice to all...watch your step and do not fall. The results of a bad fall creates a lot of heartache and pain for the patient and the family. Watching all the interactions in the two hospitals tell me to pay attention to all that is going with patient. We had several  major discrepancies between nephrologists. I had her nephrologist call the rehab nephrologist down on  EPO dosage. She was going to get get 10K units twice in one week after getting 20K at first of week. That is way too much even if hemoglobin and hematocrit was a little low. They worked it out. Another time the pharmacist stood in room and tried to tell us the EPO is taken out by dialysis so they give it after dialysis. Davita and my nephrologist have said repeatedly that is not the case.  My advice says to caregivers.... pay attention...