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Saturday, November 27, 2010

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving day I cooked in anticipation of seeing my boys the next day.  My husband and I ate a little of what I cooked and then retired to the bedroom.  I picked up the little project I started in Roberta Horton's workshop last summer; the one I attended with mother.
As I was sewing on the last yo-yo I started to feel nauseous and really, really ill.
I drove myself to the ER at 1 a.m. and gave them a most spectacular vomit show.  Yes, you read that right.  I cannot believe anyone can eject that much from their body twice in one night.  The abdominal pain was horrific.
The gave me a shot while I was throwing up, and then hooked me up to IV fluids.  Three and a half hours later I noticed the IV bag was still completely full.  I had no call button, so I took the pulse monitor off my finger to trigger the alarm so they would check on me.  They didn't though.
I finally managed to get someone's attention, and she was really mad about the IV not working.
At 6 a.m. the pain returned.  I tried the pulse monitor trick again, but still no response to it, so I started hollering, and it took all I had in me to make enough noise to attract attention. The nurse came in and told me I shouldn't holler like that, since there were a lot of sick people there.  Well, damn, I don't think anyone should have to holler for help in the ER.  My blood pressure dropped to 80/54 and I broke into a sweat with a "pins and needles" feeling all over me and a burning across my chest; then I passed out.
They gave me more pain medication, and at 7:30 I noticed the IV bag was empty so I summoned them again.  I asked about another bag of fluids and the nurse says to me "oh no, you're out of here.  We need the room." I said what about what happened before?  And she replied "that was just from pain.  We're giving you a prescription."
I ran a high fever all day yesterday.  I lost track of time.  Missed seeing my boys.
Glad to be alive.
American health care is so much better than elsewhere? REALLY!?

13 comments:

WoolenSails said...

And they didn't tell you what was wrong?
I would have been screaming at them a lot louder, lol.
I hope you are feeling better and ok.

Debbie

Gretchen said...

Oh no that is terrible! You have had the worst luck with health care lately. Please stay well so you can stay away from hospitals!

Ruanne said...

Did they give you a clue as to what was going on with you? Which hospital did you go to as I certainly don't want to end up going there?

Unknown said...

Gosh Karmen, that sound awful. Did you eat anything that A.C. didn't eat to rule out food poisoning?
Hope you are feeling better and don't have that happen again.

Karmen said...

I licked a spoon after whipping cream, and also I had some dark meat when I was de-boning the turkey, so it could have been one of those two things. AC is not sick and he didn't have either of those two food items. According to what I have read on the internet, it must have been food poisoning since I didn't have any diarrhea, but they just said "enteritis." I have thrown out everything I cooked. Everything.

Unknown said...

Hope you are feeling better..and hospitals are dangerous and you can contract worse thing there! And you hit it on a holiday weekend-no staff. Our healthcare system leaves a lot to be desired.

Anonymous said...

Hope you are feeling better. Time to get ready for the next holiday !!!! Maybe it will be more enjoyable. Happy sewing. Teresa

Unknown said...

How awful for you! I hope you are feeling better. It's terrible how they treated you or lack of treatment...both!

Little Welsh Quilts and other traditions said...

So very sorry to hear of your awful experience. Sincerely hope you stay well. Here in the UK they tell us that our National Health Service is the envy of the world - ugh - I wouldn't like to test it and pray that I don't have to!

Carol said...

I'm so sorry to hear you got such rotten care! If at all possible you take someone with you to ER. If you get one of those "how did we do" questionnaires, be sure you let them have it! Think if you's been having chest pain or something life threatening. Hopefully your second try at Thanksgiving will go better!

Missouri Gal said...

OMG Karmen! I hope your better now. I really like that heart wall hanging, it's adorable! Why didn't your husband drive you? Unless he is like mine, slow, then I understand. I was passing a huge kidney stone, got tired of waiting on him and drove myself to the ER. Hope all is well with you!

Karmen said...

The whole time I was there I expected him to show up and check on me since I had told him I was going, but he slept all night through. Today he said "I'm not real smart," and I replied "I know, but I'm trying to live with it."

Becky said...

This is terrible. I tend to agree with Karin about the hospital staffings on holidays. Of course, we had terrible experience at one local ER room, too. Bring an advocate or call a quilting friend!