Sickly... misdiagnosed... healthcare sucks!!!
So... I've been ill for the past few days, which is why I have completely disappeared. Just not feeling up to writing...
I have something to write about though... Our healthcare system is really messed up, and I have discovered I am never going to my local hospital again.
After feeling horrible for a few days, I realized I must have a UTI (for those of you who don't know that it an urinary tract infection). Throughout the years I have been inflected with these, but I haven't had one this bad for years. I immediately started taking Azo, which helped slightly, but come Monday morning the nausea turned into throwing up. Deciding the best thing to do was go to our local Quickcare that just opened up a few months ago, I went. I gave them my symptoms, told them I assumed I had a UTI because this was not the first time this has happened. After going through the whole thing, peeing in a cup, getting my vitals taken, blah, blah, the doctor comes in.
Immediately she says, I am sending you to the hospital to have some tests done because I do not believe this is a UTI. There is a large amount of blood in your test and little to no bacteria for a UTI. I believe you have a kidney stone or an infection, Blah (I don't remember the name of it) which is basically where you have water on your kidney, a floating kidney which requires immediate antibiotics through IV. As soon as you leave, I am going to call over to the hospital and tell them you are on your way, and I want a CAT scan or at least an ultrasound done.
Ugh! I head over to the hospital, the place I tried to avoid... Either way I walk in, check in and whatnot, they send me back put me in a bed. This is where the healthcare disappointed me:
Nurse give me a bed and says I'll be back to get your vitals - leaves (never see this nurse again)
Doctor comes in, tells me- The quickcare sent you over, but after reading your symptoms and everything I don't believe you have a kidney stone or this infection. I don't feel it is necessary to run these test because I don't believe you need to be exposed to the radiation, and it will cost too much.
Me: WHAT THE F$@K!
Doctor: I really don't think you have either of these because you are not in pain.- Doctor leaves.
New nurse comes in and takes all my vitals: Blood pressure is abnormally high for me 120/78. My blood pressure in normal circumstances, 105/60 or so. (Now, I do realize that they do not normally check medical history of each patient in there, but when I look at them and tell them this is not normal and it is rather a symptom, they could either believe me, if not, then they could check my history if needed.) Temperature 98.8, my normal 96.8. But they don't realize and look through my past medical history, even though I tell them, these are not normal for me. (This hospital is linked to every single doctor that I see, they can pull up all my information and see that this is not normal, but they don't.)
Me: I have to pee, do you need a specimen since I have to go.
So they give me a wonderful little cup to pee in, send me to the bathroom, which both are occupied at the time. So I sit in the hallway, nearly peeing myself. Nurse comes out of the one with a lovely little old lady. I walk in to find a complete mess. Pee left in a bucket thing in the toilet with a wad of toilet paper laying on the floor (obviously used). I waited for some time hoping someone would come and clean up the mess.... Still the other bathroom is occupied. Another patient came down the hallway in hopes to use the hallway as well, accompanied by an older lady (not an employee of the hospital). They see the disgusting display in the bathroom. The man starts hollering at the lady he is with because she goes in and cleans up the mess. (Personally, I am not the kind of person to go up and clean a hospital bathroom, especially someone else's urine without protective wear.) This woman was so brave against the elements of nastiness. The man uses the bathroom, while I sit and wait patiently for either bathroom to open up again. I want you to keep in mind, I have a UTI, which makes you have to pee, or at least feel like you have to pee, alll thheee tttiiimmmeee.... So, the first bathroom opens. I am nearly afraid to look inside to see how well this lady cleaned it. It was still dirty but the bucket of urine is now sitting in the sink (The only place to put it, other than the floor.). Disgusted I decide to wait for the other bathroom. Now, I have been waiting for half an hour for a bathroom... add the other half hour or forty five minutes since I last peed in the cup for the quickcare. I HAVE TO PEE!!! Finally after staring at the clock and it is rolling on an hour since I arrived and the bathroom is still occupied, I start contemplating whether or not someone has passed out or died in the other restroom... My mind starts wondering to all these weird places. So I go back to my bed and wait there instead of sitting on the floor outside of the bathroom. I wait and wait and.... at some point I go back and the bathroom is free, whereas I look into the other, in hopes that someone, any one cleaned it... still filthy... I lower my head in dismay at the hospital and go back to my bed with cup full of pee. I laid there for another half an hour before the nurse comes back and takes "my sample".
After another hour of listening to the lady next to me throw up every fifteen minutes, I question why I originally came here. Oh, that's right, I have a kidney stone and/or severe infection that needs further testing... I wait, for some ungodly amount of time, curled up under my jacket trying to keep warm. (Keep in mind, I have a fever and chills...) Finally the doctor returns. I have a small amount of blood in my urine now, whereas just an hour ago, it was a significant amount. There is bacteria showing I have a UTI, and there is very little enzymes saying that there is no infection in my kidney... Completely lost now, the doctor once again reassures me that he does not want to expose me to a CAT scan or do an ultra sound because it would cost way too much. Also since I am in not in severe pain, he is quite certain that I do not have a kidney stone. Even though I told him I was in there a couple years prior with a 4 mm kidney stone and absolutely no pain. The only reason I went in that time was because I was peeing straight blood, still no pain, no fever, no nausea. At the time I had no health insurance and they gave me a CAT scan and diagnosed me properly. Now I have insurance and they can't do it because it would cost too much. So he discharged me with an antibiotic and an excuse from work for the day.
Now, I am back to work, nausea (thankfully no vomiting since Monday), fever, chills, peeing every half hour like clockwork, (another really odd symptom, if its a symptom: my whole body is sweating, and it absolutely stinks, not like b.o.. Whether it is the antibiotics or the sickness I don't know. I am also completely exhausted. I scheduled an appointment for next Tuesday with my family doctor. Hopefully I can get the answers to why in the world I am still sick. I know people will say give the antibiotics time to work, but at what point are they suppose to start working? I can't see anymore red in my pee, but I still feel like crap...
I am not happy with my healthcare experience at all through my hospital. Now if I do have a kidney stone, or this severe infection with my kidney, can I come back an sue for misdiagnoses? Last year I went to this hospital, and I should have learned my lesson not to go back. Both my daughter and I were extremely sick and we went together. Our symptoms were completely different, yet we got diagnosed with the same thing... ???? I should have seen about suing them then... We were both diagnosed with being dehydrated and my daughter had low iron.
Unsatisfied with the care we received I scheduled two appointments with two different doctors. My family doctor and her pediatrician. With her being so young she got in a lot faster than myself. After seeing the doctor not only did we discover she was extremely constipated (which they took the xray the hospital did of her stomach and told us that... the hospital had no idea she was full of shit??? really? How could they miss that??? and the pediatrician catch it? Oh and trust me, the jokes went full blown with her being full of shit... lol) Either way, after several months of back and forth between several doctors for her, we got her all straighten out with the anemia.
Now for myself, I go back to work, still feeling like crap, and get in to see my doctor a few days later later. Still not feeling the greatest I walk in tell him what's going on, what they did at the hospital. He does his best at examining me then he sits back looks me straight in the eye, no xray (which the hospital took one while I was there) and says, "You have pneumonia." Great!!!
I wish I could compile all the times I went to that hospital then went to the doctor as they gave me a completely different diagnoses. I wonder if I would have an opportunity just to shove it in their face. I mean it is all documented... even back years ago (nearly 15) when they couldn't tell me why my son was running a fever of 103 and the spots in his mouth were just fever blisters... The next day we get in to the doctors, finally being Monday and they opened. First thing the doctor says after looking at my son- He has Herpangina Stomatitis. Herpangina is characterized by sudden onset of fever with sore throat, headache, anorexia, and frequently neck pain. Infants may vomit.
Alright, I know my writing isn't the best today, but I needed to get this off my chest while I'm still feeling crappy. I felt as though I might be disappointing some in my absent, so I am back, but not to the best of my ability...
P.S. While being stuck not feeling well, I started watching The Originals on Netflix and I absolutely fell in love... The story is great! A little fast paced for my taste, but I think I have fallen quite in love with the story, (almost more than Game of Thrones). I just finished S1 E18 last night, and I can't wait for more... I am enthralled!!! You all should check it out. (I have thoroughly enjoyed it, but at the same time I look at Approaching Fate now, completely disappointed.)
UPDATE: Got in to see the doctor... he seen the damage and ordered a ct scan... couple kidney stones... nothing too large.
I have something to write about though... Our healthcare system is really messed up, and I have discovered I am never going to my local hospital again.
After feeling horrible for a few days, I realized I must have a UTI (for those of you who don't know that it an urinary tract infection). Throughout the years I have been inflected with these, but I haven't had one this bad for years. I immediately started taking Azo, which helped slightly, but come Monday morning the nausea turned into throwing up. Deciding the best thing to do was go to our local Quickcare that just opened up a few months ago, I went. I gave them my symptoms, told them I assumed I had a UTI because this was not the first time this has happened. After going through the whole thing, peeing in a cup, getting my vitals taken, blah, blah, the doctor comes in.
Immediately she says, I am sending you to the hospital to have some tests done because I do not believe this is a UTI. There is a large amount of blood in your test and little to no bacteria for a UTI. I believe you have a kidney stone or an infection, Blah (I don't remember the name of it) which is basically where you have water on your kidney, a floating kidney which requires immediate antibiotics through IV. As soon as you leave, I am going to call over to the hospital and tell them you are on your way, and I want a CAT scan or at least an ultrasound done.
Ugh! I head over to the hospital, the place I tried to avoid... Either way I walk in, check in and whatnot, they send me back put me in a bed. This is where the healthcare disappointed me:
Nurse give me a bed and says I'll be back to get your vitals - leaves (never see this nurse again)
Doctor comes in, tells me- The quickcare sent you over, but after reading your symptoms and everything I don't believe you have a kidney stone or this infection. I don't feel it is necessary to run these test because I don't believe you need to be exposed to the radiation, and it will cost too much.
Me: WHAT THE F$@K!
Doctor: I really don't think you have either of these because you are not in pain.- Doctor leaves.
New nurse comes in and takes all my vitals: Blood pressure is abnormally high for me 120/78. My blood pressure in normal circumstances, 105/60 or so. (Now, I do realize that they do not normally check medical history of each patient in there, but when I look at them and tell them this is not normal and it is rather a symptom, they could either believe me, if not, then they could check my history if needed.) Temperature 98.8, my normal 96.8. But they don't realize and look through my past medical history, even though I tell them, these are not normal for me. (This hospital is linked to every single doctor that I see, they can pull up all my information and see that this is not normal, but they don't.)
Me: I have to pee, do you need a specimen since I have to go.
So they give me a wonderful little cup to pee in, send me to the bathroom, which both are occupied at the time. So I sit in the hallway, nearly peeing myself. Nurse comes out of the one with a lovely little old lady. I walk in to find a complete mess. Pee left in a bucket thing in the toilet with a wad of toilet paper laying on the floor (obviously used). I waited for some time hoping someone would come and clean up the mess.... Still the other bathroom is occupied. Another patient came down the hallway in hopes to use the hallway as well, accompanied by an older lady (not an employee of the hospital). They see the disgusting display in the bathroom. The man starts hollering at the lady he is with because she goes in and cleans up the mess. (Personally, I am not the kind of person to go up and clean a hospital bathroom, especially someone else's urine without protective wear.) This woman was so brave against the elements of nastiness. The man uses the bathroom, while I sit and wait patiently for either bathroom to open up again. I want you to keep in mind, I have a UTI, which makes you have to pee, or at least feel like you have to pee, alll thheee tttiiimmmeee.... So, the first bathroom opens. I am nearly afraid to look inside to see how well this lady cleaned it. It was still dirty but the bucket of urine is now sitting in the sink (The only place to put it, other than the floor.). Disgusted I decide to wait for the other bathroom. Now, I have been waiting for half an hour for a bathroom... add the other half hour or forty five minutes since I last peed in the cup for the quickcare. I HAVE TO PEE!!! Finally after staring at the clock and it is rolling on an hour since I arrived and the bathroom is still occupied, I start contemplating whether or not someone has passed out or died in the other restroom... My mind starts wondering to all these weird places. So I go back to my bed and wait there instead of sitting on the floor outside of the bathroom. I wait and wait and.... at some point I go back and the bathroom is free, whereas I look into the other, in hopes that someone, any one cleaned it... still filthy... I lower my head in dismay at the hospital and go back to my bed with cup full of pee. I laid there for another half an hour before the nurse comes back and takes "my sample".
After another hour of listening to the lady next to me throw up every fifteen minutes, I question why I originally came here. Oh, that's right, I have a kidney stone and/or severe infection that needs further testing... I wait, for some ungodly amount of time, curled up under my jacket trying to keep warm. (Keep in mind, I have a fever and chills...) Finally the doctor returns. I have a small amount of blood in my urine now, whereas just an hour ago, it was a significant amount. There is bacteria showing I have a UTI, and there is very little enzymes saying that there is no infection in my kidney... Completely lost now, the doctor once again reassures me that he does not want to expose me to a CAT scan or do an ultra sound because it would cost way too much. Also since I am in not in severe pain, he is quite certain that I do not have a kidney stone. Even though I told him I was in there a couple years prior with a 4 mm kidney stone and absolutely no pain. The only reason I went in that time was because I was peeing straight blood, still no pain, no fever, no nausea. At the time I had no health insurance and they gave me a CAT scan and diagnosed me properly. Now I have insurance and they can't do it because it would cost too much. So he discharged me with an antibiotic and an excuse from work for the day.
Now, I am back to work, nausea (thankfully no vomiting since Monday), fever, chills, peeing every half hour like clockwork, (another really odd symptom, if its a symptom: my whole body is sweating, and it absolutely stinks, not like b.o.. Whether it is the antibiotics or the sickness I don't know. I am also completely exhausted. I scheduled an appointment for next Tuesday with my family doctor. Hopefully I can get the answers to why in the world I am still sick. I know people will say give the antibiotics time to work, but at what point are they suppose to start working? I can't see anymore red in my pee, but I still feel like crap...
I am not happy with my healthcare experience at all through my hospital. Now if I do have a kidney stone, or this severe infection with my kidney, can I come back an sue for misdiagnoses? Last year I went to this hospital, and I should have learned my lesson not to go back. Both my daughter and I were extremely sick and we went together. Our symptoms were completely different, yet we got diagnosed with the same thing... ???? I should have seen about suing them then... We were both diagnosed with being dehydrated and my daughter had low iron.
Unsatisfied with the care we received I scheduled two appointments with two different doctors. My family doctor and her pediatrician. With her being so young she got in a lot faster than myself. After seeing the doctor not only did we discover she was extremely constipated (which they took the xray the hospital did of her stomach and told us that... the hospital had no idea she was full of shit??? really? How could they miss that??? and the pediatrician catch it? Oh and trust me, the jokes went full blown with her being full of shit... lol) Either way, after several months of back and forth between several doctors for her, we got her all straighten out with the anemia.
Now for myself, I go back to work, still feeling like crap, and get in to see my doctor a few days later later. Still not feeling the greatest I walk in tell him what's going on, what they did at the hospital. He does his best at examining me then he sits back looks me straight in the eye, no xray (which the hospital took one while I was there) and says, "You have pneumonia." Great!!!
I wish I could compile all the times I went to that hospital then went to the doctor as they gave me a completely different diagnoses. I wonder if I would have an opportunity just to shove it in their face. I mean it is all documented... even back years ago (nearly 15) when they couldn't tell me why my son was running a fever of 103 and the spots in his mouth were just fever blisters... The next day we get in to the doctors, finally being Monday and they opened. First thing the doctor says after looking at my son- He has Herpangina Stomatitis. Herpangina is characterized by sudden onset of fever with sore throat, headache, anorexia, and frequently neck pain. Infants may vomit.
Within 2 days after onset, up to 20 (mean, 4 to 5) 1- to 2-mm diameter grayish papules develop and become vesicles with erythematous areolae. They occur most frequently on the tonsillar pillars but also on the soft palate, tonsils, uvula, or tongue. During the next 24 h, the lesions become shallow ulcers, seldom > 5 mm in diameter, and heal in 1 to 7 days. (The stomatitis just meant that these sore went the whole way down into his stomach... not pleasant for a one year old, and a new parent)
Alright, I know my writing isn't the best today, but I needed to get this off my chest while I'm still feeling crappy. I felt as though I might be disappointing some in my absent, so I am back, but not to the best of my ability...
P.S. While being stuck not feeling well, I started watching The Originals on Netflix and I absolutely fell in love... The story is great! A little fast paced for my taste, but I think I have fallen quite in love with the story, (almost more than Game of Thrones). I just finished S1 E18 last night, and I can't wait for more... I am enthralled!!! You all should check it out. (I have thoroughly enjoyed it, but at the same time I look at Approaching Fate now, completely disappointed.)
UPDATE: Got in to see the doctor... he seen the damage and ordered a ct scan... couple kidney stones... nothing too large.
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