A bit of a fight

My wife thinks whe's ok to go out into the heat and go on an eteneded outing at the zoo but I'm not sure she's ready for it and I push the doctor's rules. She finally relents.

My time alone

I did the grocery shopping alone because my wife should be taking it eay and my son had a better, easier time at home.

It's kinda hot out buy what did I expect, it's Summer.

Follow up visit

The follow up visit pretty much resulted in the doctor saying that my wife looks ok but at the first sign of diarrhea or vimiting to go right to Long Island Jewish Medical Hospital and call her doctor. Otherwise, my wife has to take it easy.

FYI

Just to let you know that the hospital in question if Parkway Hospital in Forest Hills, NY

Finally someone we have confindence in

We had a bit of a wait for the doctor. He looked at my wife and asked a bunch of questions. In the long run the fact that my wife hasnt't had to run to the bathroom in a while was a good thing in her doctor's eyes.

My wife's doctor said that she's ok for now but at any sign of diarrhea and vomiting we should take her to the emergency ward but her doctor wants to see my wife again tomorrow to make sure since the weekend is coming up.

After we explained what happended to my wife, the doctor said he doesn't blame us for pulling my wife out of the hospital.

First day out

We have an appointment today with the doctor myh wife's oncologist suggested. I've been watching my wife and looking for diarrhea and vomiting. At first sign I was ready to rush her to the emergency room but so for she's been fine.

Last hospital visit

I walked into my wife's hospital room this morning and I found her IV belonged to the paitent in the next bed. I quickly walked over to the nurse's station and asked for the nurse attending my wife's room. Once he identified himself I told him that my wife's IV did not belong to her and it should be corrected immediately because I have no idea what's in the IV.

I walked back to my wife's room to explain to her what happened. Even though there was what appears to me a safety issue it still took about 5 minutes for the nurse to come inspect the IV and confirm it had to be replaced.

I have to assume that the hospital staff refused to believe they were capable of making a mistake because they kept asking my wife if she removed her IV at any time, going so far as to ask if she may have removed it to go to the bathroom. Which seemed a bit rediculous to me. I glanced at the IV of the patient in the next bed and she had my wife's IV. Without saying anything else the nurse changed both IVs.

I guess the nurse thought my wife was devious enough to remove her IV, the IV of the patient in the next bed, switch both IV dispensing machines and reconnect the switched IVs without the lady in the next bed recognizing.

I contacted my wife's doctor and told him what happened and he said he would investigate it. Ten minutes later he called back and told me he spoke with the nurse and found out the IV was a saline solution, same as my wife's IV except for a half the amount of solution to be dispensed. I complained it was a possible danger that could have been worse than it was. He did not seem too concered about it. Before I noticed the IV bag my wife informed me she still had diarhhea. So I asked the doctor what's will be done about that since it's been a week since the diarheea started. He wanted an infectious disease specialist to look at her. Realizing we weren't going to get anything accomplished I hung up with him.

My wife and I discussed removing her from the hospital but I was worried that my insurance may not cover her stay here because will have taken her out without arranging for another hospital to take her. I contacted the telephone number on my insurance company and they inform me that they only cover pre-certification and not the insurance payments themselves. I contact the number they give me and the person on that side of the line tells me they're the insurer and are not involved with pre-certification because moving my wife to another hospital is a pre-certification issue. After a half hour of dizzying discussion I gave up. The closest I got them to a commitment of covering the charges was the statement that it's taken on a case by case basis. However I had them place into the record that the IV's were switched.

The doctor had told me he would be at the hospital at 3:00 p.m. and he would speak to us then. So we were waiting for the infectious disease specialist to combe by and see what they were going to do next. And we waited and waited. In the meantime I contacted the Oncologist that treated my wife for cancer in December, 2003. She wasn't in but we spoke with her secretary who gave us the name of an internist after we explained what happened. I called the internist's office but he was not availablo to see my wife today. I made an appointment for tomorrow and hung up.

Come 3:00 p.m. my wife's doctor didn't show up nor did the specialist.That's when I decided enough is enough I told the people at the nurse's station that we are leaving the hospital. They informed me that the attending doctor would have to look at my wfie before removing the IV. We waited and waited and still no hospital staff came by. After what turned out to be an hour I went back to the nurse's station and complained that this time has passed by and still nothing. I called my wife's doctor's office to find out when the doctor left the office only to find out he was still there. The receptionist said he would be heading over to the hsopital soon. The nurse at the attending station came by and said they spoke with the doctor and were told he would be here in 45 minutes. I said we are not waiting 45 minutes longer and I want the IV removed immediately.

After a few minutes the IV was removed and the attending doctor came by. She asked us to sign a form saying we are leavnig against doctor's orders. I didn't mind signing it but my wife refused. The doctor offered moving us to the Intensive Care Unit which has a better hospital staff. We refused and said we were leaving anyway. My wife got ready and we left. I filled out a form requesting a copy of my wife medical records because I don't think this is just going to end easy.

My wife's doctor had shown up and tried to convince us to stay but we were so disgusted with how this hospital operates we left.

There were no apoiogies for what happened with my wife. The Infectious Disease specialist never appeared. Not one doctor came by to check up on my wife during the day only at the end of the day when her doctor would come by. Her doctor would request tests and because that was the end of the day the tests weren't done until the middle of the next day.

We can always provide a reference for that hospital. It will be a negative one, but a reference nonetheless.

My last day as Igby

Today is my last day with my Star Wars Galaxies subscription. I cancelled it some time ago and since none of these companies give you your money back (just like stores, credit only), I had to wear out my account.

I found a newbie that I hooked up with a ton of equipment, materials and 4 million credits and logged off to call it quits.

Hospital Day 2

My sister and I spent much of the day at the hospital. We took turns vising my wife so my sister wouldn't get bored. I spent my time in the waiting room feeding my son. He was hungry and cranky.

I had to leave earlier than expected because my sister had to return home to her kids. The babysitter couldn't stay late and my sister didn't want to inconvenience the babysitter since it was a free service from a friend.

The doctor wants to hold onto my wife another day or two since my wife still has diarrhea and a little vomiting despite the IV liquids she's being fed.

We'll see how she does tomorrow.

Hospital Troubles

My wife has never liked a hospital stay, she always has issues with either her treatment or her treatment by staff.

At this particular hospital I have noticed a few things myself. The staff does not seem particularly interested in the patient. They are not concerned much with the requests of the patient.

The patient that occupied the bed my wife was brought to was under the Northing By Mouth order, meaning no food or liquid. My wife is under no such limitation, quite contrary they want her to consume liquids and eat food. She asked the staff to verify with the doctors that she is fine to eat since she was very hungry. They agreed.

Hours pass by and nothing happened. Her doctor called her to see how she is doing and she complained about the nothing by mouth order. Her doctor said that he had not received a call regarding food but he would straighten it out. It took four hours but she finally got her food.

This is the type of treatment that my wife experiences from time to time

Hospital visit

I got my wife her telephone connected and I'll be seeing her shortly. The hospital doesn't allow visiting hours until 11:00 a.m. and i can't bring our son upstairs to see her due to hsopital rules.

I called my sister to see if she can come with me to the hospital to watch our son so I can go up to see her.

Doctor's appointment

We made a doctor's appointment for my wife. Her doctor was on vacation so we made the appointment with the doctor who was standing in. Luckily his office is close-by.

After a few questions he said my wife should go to the hospital since she may be dehydrated from all the vomiting and diarrhea she's had. At least the hospital is close to us as well.

After a little bit the doctor's decided to keep her a day for observation. My wife suggested I come home since our son was with us and he was hungry and cranky and we were poorly prepared for a hospital visit with a baby.

I came home and I'll call in the morning to find out about what room my wife is in.

Out again

I took our son for another session of Gymboree. The mothers there seem to really like our son, they find him really cute. Everyone was asking about my wife and wishing her well.

Daddy takes over - part 2

My wife is still feeling lousy. I had to take another day. This is now her 4th day of sickness. We are going to call to see a doctor or take her to the emergency ward if necessary.

sunday walk

I took our son for a walk. He could really use it. he was a little cranky.

We walked about 20 minutes and he fell asleep. I walked about a mile, boughtt a pair of shoes for work and started my way back.

I stopped by a local Blimpie for lunch. I bought a container of fresh mango and stopped by the park. Our son was awake by then.

I took him to the park where we both ate the mango and had a great time as he made friends with everyone.

False hope

So much for feeling better. She still has diarrhea but she's not throing up as much.

I'm trying to get her to drink fluids because I don't want her to dehydrate with this heat.

Relief?

My wife is feeling better. It looks like it's a 24 hour thing.

Daddy takes over

At my wife's insistance I took our son to Gymboree. He had a good time, I felt a bit out of place being the only father there. The fact that I was sweating like it was going out of style didn't help any.

After Gymboree we took a short walk and came home. My wife still felt lousy.

Gotta stay home

I had to take a day off today to watch our son, my wife still has stomach problems.

Uh oh

My wife might have a stomach virus. She's been having diarrhea and vomiting for some time now. It can be incpacitating.