rev:text
| - ER Disaster! I was extremely dehydrated from wicked GI virus, arrived shivering cold, lethargic, and desperately thirsty. They wouldn't give me a blanket, a place to lie down, or anything to drink or even ice chips, nor would they give me an additional iv bag (the emts had started the first). The staff members were mostly not at all nice; one was quite irritated with me for no known reason. While I sat desperately in need of re-hydration, I had to listen to other patients' intake sessions (forget the privacy guaranteed by HPPA!). After some unknown length of time (because I was out of my mind) I gave up because I'd been told they were busy and many patients were ahead of me with more urgent needs. I'm sure that was true but someone couldn't toss me a blanket? Or give me fluids? I think I would have passed out if I'd stayed as hours would have gone by--I think I'd already put in 2 1/2 or 3 hours. After I'd signed myself out one of the almost-nice staff members came over to say my potassium levels were really low and I should stay. Of course they were. I was dehydrated! And it was getting worse by the moment!
Back at the hotel the next morning, I woke up to find three of the pads from the ekg still adhered to my body. Not "oops, missed one" but "oops, missed three." That's not dangerous, just annoying.
I hope the neglect I received that night gave the hospital more time to save someone else's life or limb.
|