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05-05-2016 11:04 AM
As one who has spent the last 21 years of her life in hospitals, ERs, and ICUs, I may be qualified to make a statement about medical errors: they DO happen and happen often. My first experience occurred in the local ER, when a doctor, who was well familiar with me accidentally gave me a shot containing a drug he knew I was allergic to. The medication stopped my heart, I ceased breathing, and had my daughter not been present in the room, I would have been left to die, as no one came back to check on me.My daughter ran through the ER to find the doctor and the nurse who administered the shot. She then ran back to my room where my "mentally challenged" daughter began CPR on me until staff arrived to restart my heart and intubate me. I awoke in ICU two days later on a respirator, hearing my daughter read to to me from the Old Testament. I found out that the hospital staff had bent some rules and allowed her to to sleep in a chair and brought three meals a day to her. I was told that staff had been so impessed with her that they could not have her leave my side. A terrible mistake, yes. A lesson in hope, faith, and , love, oh yes.
05-05-2016 11:13 AM
When I read your post I was so emotionally moved. I am hoping that your future days live in peace and health.
May God bless your wonderful daughter for being with you at that time.
Happy Mom's Day!
05-05-2016 11:20 AM
That was a very horrific experience for you and lucky for the doctor that your daughter was there and he was given the information in time.I bet that was so stressful for everyone.
21 years of medical problems is a lot to endure.I hope that most of that time you were able to carry on with your life and weren't bedridden.
05-05-2016 11:31 AM
I worked in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities my whole career (not a nurse). Med errors are not unusual. They let staff work long shifts or double shifts (by choice) and I am sure this does not help.
05-05-2016 11:40 AM
Your daughters love for you helped her sense someone made a terrible mistake and she no bdoubt saved your life! god bess her!
Cathy from ma
05-05-2016 12:31 PM
There is no shortage of stories like that. Medical errors are unavoidable, they have always ocurred and always will ocurr. Hospitals are well aware of that, they do their best to avoid them and to keep them to a minimum. But since they have to staff their floors and clinics with humans, unfortunate things happen. However the vast majority of medical errors do not lead to death or serious injury and are caught quickly. Yeah, it happened to me, more than once. And I'm an expert in such things. I had gastrointestinal surgery years ago and I knew that I would be on a clear liquid diet for several days after the surgery. I new that. My doc told me prior to surgery and I knew myself as a matter of common sense. Yet, a day after surgery while I was still a little out of it, hubby went home for nap and shower (he's an RN) and some nurse came in and insisted I had to eat something. I clearly told her that I was on clear liquids and she said, no your doctor wants you on Carnation Instant Breakfst for nourishment. I didn't fight her, I drank it slowly through a straw and a few minutes later started hemorrhaging blood! I thought I was going to die. They called a code and the team came running and I threw me into the recliner and stuck an ngt in to suction the blood and it was back to the OR for repairs. Yes, my surgeon was absolutely furious as furious as my husband was. My chart clearly read clear liquids and no one knew where that nurse got Carnation Instant Breakfast from. We assume she confused me with some other patient. What was supposed to be surgery and a 4 day inpatient stay morphed into two surgeries and an 11 day stay due to medical error. And this is one of the most prestigious hospitals in the world! Being in healthcare finance, I knew enough to contact my insurance company to make them aware of the situation so that they would pay the hospital for any charges directly related to the hospital's error. I was adamant about that. Another time, during a different hospitalization, I was prescribed a medication that I KNEW should never be given to patient who was on the thyroid med I was on. I refused and the nurse took hissy fit and flounced off with "your doctor won't like this!!!!". Well, actually he liked my refusal a lot. The resident on overnigts had prescribed the med and since neither the resident nor pharmacy paid any attention to the "flag" that popped up on their automated rx ordering system. The $$$$$ automated system did it's job. Warning! Danger drug interactions! But the humans either ignored it or didn't see it. Yes, we all have to be vigilant and blah blah blah. There is also a reason why most hospitals today encourage a family member or friend to stay with patients. The hospital I work for no longer has wards or shared rooms. All rooms are private and every room comes with a chair that converts to a comfortable single bed. Ostensibly the reason is that patients feel more secure and therefore recover quicker when a loved one is with them but I think a part of it is that patients need someone looking out for them.
05-05-2016 01:04 PM
Yes, I sure can tell you this is VERY true!
I had to have a hip replacement, and it was done.
7 months later, after dislocations 5 times, he said that he had put in too small a hip and back to surgery I went for a larger one.
Add to that the fact that between all of these procedures, I developed sepsis 2 times!
Once, nearly died.
05-05-2016 01:23 PM
Yes, unfortunately, medical errors do occur and always will!
God did not create each human body the same and he never sent a "how to" with a new baby!
Life is a lot of trial & error, in all areas!
I thank God that many have chosen to "practice" medicine. They have saved many lives and aleviated much pain! Can't image a life without them.
05-05-2016 01:54 PM
@Zhills wrote:Yes, unfortunately, medical errors do occur and always will!
God did not create each human body the same and he never sent a "how to" with a new baby!
Life is a lot of trial & error, in all areas!
I thank God that many have chosen to "practice" medicine. They have saved many lives and aleviated much pain! Can't image a life without them.
Thank God for all who lost their lives so yours could be saved and your pain alleviated. There are good doctors and good medicines just to many inept providers and money hungry pharmaceuticals.
05-05-2016 01:57 PM
OMG, your daughter is a hero, she saved your life. She is amazing
I know how you feel about what she did, my daughter also saved my life and would not leave my side.
You and I are so lucky
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