dansyj on Citysearch 13 years ago
04/08/2010, 02:38 AM
Consistantly horrible ER experiences – The first and second times that I have had to go to this pathetic ER were my own stupidity, today's horrible experience was due to a family member who didn't know better. All three visits were obviously due to being very ill and in massive amounts of pain. I am not a doctor, but I am very familiar with anatomy and pain management and know when to address pain and how much is too much. However the incompetent and uncaring doctors that work in the ER have been more than happy all three times to tell me, and now my sister, that pain is relative and they can't really worry that much about it and that essentially, its just in our heads. I ended up having a mass growing in my throat that was putting pressure on my esophagus and a nerve, which was causing all the pain. But, despite me pointing to exactly where the pain was located and describing that I could no longer successfully swallow liquid without aspirating, they just seemed to think I was making it up and that I just had bronchitis. When I asked if we could possibly do a CT, the doctor said that since they weren't going to recommend it, that my insurance company wouldn't pay for it and that I would probably end up paying for the scan. Finally, I grew a brain and went to a better (non-Banner) hospital and they chose to do a CT and found the mass that was growing in my throat and that I had Mononucleosis. I was in the hospital for 3 days.
Today, my sister went in for the worst pain I have ever seen her be in, sever constant abdominal cramping. After 6 hours of just waiting around we finally saw a doctor, 2 hours later she got some pain killers to help her and another 2 hours before they told her it was a UTI and that the infection was causing the pain. However, the doctor decided to write her a prescription for antibiotics and painkillers and send her on her way rather than starting her on the antibiotics to help her fight the infection faster, even though she already had an IV in place. Especially, annoying since if the infection is causing the pain and the morphine is barely taking the edge off, then not fighting the infection for at least a few more hours and then letting her take less powerful pain meds while she is throwing up anything that goes down her throat, just doesn't appear to be a very wise coarse of action. But, I guess you have to be an inconsiderate jerk to be an ER doctor at that hospital.