Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
??? No one mentioned that there were different types of pneumonia. They just said pneumonia.
There are several kinds of bacterial pneumonia and there is also viral pneumonia. I assume that he has a form of bacterial pneumonia. The newer vaccines for various bacterial pneumonias are only effective for selected strains of bacteria, as I understand it. (Someone else may have a fuller or better understanding of this.) You can treat bacterial pneumonia with antibiotics.
I agree with KA that the hospital has mishandled his case. When you have caught your breath, I'd write a timeline out, and then contact either the media, the hospital director or an attorney. It depends on whether you want the public to know, to effect change within the hospital or to receive compensation for mishandling the case.
There is no excuse in this modern time for the kind of treatment you and your husband have received. And if memory serves, this not the first time his medical care has been mishandled. Not giving food is reprehensible and not tracking the fact that he has not eaten all day is unbelievable. Surely this is not conducive to healing!
But, your experience is also instructive about the need for a patient advocate to be present as much as possible. But, even at best, it is hard for someone to be at the patient's bedside 24 hours every day.
If you contact the media, it is possible that someone who smells a story will check out the readmission rate for the hospital, and if it has been penalized by Medicare.
Right now, I know that you need to sleep, and keep yourself healthy. I hope you and your husband have a good weekend. Germaine, I hope your kids remember you tomorrow in a meaningful way.
There are several kinds of bacterial pneumonia and there is also viral pneumonia. I assume that he has a form of bacterial pneumonia. The newer vaccines for various bacterial pneumonias are only effective for selected strains of bacteria, as I understand it. (Someone else may have a fuller or better understanding of this.) You can treat bacterial pneumonia with antibiotics.
I agree with KA that the hospital has mishandled his case. When you have caught your breath, I'd write a timeline out, and then contact either the media, the hospital director or an attorney. It depends on whether you want the public to know, to effect change within the hospital or to receive compensation for mishandling the case.
There is no excuse in this modern time for the kind of treatment you and your husband have received. And if memory serves, this not the first time his medical care has been mishandled. Not giving food is reprehensible and not tracking the fact that he has not eaten all day is unbelievable. Surely this is not conducive to healing!
But, your experience is also instructive about the need for a patient advocate to be present as much as possible. But, even at best, it is hard for someone to be at the patient's bedside 24 hours every day.
If you contact the media, it is possible that someone who smells a story will check out the readmission rate for the hospital, and if it has been penalized by Medicare.
Right now, I know that you need to sleep, and keep yourself healthy. I hope you and your husband have a good weekend. Germaine, I hope your kids remember you tomorrow in a meaningful way.
Happy Mother's Day.
While, I certainly felt that the hospital could have taken much better care of my husband and they "dropped the ball" a few times (maybe even quite a few times) it really was not that egregious. Of course, I am comparing that to last fall when a different hospital in the same system had several very, very serious issues. Two of which involved medications which caused very serious repercussions and in both cases the doctors blamed me, the spouse of the patient, for their mistakes. In one case, the doctor said that it was my responsibility to research any medications that doctors prescribe for my spouse and to object before they start to give him the medication.
I decided that I am going to keep an emergency packet in my car (under the seat) with pieces of neon paper, a permanent marker and tape. That way I will always have paper with me to put up signs in the hospital room reminding the staff that my husband needs special care as well as help ordering food & getting things to drink. I'm also going to keep a list of his current medications in the car & my purse (so I won't have to make sure that I bring it along) to help prevent mistakes like happened last fall. I'll probably think of a few more things to keep in my emergency packet.
I also decided that there is no way in H%LL that I am going to wait around for a doctor for 10 to 12 or more hours, like I have done numerous times this year. BTW twice when I had waited 12 hours, or more, for a doctor I missed them when I stepped out of the hospital room for a few minutes to urinate. I will call the doctors, leave messages for them, and write huge notes plastered all over the room for them to call me when they make rounds.
I will also contact the Nurse Supervisor, Medical Compliance Director or whatever it is called in the hospital right away to make sure that my spouse gets appropriate care before they drop the ball or immediately after they drop it the first time.
Last edited by germaine2626; 05-07-2016 at 06:31 PM..
My motherinlaw carries a little notebook with her medications and allergies and special notes. Cannot express how invaluable it was when she could not talk due to bronchitis and delirious with fever. I had to get it from her purse at least 5X during her hospital stay. Every person checked.
I am so sorry to hear about the stress you have been experiencing. Wishing better health to your husband, and a moment's rest to you. You give us all much good advice.
We keep an emergency bag in my father's car, and one in his home that can be grabbed in case of a trip to the ER.
It has an up to date copy of his medical history (list of all major medical problems, all prior surgeries), medication list (including all over the counters and vitamins etc...) and allergies, list of all doctors and their phone numbers, and a list of important things to tell the nurses and the doctors if he needs to be admitted to the hospital. There are a few other useful things that are relevant to my father's care /routine in the bag, and a change of clothes.
We keep another copy of all of medical info documents on the refrigerator, as many EMTs will look there if no one is around to advise them. My father also carries a copy in a small "man bag" that he carries with him at all times when he is out of the house.
I also have a small duffel bag in his house that I grab if I think he is going to be admitted to the hospital. Importantly, this has an additional list of things to quickly gather..... so I don't have to think too much when I'm stressed.... and is packed ready to go with many of his things that he needs for daily care. He has a spinal cord injury, so his care is complicated.
I am so sorry to hear about the stress you have been experiencing. Wishing better health to your husband, and a moment's rest to you. You give us all much good advice.
We keep an emergency bag in my father's car, and one in his home that can be grabbed in case of a trip to the ER.
It has an up to date copy of his medical history (list of all major medical problems, all prior surgeries), medication list (including all over the counters and vitamins etc...) and allergies, list of all doctors and their phone numbers, and a list of important things to tell the nurses and the doctors if he needs to be admitted to the hospital. There are a few other useful things that are relevant to my father's care /routine in the bag, and a change of clothes.
We keep another copy of all of medical info documents on the refrigerator, as many EMTs will look there if no one is around to advise them. My father also carries a copy in a small "man bag" that he carries with him at all times when he is out of the house.
I also have a small duffel bag in his house that I grab if I think he is going to be admitted to the hospital. Importantly, this has an additional list of things to quickly gather..... so I don't have to think too much when I'm stressed.... and is packed ready to go with many of his things that he needs for daily care. He has a spinal cord injury, so his care is complicated.
Thanks for your excellent post. I like the steps you are taking. There are good ideas for any of us who care for someone or for those of us who are older.
While, I certainly felt that the hospital could have taken much better care of my husband and they "dropped the ball" a few times (maybe even quite a few times) it really was not that egregious. Of course, I am comparing that to last fall when a different hospital in the same system had several very, very serious issues. Two of which involved medications which caused very serious repercussions and in both cases the doctors blamed me, the spouse of the patient, for their mistakes. In one case, the doctor said that it was my responsibility to research any medications that doctors prescribe for my spouse and to object before they start to give him the medication.
I decided that I am going to keep an emergency packet in my car (under the seat) with pieces of neon paper, a permanent marker and tape. That way I will always have paper with me to put up signs in the hospital room reminding the staff that my husband needs special care as well as help ordering food & getting things to drink. I'm also going to keep a list of his current medications in the car & my purse (so I won't have to make sure that I bring it along) to help prevent mistakes like happened last fall. I'll probably think of a few more things to keep in my emergency packet.
I also decided that there is no way in H%LL that I am going to wait around for a doctor for 10 to 12 or more hours, like I have done numerous times this year. BTW twice when I had waited 12 hours, or more, for a doctor I missed them when I stepped out of the hospital room for a few minutes to urinate. I will call the doctors, leave messages for them, and write huge notes plastered all over the room for them to call me when they make rounds.
I will also contact the Nurse Supervisor, Medical Compliance Director or whatever it is called in the hospital right away to make sure that my spouse gets appropriate care before they drop the ball or immediately after they drop it the first time.
While, I certainly felt that the hospital could have taken much better care of my husband and they "dropped the ball" a few times (maybe even quite a few times) it really was not that egregious. Of course, I am comparing that to last fall when a different hospital in the same system had several very, very serious issues. Two of which involved medications which caused very serious repercussions and in both cases the doctors blamed me, the spouse of the patient, for their mistakes. In one case, the doctor said that it was my responsibility to research any medications that doctors prescribe for my spouse and to object before they start to give him the medication.
I decided that I am going to keep an emergency packet in my car (under the seat) with pieces of neon paper, a permanent marker and tape. That way I will always have paper with me to put up signs in the hospital room reminding the staff that my husband needs special care as well as help ordering food & getting things to drink. I'm also going to keep a list of his current medications in the car & my purse (so I won't have to make sure that I bring it along) to help prevent mistakes like happened last fall. I'll probably think of a few more things to keep in my emergency packet.
I also decided that there is no way in H%LL that I am going to wait around for a doctor for 10 to 12 or more hours, like I have done numerous times this year. BTW twice when I had waited 12 hours, or more, for a doctor I missed them when I stepped out of the hospital room for a few minutes to urinate. I will call the doctors, leave messages for them, and write huge notes plastered all over the room for them to call me when they make rounds.
I will also contact the Nurse Supervisor, Medical Compliance Director or whatever it is called in the hospital right away to make sure that my spouse gets appropriate care before they drop the ball or immediately after they drop it the first time.
It sounds like you're making some good moves. Unfortunately, you've probably had time to think about it with these longs hospital waits. (Better to laugh than cry, right?)
On a serious note, there is absolutely no reason why doctors should make you wait for 10-12 hours. They did the same thing when my father-in-law was in the hospital, before he passed away. It is positively infuriating. I understand that they are busy, but it's absolutely ridiculous.
I also decided that there is no way in H%LL that I am going to wait around for a doctor for 10 to 12 or more hours, like I have done numerous times this year. BTW twice when I had waited 12 hours, or more, for a doctor I missed them when I stepped out of the hospital room for a few minutes to urinate. I will call the doctors, leave messages for them, and write huge notes plastered all over the room for them to call me when they make rounds.
In a similar situation I called the doctor's office repeatedly and left messages for him to call me to give me an update. Before the age of cell phones I once looked up a doctor's number in the phone book and called him at home after I'd waited around all day hoping to talk to him. I spoke to his wife and she was surprised, but he did call me back. I figure my time is just as valuable as the doctor's time. That sitting around all day hoping to catch the doctor is ridiculous (not on your part, germaine--on the part of a supposed professional).
And if you do talk to a nursing supervisor or hospital executive, don't just say you're upset about the lack of care. Be sure and drop the word "negligent" in the conversation more than once and follow up with an email so it's in writing. As in, "the nursing staff has been negligent because it has failed to make sure he has had something to eat and drink." "Negligent" is a code word for lawsuit and the hospital executives know this.
I get that hospitals are short-staffed. But Medicare and your insurance will be billed thousands of dollars a day for your husband to sit there hungry and dehydrated. The system is broken, but it's not your fault or your husband's fault and he shouldn't have to pay for it with his well-being.
Glad you're home now and hope you can get some rest.
In a similar situation I called the doctor's office repeatedly and left messages for him to call me to give me an update. Before the age of cell phones I once looked up a doctor's number in the phone book and called him at home after I'd waited around all day hoping to talk to him. I spoke to his wife and she was surprised, but he did call me back. I figure my time is just as valuable as the doctor's time. That sitting around all day hoping to catch the doctor is ridiculous (not on your part, germaine--on the part of a supposed professional).
And if you do talk to a nursing supervisor or hospital executive, don't just say you're upset about the lack of care. Be sure and drop the word "negligent" in the conversation more than once and follow up with an email so it's in writing. As in, "the nursing staff has been negligent because it has failed to make sure he has had something to eat and drink." "Negligent" is a code word for lawsuit and the hospital executives know this.
I get that hospitals are short-staffed. But Medicare and your insurance will be billed thousands of dollars a day for your husband to sit there hungry and dehydrated. The system is broken, but it's not your fault or your husband's fault and he shouldn't have to pay for it with his well-being.
Glad you're home now and hope you can get some rest.
Hear, hear!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I will call the doctors, leave messages for them, and write huge notes plastered all over the room for them to call me when they make rounds. 
(Better to laugh than cry, right?)
