This is a long one-sorry.

I have been to the ER 4 times in the last month. I feel like as soon as I walk in the door they shouldn't even need to ask for a name. Yes, the address is the same, no the insurance hasn't changed, yes, the birthday is correct. Which room of eternal pergatory would you like us to wait in today?

One visit was for me, one for my son. These two visits lasted about 3 hours each, and everything was basically okay with us. The other two visits were for my husband.

The first visit for my husband happened the weekend before last, Saturday about 10 am. My son and step son found my husband on the bedroom floor after they had heard a "thud" sound coming from our room. I was at work when they boys called me to say they thought Patrick was having another stroke. I arrived home at the same time as the paramedics and followed them into our room to find Patrick on the floor, looking out of it and was unresponsive to me. He looked the same way when I found him on the day of his stroke. I thought that I would no longer have Patrick as we knew him, that this was it.

By the time the ambulance arrived to the ER, my beloved husband was back to his old self and literally ready to leave (in HIS mind). Naturally, they needed check him out to determine what had happened.

After 5 hours of waiting for a bonafide neurologist to arrive, he finally looked at Patrick and told us he believed Patrick had a seizure (we had learned within the first hour that the cat scan showed no sign of stroke). That was still scary, but a relief that there was no new stroke. The one thing that stuck in my mind was the way he looked when I got home- it was the same as I had found him the day of his stroke. I now firmly believe he was having a seizure on the day of his stroke as well- so that makes 2 seizures he's had.

The doctor had ordered an EEG, and said he intended to read us the results immediatly after. That did not happen. The doctor had told us it would be a hour before they did the EEG (it was almost 4hrs), said the procedure would take about 20-30 minutes (YA, IF YOU DON'T INCLUDE SETTING UP THE TEST) and would stay at the hospital and tell us what he found (he left, probably enjoying a nice dinner. Did I mention we had been there since 10:30am and had not eaten all day??).

When we finally got discharged here were the instructions the nurse gave us VER BATUM: "This sheet here is about stroke, you probably know all about that. And THIS sheet is all about seizures, and I am sure you know all about that too..." WELL, ACTUALLY, NO. I DON'T KNOW ALL ABOUT SEIZURES, THIS WAS HIS FIRST. "Oh! Well let's see here..." and procedes to read the discharge paper to me. OH I'M SORRY, DID I IMPLY THAT I WAS ILLITERATE? (no I didn't say that...wanted to) "Thank you, I'll read it at home. We are ready to leave."

It took over a week to get someone to read the EEG results to me (which had be promised to be read the same day). I am thankful Patrick is doing well. They did put him on anti-seizure meds though. He hates taking more meds, but what can you do?

His next visit was yesterday. After eating a late lunch, I noticed his gums were bleeding. We called the doctor, and they told us to go to the ER. Oh yippee. Off we went so the could check his pro-time level and decide if they needed to give him Vitamin K to thicken his blood. The nurse drew 3 viles of blood and said, "It usually takes about 30 minutes to get the lab work back, and then someone will be back with you." I could have killed her on the spot because I knew that the 30 minute time frame was unrealistic, but try telling that to my husband. 31 minutes later and he is mad and staring at the door waiting for someone to come back. I am left trying to explain that we know they lie when they say how long something takes, and getting worked up will not make it happen faster. Finally after a 3 1/2 hour visit, they determined his blood levels were fine and they made no changes to his dosage and sent us home.

I hope next week we can get by without any trips to the rooms of hell on earth.

Why don't the medical staff keep all references to time out of conversation, since it never happens like they say? I wish they understood how scary and frustrating the ER can be when you are stuck waiting with virtually no information for hours, and then given the hope of answers at a specific time that never materializes. I know this is their daily grind. It is, however not mine. Until recently anyway.

(Please take my irritation with the ER with the pure frustration that was intended. I am thankful for the outcomes overall, and would much rather be there for NO reason than be there for a good reason)

Kristen