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Some things are best left unknown for me


arogers

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I've blogged before about the information gathering for Bill's zyprexa claim. Among the many health facilities' information I had to forward was the information from the hospital he went to after his 10/2004 stroke. The ER notes totaled 22 pages and the folks at the Medical Records department seemed genuinely surprised that ER notes were so extensive.

 

Day before yesterday I happened to read these notes more closely than I had before. I know that what is past is past. Nothing that happened or didn't happen that night could change a thing about today. I have to remember that. The information I read in those notes nearly made me sick to my stomach.

 

To recap the situation the blame for Bill's treatment (or lack of it) was placed on me. According to the notes Bill became "agitated" after the "lp wife" (I don't know what lp means - lay person?) repeatedly left his room to inquire about what was going on. The times don't lie though - The notes show that Bill layed in that er room for two hours without any notes regarding his progress. I know in my heart of hearts what transpired. Included in the notes was a letter from the last attending physician advising him of his condition - unsigned by either Bill or any nurse. The notes also indicated they spoke with him the next morning, however, Bill wasn't able to talk and they spoke with me. Completely ignored was the fact that with strokes sometimes comes agitation. There was no notation regarding the fact that I went to the nurse's station because Bill asked me to. The only notation was that I went to the station requesting pain medication but when they went into the room he was sleeping "in fact snoring". I did go to the nurses station. However, the key piece of information missing was that I explained why I was there. Bill asked me to go - then when the nurse came into the room he was not agitated. It was that way all night. One time I went out to the nurses station, told them Bill wanted pain medication and when the nurse came in I explained - in front of Bill for a REASON - that he seemed much more comfortable and the notes reflected that I had changed my story.

 

I have been very upset by the notes. There are so many issues with them. But I can't really do anything about them because what happened, happened. The unfortunate thing, in my opinion it was almost as if the hospital decided they may have a problem so they needed to shade me as the cause of their actions or inactions - actually their incompetence. As has been said, a bleed is a bleed is a bleed and the outcome probably would not have changed even if he'd been admitted that night.

 

One other thing that is interesting is that the CT scan on the notes indicated "brain bleed" however the diagnosis was shown as viral meningitis......hmmmm

 

Oh well, it's time to get past this. My resentments won't change the current situation.

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Ann, what is a wife or lp supposed to do? Let their loved one just lie there and depend on them to do what they are supposed to do? They sure know how to make things look as though they were in the right, just in case someone catches them. Makes me sick.

 

Personally, there should be a duplicat copy for the patient's family or whatever. Of course there would never be, but there wouldn't be any "coloring of details.

 

Oh, and a person having a stroke isn't to be agitated but just lie there??????????? Whew! :Tantrum:

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Ann,

 

I guess you know they have to cover their A***s just in case. It sounds similar to our hospital and the neuro trying to blame us that we didn't scream louder or make more of a fuss when we knew Gary was stroking out in the hospital room late in the afternoon. Our attorney then asks, "what were they supposed to do, call 911 from his hospital room?" Makes no sense, but it's David vs. Goliath all the way.

 

 

Sarah

 

 

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I don't believe the medical folks are skooled in CYA note writing. It's a learned thing. You might look if you already haven't, into any suits that have been filed previously. My 2 cents.

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Once again my friends here understand as no others do. I did think I was going nuts again - but you all have validated my feelings. Thank you.

 

Tom, I did look into legal action about a year ago. The response was that with a brain bleed the results wouldn't have changed whether he had had proper treatment or not. That is really the bottom line in the world of medicine these days. Did the inaction really make any difference?

 

I do feel somewhat validated that things weren't really on the up and up when the director of medical records only furnished me with the 22 pages of ER records and when I went back in for the REST of the record she actually said how unusual it was to have 22 pages of ER records. I believe they really were looking at the possibility of legal action so felt they had to cover their fannies.

 

Life goes on, doesn't it? I guess now I know I need to keep my own set of notes!

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Ann,

 

I think I blogged sometime in the last month about having the same experience of having read the paperwork from when Don was in the hospital and being shocked to learn that I was being charted right along with Don. So, I know how you feel.

 

Sarah,

 

Someone here actually did do that...call 911 from their hospital bed. Strange world we live in now where you can't get people in a hospital to listen!

 

Jean

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I worked in the medical field.. I have no idea what Ip means.. could be something they use in ER or ?

 

I get frustrated with nurses or doctors who don't listen... I know ER's can get quite busy and trying to priotitize who needs the most help first.

 

Seems your da$#% if you do and dam$% if you don't.

 

Now with so many lawsuits and claims with high pay outs. It is harder to prove incompitence.

 

 

 

 

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