How my brother got treated in the ER!

KathyW1958 · Tiger Joined: 12 Jun 2008 Posts: 810

This is very disturbing big time. My brother had to go to the ER for a severe injury to his arm that happened to him at work when a machine fell on him. Well he sat down in the waiting room to wait to be seen. He said that he was so tired that he fell asleep with his legs dangling over the arm of the chair. He slept like that for several hours. He said that he woke up and thought darned I should be seen by now. He said that he went to get up and it was like his legs were dead and he could not feel anything and that he fell right to the floor and could not get up. Needless to say he was scared, who wouldn't be. He started yelling for somebody to help him up. He laid there for over a half an hour before some man came over and helped him up to his feet. I think that that is terrible service and boy if I were him, I would have sued big time. You don't leave a person yelling out for help on the floor and ignore them. He said people, medical staff and all just walked by him and did nothing. It was another patient that helped him to his feet. This goes to show how sorry some ER's in this country are. Sorry for venting, but stuff like this really upset me to no end.

Kathy
_________________
Lupus for many years. Like most of my life. Sjogrens that started at 35 and Scoliosis, Spinal Stenosis, Degenerative Disc Disease, Osteo-Arthritis of the spine, Ankylosing Spondilitis, Periferal Neuropathy, mild CP and now just recently diagnosed with PA. I had a disc replaced in December of 2007.

Medications:
Plaquenil, Sulindac, Imuran, Celiac diet, Tramadol and B12 shot once a month.

mnjodette · Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:56 am Post subject:

That's just awful Kathy....I can't hardly believe it....except I've heard stories like it before. So sad. There must be a regulatory board in your state that monitors hopsitals and tracks this sort of thing. The ER should be reported for this kind of neglect. How is your brother doing?

Jody
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"Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine." Lord Byron

KathyW1958 · Tiger Joined: 12 Jun 2008 Posts: 810

Hi Jodi,
My brother is doing good. It turned out that his legs just went to sleep from the position that he was in on that chair. You know though if he would have been having a heart attack he could have died. He told them off big time. This happened in NY. I live in GA. I don't know if my brother reported them or not. I am glad that he turned out to be ok.

Hugs,
Kathy
_________________
Lupus for many years. Like most of my life. Sjogrens that started at 35 and Scoliosis, Spinal Stenosis, Degenerative Disc Disease, Osteo-Arthritis of the spine, Ankylosing Spondilitis, Periferal Neuropathy, mild CP and now just recently diagnosed with PA. I had a disc replaced in December of 2007.

Medications:
Plaquenil, Sulindac, Imuran, Celiac diet, Tramadol and B12 shot once a month.

hatlady · Tiger Joined: 16 Oct 2004 Posts: 864 Location: Illinois

There have been other recent issues in NY hospitals - yes, I'd complain to the hospital president and also consider writing JCAHO (Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) I think they're in Oakbrook IL. AND the NY State medical commission.

That is awful and should not happen to anyone, anywhere!
_________________
~"I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe." (Dalai Lama)

KathyW1958 · Tiger Joined: 12 Jun 2008 Posts: 810

Hi Hatlady,
You are right that should not happen to anyone, ever. Shoot if my brother would have been having a heart attack he would laid right there and died. I don't know what my brother did about it. I guess he raised the roof in the place from what he said. He threatened to sue them, but I have no idea what came of that. I am just glad that he is ok.

Hugs,
Kathy
_________________
Lupus for many years. Like most of my life. Sjogrens that started at 35 and Scoliosis, Spinal Stenosis, Degenerative Disc Disease, Osteo-Arthritis of the spine, Ankylosing Spondilitis, Periferal Neuropathy, mild CP and now just recently diagnosed with PA. I had a disc replaced in December of 2007.

Medications:
Plaquenil, Sulindac, Imuran, Celiac diet, Tramadol and B12 shot once a month.

Saysusie · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 7:47 pm Post subject:

Kathy;
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Just recently, a woman died in the ER of a hospital in Los Angeles. A patient in a senior facility fell out of a chair and died. Both of these incidents occurred while hospital staff ignored them!
I think that it is outrageous, totally callous, and a sad statement about the state of health care in our country.
I am happy that your brother was not suffering from something serious because, yes, they probably would have let him die also.
There should be some way that patients could get some type of remedy for this lack of treatment! The hospital in Los Angeles was finally shut down because of so many incidents similar to the one that I described.
Again, I'm happy that your brother is ok!

Peace and Blessings
Saysusie
_________________
Look For The Good and Praise It!

KathyW1958 · Tiger Joined: 12 Jun 2008 Posts: 810

Hi Saysusie,
Thank you for your words of kindness. It is very sad indeed that this is how the people in this country get treated in the ER's of this country. I was very saddened and angry when my brother told me that this had happened to him. I don't go to the ER unless I absolutely have to, because I don't like to sit and wait for hours to be seen and the way they treat folks. I am just so glad that my brother is ok and that there wasn't anything seriously wrong with him.

Hugs,
Kathy
_________________
Lupus for many years. Like most of my life. Sjogrens that started at 35 and Scoliosis, Spinal Stenosis, Degenerative Disc Disease, Osteo-Arthritis of the spine, Ankylosing Spondilitis, Periferal Neuropathy, mild CP and now just recently diagnosed with PA. I had a disc replaced in December of 2007.

Medications:
Plaquenil, Sulindac, Imuran, Celiac diet, Tramadol and B12 shot once a month.

Saysusie · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:20 am Post subject:

Kathy;
I'm with you 100% about avoiding emergency rooms unless I'm brought in by an ambulance and have no ability to make a choice myself! I do think that there are some very good hospitals who do give immediate attention in their emergency rooms. It is just unfortunate that these hospitals are few and far between.
Crying or Very sad

Again, I am so grateful that your brother is alright. Yes, it makes us angry, but the important thing is that he is alright!

Peace and Blessings
Saysusie
_________________
Look For The Good and Praise It!