Fever, tests and DR. ASS

November 1, 2008

I went to the hospital even earlier this morning hoping I catch the doctors, the ones I wanted to catch mostly was the neurologist, R.A. doctor, and lung doctor and make sure Dr. “Ass” was nice to my dad. (OH that really isn’t his name its Dr. Roth) and for the results of his heart ultrasound! Well that was truly a waste of time. I learned the hard way they do not come in before 11. I literally dragged myself out of bed (crawling seriously) into my bathroom to get going and was not up a half hour and out the door!

First update on dad. He had a fever this morning, another rough night with nausea and they had to give him phenergan again. So that been every night so far in middle of night he has had stomach issues. His respiration’s were up and down a lot and charted as erratic most of the morning. His oxygen level was really low so they put the oxygen hose in his nose. (a few days late in my opinion)

Neurologist–heart ultrasound and artery ultrasound didn’t show signs of a stroke but he feels because my dad is so sick and the CT scan showed the large area of the brain that his last “bleed” was that its possible he had the “stroke” symptoms. Still not ruling out the TIA but wasn’t one that was “serious”. He was going to put him back on aspirin a day until I told him about the ulcer and issues with his stomach and he said oh, no can’t do that. (umm don’t they read the chart(s)?)

I waited until 12:30 and decided to leave since dad was resting a bit and I needed to go to the store to get my dad some food that he would eat since he won’t eat the hospital food. I left a note for Dr. ASS to call me. I had just missed the lung doctor (kicking my own butt). The nurse said she didn’t think he was coming today so I figured I run to store come home grab hubby so we could head back up.

We were at the store when Dr. Ass called. He was so rude to me on the phone the way he talked to me. He was also rude to my dad and I am so not happy about that either. He said the lung doctor ordered sputum testing and started on me again about the damn Humira (which dad has not had in a little over a month now) and that Predisone because his R.A. doctor won’t just take him off of it. I explained that they just can’t take him off of it. He started on me about my dad possibly having TB (I said he was tested for that prior to going on Humira and his blood is tested every 6 weeks and he is monitored closely by his RA doctor) and he said to me well with the immune system weak he probably has that too really nasty like! Then said I don’t know what else to tell you we are treating him for a lot of things. So I asked why they were not giving him his Advair for the COPD and he said they were giving him another med in place. Then I asked if they are treating him for pneumonia, why is he not getting breathing treatments from respiratory like Albuterol? He said he couldn’t remember the medication list he is on as he was on another ward at that moment but was SURE he was getting them. WE hung up and I was fuming called the RA doctor for her to call me when she could. I thought about him telling me about the lung doctor and called the nurse and sure enough I had just missed him and I asked if he was getting breathing treatments and guess what she told me? DR. ASS JUST now called and put the order in for it. So the past two days he has had NO breathing treatments and you wonder why his lungs are not better. I just started to cry in the car. HAD I not asked DR. ASS he would not be getting them now!

Hubby took me to eat. I wasn’t hungry. He went to the steakhouse by the hospital and I had no appetite so the waitress offered me something off the kid menu for small portion and I had a grilled cheese and an Iced Tea. On our way out my cell phone rang, it was the R.A. doctor, and she is the nicest lady. She stopped to see my dad and had a very nice conversation with me. She is bring dads Predisone slowly down to 5mg and will leave there as long as we can can’t go lower than that), over the next few days. We talked about once he is better the option to try another medication in place of the Humira. But she told me he has this bacteria in his stomach that causes ulcers and the fungus he is dealing with and that wasn’t caused by the meds, just the meds didn’t help since it suppressed the immune system, was harder for dad’s body to naturally fight it off. WE can talk about changing it later to something else that is new out now. She said we cross that bridge in a few weeks. WE talked about DR. ASS and she said, I probably should say anything but he hasn’t changed since he was doing his residency. I told her rest assure once my dad is better and home I WILL be writing a letter of complaint about his so called bed side mannerism. She also is going to be saying something as well, because she didn’t like how he was talking to her either! I kept this from my dad because I don’t want him upset. But when hubby and I got back to the hospital he told me

I missed Mr. Personality! I hate him I wish I could have another doctor!

He ate a microwave bowl of campbells veggie beef soup and some saltine crackers with a little cup of applesauce for me tonight!! So let’s home his stomach has a better night! He will be in for another 4 to 5 days they said! Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers everyone.

Posted by Suzie Q | Filed Under Lifesavers