I feel I am starting to 'get it'...I am tempted to write a long post/thread and will when I get a chance on some of my thoughts on why and how OHS or surgery is harder for certain people than others. In short I think people who are generally more sensitive and yet want to 'control' things more might tend to have more difficulty accepting pain and some of the humiliating nature of surgery. Its really a conveyor belt.. I'm getting world class care for sure, private room and I found out rehab at Rusk Institute will be covered by insurance..but even with all of this, you are just another patient...a number..In a perfect world I'd need my own nurse and staff who get paid based on how I feel and recover..
I got a severe tape burn on my inner forearm. It hurts much worse than the incision... I was treated roughly by one particular nurse who literally was visibly angry at me on and off during post op recovery..SHe seems psychotic...She would be verbally abusive and nasty then come back and apologize...she was horrible...and yet caring?
When I came out after the surgery, I requested a pen and paper...she said, "It's my only pen." (not making this up)...I pointed to another nurse (I don't think he was a doctor) and he reluctantly gave me his pen...Obviously I didn't have paper...I asked for paper, he handed me a piece of paper and said, "This is an important piece of paper, don't mess it up"..I know anyone reading this will have trouble believing it.
My sister was there and I wrote: "Tell them I am a professional writer and I need some #$% paper!!" and they instantly gave her a clipboard and paper...
When they removed the tubes the nasty nurse kept saying "I can't hear you, you have to speak up!"...
It's sad how just a few bad apples can spoil the bunch. Most of the nurses are fantastic, the doctors are great...The general staff is mostly great...But I don't think I would want to come back to this hospital...
I know I can be a critical person, demanding maybe, but very polite, generous, caring and empathic....The idea of refusing to give an OHS patient a pen just blows my mind...They didn't give a damn...It was clear I was not just another number and they flat out didn't like it...I'll post a picture later of the tape burn on my arm..it felt like it was on fire!!
The cath test department was not much better...Humiliating and just not nurturing, instead I felt almost blamed that my bp dropped to 45/25 and could not urinate...Gee, now I find out thats a common reaction? If someone had simply said, "This is a common reaction, I know it's painful..we will treat you and make sure you are ok" it would have reduced anxiety more than 50%, rather I was 10 seconds away from disconnecting the machine and marching into the bathroom. I could not urinate at that moment with 10 woman standing around me!!
It's terrible I have a need to complain after such a great outcome.
I didn't want to post anything really negative on this forum and that's why I made a thread asking for positive stories....I would have been better off somehow knowing that in this world you are either going to have to endure and suffer stoically or be a celebrity or filthy rich with your own staff...
I do want to end this post on a high positive note...I am so thankful I was able to get my valve repaired, pain (now that the tubes are out) is nothing like it was the first time I had surgery...There were mostly incredible people at NYU taking care of me...Some of the best I could imagine..
I guess I was idealistic and expected more than I should have and the same realities that we find in any walk of life, exist of course in hospital care.
My plan is to get filthy rich or become a celebrity!
