The Western Maryland Health System. A beautiful place. It looks more like a hotel than a hospital. They even have valet parking! But you don't want to come here if you have an...
EMERGENCY!!
I brought Lindsey here on Thursday, after she'd spent several days hemorrhaging - the side effects of the pill the doctor put her on after the baby was born.
4:30 PM. The waiting room was empty. I took care of the baby and Lindsey was called back to a room. This shouldn't take long. We were the only ones there.
Soon the waiting room was becoming full, so I gathered up the baby and her stuff and went back to Lindsey's room with her. She was weak and in a lot of pain. They took blood from her arm and it bled like crazy, even after they bandaged it. They took a urine sample, then told her they'd be taking her back for a sonogram. We waited.
And Waited.
And waited.
Not a person came back to say, are you doing okay? Do you need anything?
Nothing. They acted like we were not there.
There was not even a chair in the room for me to sit on.
The baby started getting fussy and needed a new bottle. I walked out to the nurses station. The half a dozen nurses looked at me like I was from another planet when I asked, "I was wondering if someone could please rinse the baby's bottle out and fill it with clean water so I can mix her formula?"
"There's a sink over there..." one nurse said. Yes, there was a sink in the hall. Where the doctors washed their hands after taking care of patients. I was reluctant - this seemed unsanitary to me. But the baby was hungry. (am I being too particular?) So I fed the baby, and we waited some more.
The nurse comes in to take Lindsey back for her sonogram... afterwards, they forgot about her being there.
Finally back in the room. Waiting.
Finally, Summer is asleep.
It's after 9 PM and there are doctors scurrying about up and down the hall...
lots of laughter...
chit chat...
I go out to the nurses station once again. The doc is sitting, looking at a computer. My back hurts.
"Could you give me an idea of how long it will be before Lindsey sees the doctor?" I was nice.
"She is next." he says, but with no idea of how long it would be. I explained to him that I had a baby back there and wondered if I should take the baby home and come back for Lindsey.
"If you leave, your wait will be that much longer..." He says arrogantly.
He must not have understood what I said. I just shrugged my shoulders and returned to Lindsey's room.
Soon I'd had enough. I went to the nurses station. "I've been waiting since 4:30... it is now 9:30."
Nurse: We are waiting on sonogram results. She gets on the computer. Lindsey's was lost. She thought she was someone else. Mistaken identity. blah, blah, blah.
Lindsey asked the nurse why her urine sample was still sitting in the room. She was given 2 different stories. Either one was true and one was false or they were both false -who knows.
Finally, the doctor. He and I had a small conversation. It went something like this:
Me. Sorry, I guess you misunderstood earlier when I said I may take the baby home and come back for Lindsey. The baby is not the patient... Lindsey is.
Doc. BLANK STARE. I guess he didn't remember the conversation from 45 minutes earlier.
Me. (I point to the baby in her car seat on the floor) This is the baby. The patient, Lindsey, is in the bathroom right now. She will be right back.
Doc. Yea, I don't know why they separate the mothers from the babies like that. They should let them be in the same room.
Me. blank stare.
Meanwhile... back at home ... Pop pop and Marissa played school. And Marissa decorated the entire house in sticky notes.
Lindsey is doing better today... *Yawn* and I'm going to bed soon. I'm tired.
Oh gosh
ReplyDeleteWhat a nightmare for all of you!
We have had issues , but nothing compared to yours!
We are glad Lindsey is feeling better.
love
tweedles
HOSPITALS, particularly emergency rooms are always full of stories just like yours. It makes you wonder how anyone survives the endless wait. My daughter is the registar who gets information when you first come into emergency. The hospital she works in PROMISES no more than a 30 minute wait to be seen by a doctor to be evaluated. I hope Lindsay is okay and that she finally received the proper care she needed. I'm glad you were there for each other. Thank goodness Summer had you. Please get some rest. Take care. PS) Marissa's post it notes were cute.
ReplyDeleteBless your hearts, what a grueling day! And I thought it was just our local podunk hospital that was like that.
ReplyDeleteI had a very similar experience in our local ER a few years ago, only mine was from 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM. I spent much of that time lying on the ER floor, too sick to sit in a chair; and was treated abominably rude by the physician on call.
What has happened to our health care system??
I am so sorry about Lindsey and your terrible experience in the ER. I keep hearing of similar bad experiences in the ER. There has to be a better system!
ReplyDeleteHope you get some sound rest today and I am glad Lindsey is better.
Oh Emergency Rooms are a nightmare! If you aren't sick when you get there, you'll be sick when you leave!
ReplyDeleteHappy to hear that Lindsey is feeling better! That little baby carrier is too cute! Looks like Pop Pop had the best time in the classroom:)
Have a blessed and restful day, HUGS!
Oh my goodness! How awful! I'm glad to hear Lindsey is doing better. I hope you have a restful Sunday.
ReplyDeleteWoof! Woof! There were lots of write-ups in regards to emergency room services. Most of it not good. Glad that Lindsey is doing well. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar
ReplyDeletewhat a day/ night.Its the same here in Canada.Our daughter went through something that sounds just like this after our grand daughter was born, we also ended up in emerge, we didn't have to wait very long that time.They told her liquid iron and gave her alternatives for the other.They gave her blood transfusions and she's been fine.My daughters name is Lyndsy.Small world!
ReplyDeleteGosh! Just reading about your day made me tired. I hate those vague looks I get when someone does not want to take responsibility. It is the first thing that will make me hit the door. But of course you couldn't with Lindsy needing care. So glad you'll be looking for a new place. So sorry for your very hard day.
ReplyDeleteER can be so cold and very slow!
ReplyDeleteHi Bobbi,I am sorry to hear about this, but can relate in more times than I want to recount, Praying that Lindsey will be well soon.
ReplyDeleteHugs, and blessings,
Sue
Oh MY WORD! What a Nightmare! I am so sorry y'all had to go through that!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat was wrong with those people? I mean, they were not overcrowded..... that just makes me MAD!
I will be praying for Dear Lindsey.... and for you too...
Hugs from Texas,
Jenni
Oh, and our hospital locally is like that... but they are ALWAYS sooooo overcrowded/ understaffed.... that was not the case where y'all went, so I can't figure out why y'all had to go through all of that?????
ReplyDeleteJen
You can tell you were gone a LONG time - - - - look at all the sticky notes around the house! ERs are nightmares - - but yours sounds like it could take a top award for inefficiency and poor customer relations. Guess your daughter is okay now? Praying it's so.
ReplyDeleteGlad Lindsey is doing better. What a horrible time at the ER.
ReplyDeleteI would print out your blog and mail it to the Board of Directors of the Hospital:)
ReplyDelete