Incompetent Local Medical Care Strikes Again

I do not know why I am surprised by the incompetence of the medical system. It is a wonder that any of us make it through alive.

I was supposed to have my colonoscopy on Thursday to follow-up on the blood in my stool seen in during my May and June hospitalizations. I mean, why would we prioritize a procedure to see if a chronically ill person has internally bleeding. During the May hospitalization, I was told by the GI APRN that my case wasn't critical so I could just do it outpatient. When I saw GI in late June, the soonest they could do the colonoscopy was August 31 and there was no sense of urgency. At that time, I told them about my adrenal gland insufficiency and hypoventilation issues and inquired if the GI Center would be able to handle this or not. It is an outpatient clinic so I had concerns. I was assured by both the GI APRN and the scheduler, it would be fine. 

Yesterday, the GI Center called yesterday to ask some questions. While I had her on the phone, I asked if they had a vascular team because it is difficult to get an IV in me. She told me that they had nurses who could get a hard stick. I reiterated that the VAT team appreciates the heads and have had to be called every time since April. She dismissed my concerns and said their nurses could do hard sticks. Today, I got a call from the GI Center who said their anesthesiologist determined it wasn't safe for me to have the procedure there and I need to do it at the hospital. Shocking! 

When I called the scheduler with this update, she said she felt bad for me (but did she really?!?) and she could get me in on September 19. I said it could be any doctor not necessarily the one who I was supposed to have, to which she said September 19 was the first appointment. If I wanted the doctor I originally had, it would be January, which she agreed was too long to wait - you think!?!

I told her that I did not think it was fair to punish me since I had given them a heads up in June. I could have been spending the last two months getting to the bottom of this. I knew they couldn't handle it; why wouldn't they listen to me. She said that they were not over the anesthesiologist and when asked who is, she could not answer, then she wanted to explain the safety risks to me and why this was a good decision by the anesthesiologist. I stopped her and explained that I know the risks which is why I brought this up two months ago. I told her I ended up on a ventilator after a similar procedure in the past so I am always proactive. I told her to put me down for the appointment but I was still undecided if I was going to keep it since no one seemed to really care if I was bleeding internally or if anything else was going on. 

The local hospital system tag line of the moment is "Heal well. Live well." This couldn't be farther from their truth based on the service they provide. One doctor has no urgency to resolve anything and another has basically told me to go home, stop coming to the ER, and enjoy hospice. None of those responses fall into the "well" category. I have a few "well" statements I can think of but for now, I will refrain to keep this PG-13.

Right now, I am waiting for the hurricane to hit Florida and my primary doctor to weigh in on her thoughts. Why should I have to cancel my plans for their incompetence!

Meanwhile, two of cats are guarding me well and working hard: 

 

 

Update 8/30 AM: I talked to a supervisor at the GI Center today to find out why they do not review charts until two days before when a patient has expressed concern and found out that was not true. She called my doctor's office to educate them that they should have sent my chart when I expressed concern. She is working to get me a sooner appointment. My primary has responded to me as well.

Update 8/30 PM: The scheduler asked the doctors if they would be willing to add an extra procedure to the schedule and they said no so my new appointment is on 9/26.

For tonight . . . I'm just sayin' XOXO