Sunday, March 8, 2009

Seriously, Universe, WTF?

My super duper dear best friend's cousin has been hospitalized for meningitis. In case you don't know, that's serious shit. He's an only child. Wasn't caught early enough, his kidneys failed yesterday.

He was kept waiting in an ER for hours the night before he was hospitalized so he just went home. Nice one, hospital in city where 3 students were hospitalized for meningitis just 3 weeks ago. ERs are so broken, there's got to be a better way to figure out who needs to be seen immediately and who doesn't. Mr. Phizz joked that the kid should have complained of chest pain shooting down his left arm - that's the best way to get seen quickly in an ER. Only problem is he's in college and I bet they wouldn't buy that one.

On top of that, FIL's hospital has dropped the ball too. They're wondering why his system is kind of out of whack and not recovering well, HMMM, DO YOU THINK IT'S BECAUSE NONE OF HIS IVs HAVE NUTRITION IN THEM? It's been over a week and the man's hardly eaten AND he's gotten no nutrition intravenously. WTF. I mean, thank you hospital for doing the surgery but how the fuck is he supposed to heal without, say, nutrients?

Times like these I just desperately, desperately, desperately hope that I am never seriously sick. And that no one I know or care about is ever seriously sick. Navigating the health care system to get good care just seems really, really impossible.

Please think of my friend's cousin. He's really really sick.

11 comments:

Rebecca said...

That fucking sucks. Sorry to hear about all that.

PhysioProf said...

I'm sorry to hear about these terrible troubles. CPD, you may find this blog post interesting in light of what you've experienced:

http://offourpedestals.wordpress.com/2009/03/07/abscess/

Alyssa said...

:( I'm so sorry to hear about your friend's cousin - and WTF is up with the hospital where your FIL is?? How do they expect him to recover after his surgery?

Sending lots of positive thoughts your way.

Eugenie said...

ohhh PD! I'm so sorry to hear these things. I'll keep FIL and your friend's cousin in my thoughts and prayers.

My neighbors growing up had an awful spate of hospital fuckups. FIrst the wife was told her cancer was back and much worse.. however they had looked up the wrong records... (she had spent the past 2 months thinking she only had a few months to live) and some other poor person was left untreated. Then the husband was incorrectly given some kind of drug used in heart-attack patients, even though he wasn't suffering from one... and nearly killed him.... Those were some of the reasons why my mom "retired" from nursing and working there...

Toaster Sunshine said...

Sorry to hear of those things. I hope for the best for you and yours.

PhizzleDizzle said...

@Rebecca...Thanks.

@CPP...Ditto, thanks. And what a post you linked...why is it so hard to get fast, efficient, effective, good care? why??

@Eugenie...That experience of your neighbors sounds horrifying...to be hit more than once with total incompetence too, yikes.

@TS: Thanks dude.

ScienceGirl said...

[Pulling my hair out] Sending some good thoughts to your friend's cousin!

Amanda@Lady Scientist said...

::Insert frustrated scream here:: I'll be keeping your friend's cousin and your FIL in my prayers.

PhizzleDizzle said...

ScienceGirl and Amanda...Thanks...Things are looking ok for FIL but haven't had a recent update on friend's cousin yet...

ScientistMother said...

I'm sorry, my thoughts are with you and your cousin.

Jim L. said...

Sorry to hear about your friend's cousin. I hear about the messed up nature of the health care system daily since my wife is in the medical world so I know how your feeling.