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-   -   Hospitals, ER Care our Experience This Week (https://britishexpats.com/forum/usa-57/hospitals-er-care-our-experience-week-485184/)

Rete Oct 4th 2007 1:13 am

Hospitals, ER Care our Experience This Week
 
For a few days Mr. SuperMod had thought he was coming down with a cold. His chest felt tight and he had a little difficulty breathing. I would mention the cliche here but don't think that is necessary. Monday I told him to stop at the doctor's on his way home from work. It was on the way but no he decided to buy cough syrup and doctor himself.

Mr. SM was feeling so tired that when I got home from the office he stayed up for only one hour and went to bed. He kept coming out for water, etc. until around 11 p.m. he said that he can't breath when he lays down. I wanted to call the ambulance or take him to the ER but he wouldn't hear of it. (Don't ask.) At 3 a.m. he asked me to take him to the hospital. Quickly grabbing a tee shirt and jeans I dressed and drove him to the hospital.

Once into the waiting room he went to the desk to give his medical problem and do the paperwork but when he said his chest was tight and he couldn't breath, they took him immediately into a cubical, stripped him and had him in a gown inside of three minutes. Within 5 minutes he was hooked up the EKG and while that was running a nurse had him hooked up to an intravenus <sp> and another nurse on the other side was monitoring oxygen and another his pulse rate. When they saw his erratic and rapid heartbeat they administered the first drug to regulate his heartbeat. Then he had a needle in his stomach to thin his blood. By this time there were 7 people around him. Two doctors, two RN's and the rest of the nursing staff.

His heart responded immediately to the drug and the beat was slow, strong and steady. His upper heart chamber was fibrillating and because of that he had fluid in this lungs.

Within 30 minutes of entering the ER, his heart was working normally, he had been administered to by almost the entire ER staff, his blood samples and urine samples were taken and his chest x-rayed.

It was only at that point that a lovely older gentleman approached me about medical insurance and completing the forms. We did that together quietly.

He has been in CCU for the last two days and is wearing a heart monitor 24/7 and given medication to thin his blood to help prevent clotting and a stroke and he is undergoing tests. He has had an echo cardiogram and is scheduled for a ultrasound and a stress test.

His CCU nurse turned out to be the sister of my son-in-law. Small world. She has kind enough to wait for me to arrive to tell me exactly what had occurred and what the findings were up to that point. She also gave me her home and cell number to call with any questions. The doctor also left his number so that I could call him with any questions.

Our internist had a cardiologist from his office at Mr. SM's bedside by 9 a.m. that morning along with the head of cardiology.

I have always found the care that we have been given in any ER situation to be topnotch. Never once until the emergency was dealt with were we asked about medical insurance.

I'm not comparing one country's emergency care or hospital care to another. I'm only familiar with the US and Canada (I went to ER in Halifax and was turned away and told to find a clinic for my bronchitis that they can't treat people who are not under their healthcare system).

I can only hope that anyone who has an emergency medical condition receives the same care and attention that Mr. SM did this week. And being that we weren't asked about financial issues upfront, I am assuming this will be the case.

nethead Oct 4th 2007 1:23 am

Re: Hospitals, ER Care our Experience This Week
 
Glad to hear Mr SM had great care when he needed it. I hope he gets better very quickly, that must have been pretty scary for you both.

scrubbedexpat097 Oct 4th 2007 1:34 am

Re: Hospitals, ER Care our Experience This Week
 
Hope all goes well for him and I am so pleased to hear of the quick, professional and helpful treatment you have had so far.

Best wishes to you both.

Rete Oct 4th 2007 2:12 am

Re: Hospitals, ER Care our Experience This Week
 

Originally Posted by Sugarmooma (Post 5384404)
Hope all goes well for him and I am so pleased to hear of the quick, professional and helpful treatment you have had so far.

Best wishes to you both.

Thanks it was very scary. I had been engaged before and one month before the wedding my fiancee died of a massive heart attack in my living room. I was very afraid that history was repeating it. So glad it didn't and the outcome was positive.

AmerLisa Oct 4th 2007 2:38 am

Re: Hospitals, ER Care our Experience This Week
 
Sorry to hear about your scare Rete, it sounds as if he's in good hands, though. Best of luck to you both. :)

Mallory Oct 4th 2007 2:49 am

Re: Hospitals, ER Care our Experience This Week
 
Goodness Rete, that was quite a scare! Hope OH is feeling better.

Re Canadian healthcare - a quick way to become USC

http://www.komotv.com/news/10216201.html

scrubbedexpat097 Oct 4th 2007 2:51 am

Re: Hospitals, ER Care our Experience This Week
 

Originally Posted by Rete (Post 5384469)
Thanks it was very scary. I had been engaged before and one month before the wedding my fiancee died of a massive heart attack in my living room. I was very afraid that history was repeating it. So glad it didn't and the outcome was positive.


Oh bless your heart...(no pun intended!) Keep the positive vibes going my dear, I'm sure they will help:thumbup:

fatbrit Oct 4th 2007 3:13 am

Re: Hospitals, ER Care our Experience This Week
 

Originally Posted by Rete (Post 5384357)
For a few days Mr. SuperMod had thought he was coming down with a cold....

Sounds like a typical male. When I broke my arm on a Saturday evening, held out to see the PCP on Monday morning rather than having the horror of a hospital. And her indoors was nagging me about it for the whole 36 hours.

Holding in for you there -- but it's already sounding like you got him there in plenty of time. Now you can start planning his new, healthier diet and exercise routine for something for him to look forward to when he gets out.

Kaffy Mintcake Oct 4th 2007 3:53 am

Re: Hospitals, ER Care our Experience This Week
 
So glad that your husband is okay and that you were treated well in the ER. That's exactly how things should be handled.

Silverdragon102 Oct 4th 2007 7:21 am

Re: Hospitals, ER Care our Experience This Week
 
glad he is ok and on the road to recovery

lisag8070 Oct 4th 2007 10:56 am

Re: Hospitals, ER Care our Experience This Week
 
So glad your OH is on the road to recovery...

Dogbyte Oct 4th 2007 11:23 am

Re: Hospitals, ER Care our Experience This Week
 
Our best wishes for speedy recovery and hope OH is up and about very soon.:)

Rete Oct 4th 2007 12:23 pm

Re: Hospitals, ER Care our Experience This Week
 
Darn, but you are all male aren't you? Stubborn and pigheaded :rofl:

You waited two days with a broken arm to have it set. If I were your wife I might have broken the other one for you.

Man must be a b**ch to type.


Originally Posted by fatbrit (Post 5384582)
Sounds like a typical male. When I broke my arm on a Saturday evening, held out to see the PCP on Monday morning rather than having the horror of a hospital. And her indoors was nagging me about it for the whole 36 hours.

Holding in for you there -- but it's already sounding like you got him there in plenty of time. Now you can start planning his new, healthier diet and exercise routine for something for him to look forward to when he gets out.


dbj1000 Oct 4th 2007 12:41 pm

Re: Hospitals, ER Care our Experience This Week
 

Originally Posted by Rete (Post 5385890)
Darn, but you are all male aren't you? Stubborn and pigheaded :rofl:

You waited two days with a broken arm to have it set. If I were your wife I might have broken the other one for you.

Man must be a b**ch to type.

He's a man. He's probably used to typing one-handed! :rofl:

Tracym Oct 4th 2007 1:15 pm

Re: Hospitals, ER Care our Experience This Week
 
I'm so glad he's doing well - you must have been so terrified.

And I'm glad he got good care in the ER - similar to what I've seen myself when taking friends in.


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