On Thursday post op day 7, I was readmitted to the hospital. I had developed progressive issues with wounds on my abdomen following my radical prostatectomy . It was progressing rapidly over the last 2 days and very painful. My excellent Dr. said to go thru the emergency room and be a admitted as this could be a serious bacterial life threatening infection.
Luckily it was determined to be an allergic response to Dermabond glue used on my incisions. A severe reaction my surgeon had never seen in over 3500 radical prostatectomys. Drs are always the ones who get weird stuff. I am now back home treating it with steroids.
If you think hospital Emergency rooms are functional you might think twice. They are at breaking point and need life support.
After arriving to the ER at 2pm I made it to a hospital room at 1030 pm. After spending numerous hours lying on a mobile gurney ,masked, and parked along an ER hallway waiting for a room.
I was told were were none on a text message to my wife's phone after 6 hours here. Still not sure how one opened up at 1030 pm.
I was enveloped among so much illness in these halls. And I felt sorry for the lady next to me with no family and renal failure. The list of illnesses patients has was staggering.
This time in the ER certainly made me think about how things are presented in the press and on social media.
Not the best experience I have had. I hope I don't end up with covid. Add to that several patients roaming up and down the halls demanding narcotics. The floors were dirty and there was blood on the floor of the ER bathroom and in the sink.
Until you experience the caos first hand you would think you were in a war zone.
During my stay I had no food from the hospital. Luckily I have an angel of a wife who helped keep me fed by bringing in food.
Once on the floor, the nurses and staff were all excellent. But I cannot say the same for the overwhelmed emergency room and staff. Methodist is a premier hospital with and excellent reputation and a place I practiced for many years.
My take on this experience is that our hospital ER systems are maxed out and are on life support. The system is broken. If I had not been my own advocate, I would have been I trouble.
Please think twice before writing covid 19 as over or mild. Wear a mask, social distance and realize many are still are getting profoundly I'll or worse. You don't want to be in an ER..
I am now back home and getting back on the road to recovery, but many are not so lucky.
Be safe and stay healthy.
Namaste.
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