It's been a while!

Hello folks,

Sorry I disappeared so abruptly a couple of months ago, I've just been very busy with college amongst other things. I'm afraid I have nothing cheery to report with regards to the pain.

I've just had a completely unrelated surgery - an appendectomy. Fun times. I just got discharged a couple of days ago. I'm still on Augmentin because the appendix ruptured. Pain's pretty bad, worse than usual, but of course they wouldn't prescribe anything else because I'm already on "really strong and suitable" pain relief. The word tolerance springs to mind, I've yet to find a doctor who doesn't make that argument, yet somehow I have. Somewhat ironic that she wouldn't change them just for a few days, either.

This is becoming very tiresome, and I really don't envy all of you that have had chronic pain for much longer than I have.

The most bitter pill to swallow is that I was admitted to hospital as an emergency. Blue lights, sirens, the works. The day after my surgery I was kept largely sedated as they had to do an exploratory laparotomy. It turns out I was supposed to have an appointment with my pain management doctor. They discharged me from their service because I didn't show up for my appointment. They didn't seem to care about the fact that I nearly bloody well died. Argh. So I have to be referred again by my GP. As you may be able to tell, I'm rather cross about this.

At any rate, it's lovely to see you all. I do hope you're all ok? :)


Chris x

Hi Chris, welcome back to Healing Well. I am sorry to hear that you had surgery its never a fun thing to do I know. I had my appendix out in 02 along with a small bowel resection right behind it. They thought it was my appendix so they took them out only to find they were fine, so they opened me up lower and found the problems and did a resection.

 

Wow, what a cad for a PM dr, the idiot. I am sorry but I would have to sit down and write this dr a letter and state that while you were busy having emergency surgery you forgot to ask them to dial him up and explain you would not be at the appt that day. This would make my blood boil because as far as I am concerned they are trying to make you look like a non-compliant patient and you don't need crap like that going in your medical records for other drs to see. So, please consider doing this just to cover yourself. Honestly, if this is how this dr operates his practice sounds like you may be better off under the care of a human.

 

One thing about having lap surgery is they do blow you up with this gas stuff and it can really make you have a lot of pain. Try walking as much as you can this will help get rid of the gas. Take care.

Chris,
Like the others, I'm sorry for all you've been through. What your PM did is beyond inexcusable, and I really mean that.

I'd go even farther than Straydog's suggestion, but only after you're healed from the surgery. Not only would I write a letter, I'd put in a complaint to the medical board. It's pretty easy to confirm the dates of your inpatient stay, which is nice because it's not like you need to have someone write you an excuse. It's going to be in black and white and then some, so proving it to the medical board would be easy. The PM would probably come up with some lame excuse that something got lost in the translation and he didn't really know what had happened, but his staff is his responsibility and they could have easily checked out with the hospital whether you had been admitted. Oh, I'd better shut up about this. You need to be healing right now!

I hope your PCP is decent and maybe will help you out with even maybe some meds for the short term. I'd be sure to also let him know - in writing - what happened and be sure he documents it in your chart that you were hospitalized on those dates. That way if the idiot PM has anything else in his records, he's the one who will look bad.

I'm sorry this all had to happen to you.

PaLady

 

   Dear Chris,

 

      Good evening. it is good to hear from you again. I hope you are able to recover quickly! Gosh what a mess.

 

       When it comes to your PM, if you still want to be with them... Just send along a copy of your discharge papers and it will clear things up. I had an ER visit with my youngest daughter at a time when I was supposed to be at an appointment. I just called from the ER to tell them what was going on, and the young lady at the front desk of the ER faxed off proof I needed. Also, apparently they were able to look up in computer system. So, just a thought. If you want to be with them still, you can always show proof, and that should clear things up. Or then again, it could be a blessing in disguise and you may want a new pain doc?

 

*huggs*

  dani