My heart rate was up, I took a pill and brought it down. I had chest pain that didn't go away after my heart rate came down, and my heart rate went back up again, add that to the cold sweat, nausea, headache and dizziness and we had a recipe for an ED admission. We arrived at the ED and I was taken through to CDU (Clinical Decision Unit) immediately.
Observation #1
When asked if I wanted morphine I said no, I get itchy and vomit when I have morphine. This gained me the 'Oh here we go' look from one of the nurses.
After initial monitoring it was decided to move me to SSU (Short Stay Unit) where I would be assessed by a cardiologist. Had some fantastic nurses who were very very good at their jobs and very very very busy. I had the high fiving nurse who was very excited when I managed to keep my heart rate under 100, and then found her lost ID card under my bed. I went off with the cardiac team for a stress test and came back down to SSU from that in a wheelchair. I was then to be admitted to the cardiology unit. As occasionally happens, beds were at a premium and I stayed in SSU. On Friday night I had a nurse who was going through my chart and asked why I hadn't been charted for opiates. I had been given aspirin, paracetamol and Nurofen by that stage.
Observation #2
The nurse who wanted to know why I hadn't been charted for morphine proceeded to ask the doctor to chart me for Endone and then told me, "You know that pain can cause your heart rate and blood pressure to increase and that put more strain on your heart"
Yes. However, I have chronic pain I have been living with since I was 19. Two spinal fractures, arthritis, not to mention having had migraines since I was 11 years old and later a brain tumour which cause intermittent hydrocephalus (and excruciating pain) which I lived with for 8 years (without relief). I have a pretty good level of pain tolerance.
Cardiologist came down and saw me yesterday afternoon and wanted to admit me to the cardiology ward for another night. I asked to go home as I had a total of 6 hours sleep from Thursday - Saturday pointing out that being excessively tired impacts my ability to tolerate pain. I was discharged yesterday afternoon with some scripts and more tests to follow through cardiology outpatients.
I came home and slept for 16 hours.
Partly because I had no antidepressants from Thursday morning until Saturday afternoon, I was feeling pretty depressed and weepy. That is improving now that I am home and back on my medication.
Our hospital system is under a lot of strain. Some of that is from genuine drug seeking people. There was one in SSU who was writhing in pain until he decided he wanted to go and have a smoke, he took a swing at a doctor on his way out and then asked for morphine again when he had come back in after his ciggy. Another decided he was going to go and smoke in the bathroom.
I feel for the staff who have to deal with malingerers. I also feel for those patients who are treated like malingerers by staff who are genuinely unwell. How do we fix this system??
No comments:
Post a Comment