Letter to my former Dr. (explains all about my past week)
Dear Dr. ______;
As you are aware, I have been a patient of yours for over ten years. I regret to inform you that due to recent events I am no longer going to continue being your patient. This past week I was hospitalized due to severe pain, resulting in pneumonia, and I feel this could have been caught sooner if it had not have been for your negligence.
On August 14, 2006 I was seen by you for what I thought to be muscular pain in my right shoulder. After a brief examination, consisting of you moving my arm, you diagnosed my condition as a slight muscular strain and prescribed an anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxer. After leaving your office I was still in pain, however I acquired the medications and followed your instructions for their use.
The next day (August 15, 2006), still following your orders, I went to work and spent most of the day in pain, especially chest pains. Following work I had an appointment scheduled with my academic advisor, which I reported to promptly. During and after that appointment, I was experiencing severe chest pains, so severe I was finding it difficult to breathe. I called my boyfriend, Peter Nintzel, and asked that he come get me from my school, as I was in no condition to drive.
Upon his arrival, Peter felt that my pain was severe enough to call your office, as I did not want to go to the emergency room. In speaking with your nurse about how severe my pain was, the response he was given from you was the question, “Does she want Vicodin?” Apparently, you were too busy to see me that evening, nor were you at all concerned about my breathing, labeling it as something connected with the shoulder pain.
On August 17, 2006 after trying the medications you prescribed and sleeping in my recliner for three nights, I decided to see another doctor for a second opinion. He not only examined my shoulder in the office, he also took x-rays as well as examined for a possible purpose for my inability to breathe. He noticed that I was very short winded, and said that I was “barely breathing”.
After reviewing my x-rays, which were inconclusive, the doctor consulted with his colleague, and decided that with my amount of pain, I belonged in the hospital.
I spent most of August 17th and 18th at Waukesha Memorial Hospital, where they conducted a few different tests to find out what was causing my pains as well as trouble breathing. After completing both an MRI as well as a VQ scan, they decided that I needed a CT scan. The CT scan was completed on August 18, 2006 which proved that I had been suffering from pneumonia in my right lung.
While I showed no other signs of pneumonia, the CT scan proved without a doubt I had the infection.
With this being said, I am writing you to inform you of my choice to cease coming to you for my medical care. Not only do I feel that you just wanted to push medication rather than alternative treatments, but I feel that you do not care about my overall health.
Perhaps in the future you will better be able to serve your patients in a caring manner, rather than treating them like another number, which is how I feel I was to you. I also feel that had I just continued to trust my health in your care, my hospital stay would have been much longer than it had been.
Your response would be much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Holly L. Monroe
As you are aware, I have been a patient of yours for over ten years. I regret to inform you that due to recent events I am no longer going to continue being your patient. This past week I was hospitalized due to severe pain, resulting in pneumonia, and I feel this could have been caught sooner if it had not have been for your negligence.
On August 14, 2006 I was seen by you for what I thought to be muscular pain in my right shoulder. After a brief examination, consisting of you moving my arm, you diagnosed my condition as a slight muscular strain and prescribed an anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxer. After leaving your office I was still in pain, however I acquired the medications and followed your instructions for their use.
The next day (August 15, 2006), still following your orders, I went to work and spent most of the day in pain, especially chest pains. Following work I had an appointment scheduled with my academic advisor, which I reported to promptly. During and after that appointment, I was experiencing severe chest pains, so severe I was finding it difficult to breathe. I called my boyfriend, Peter Nintzel, and asked that he come get me from my school, as I was in no condition to drive.
Upon his arrival, Peter felt that my pain was severe enough to call your office, as I did not want to go to the emergency room. In speaking with your nurse about how severe my pain was, the response he was given from you was the question, “Does she want Vicodin?” Apparently, you were too busy to see me that evening, nor were you at all concerned about my breathing, labeling it as something connected with the shoulder pain.
On August 17, 2006 after trying the medications you prescribed and sleeping in my recliner for three nights, I decided to see another doctor for a second opinion. He not only examined my shoulder in the office, he also took x-rays as well as examined for a possible purpose for my inability to breathe. He noticed that I was very short winded, and said that I was “barely breathing”.
After reviewing my x-rays, which were inconclusive, the doctor consulted with his colleague, and decided that with my amount of pain, I belonged in the hospital.
I spent most of August 17th and 18th at Waukesha Memorial Hospital, where they conducted a few different tests to find out what was causing my pains as well as trouble breathing. After completing both an MRI as well as a VQ scan, they decided that I needed a CT scan. The CT scan was completed on August 18, 2006 which proved that I had been suffering from pneumonia in my right lung.
While I showed no other signs of pneumonia, the CT scan proved without a doubt I had the infection.
With this being said, I am writing you to inform you of my choice to cease coming to you for my medical care. Not only do I feel that you just wanted to push medication rather than alternative treatments, but I feel that you do not care about my overall health.
Perhaps in the future you will better be able to serve your patients in a caring manner, rather than treating them like another number, which is how I feel I was to you. I also feel that had I just continued to trust my health in your care, my hospital stay would have been much longer than it had been.
Your response would be much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Holly L. Monroe