Things that really piss me off # 37698&@^%!
Malpractice.
Knowing well that my grandfather's doctor has always been a rather incompetent, self-serving moron, I also now feel that he played a role in a series of mishaps leading to papaw's death. Unfortunately, my grandpa had always trusted Doc Thompson as a friend for years, so there was little we could do to convince him otherwise when grandpa had his strength of choice.
I. Grandpa visits Doctor (Thompson) complaining that he can't hardly get his breath and is in pain, believing that it may be time to get an oxygen tank. Thompson listens to his lungs and heartbeat and concludes his diagnosis with "you're fine, you don't need oxygen".
II. Week later, papaw reaches point of pain and oxygen deprivation that he reluctantly calls the emergency ambulance (himself) to be taken to ER. There he is immediately hooked up to oxygen machine.
III. Sometime while in the waiting room, care of nurses, or lack thereof, he passes out and falls over onto the floor, with his oxygen mask coming unhooked. No one knows for certain how long he laid there without oxygen, but Doc Thompson stated that "it couldn't have been long because I'm sure the nurses would have heard the thud".
IV. When we hear about it, the nurses have already given him all sorts of meds to induce a coma and state that he now has a collapsed lung (oh I wonder WHY?!). Doc Thompson tells grandma that he will never get his mind back and that she should immediately look into nursing homes. Why would a man with a notably excellent memory suddenly lose his mind during a hospital visit--perhaps from LACK OF OXYGEN WHILE LYING UNATTENDED ON FLOOR FOR GOD KNOWS HOW MANY MINUTES.
V. The nurses finally reduce meds and Grandpa gradually regains his consciousness, recognizing his family and begging to leave, stating "I want my life back". So much for warning of brain damage, Thompson. Still I wondered if the induced coma was really to aid his body in healing or whether it was to cover up the possibility of brain damage from the fall, since the medication was noticeably worsening his condition.
VI. Grandfather's urine turns black, leading them to discover he has a seriously infected ulcer in his stomach that will kill him within hours if not closed up. A specialist examines him and says that he cannot do anything because paps would die during surgery. Thus, they let the hours pass expecting him to die from the festering cyst. Low and behold, the cyst closes up on its own and he lives, although they continue to feed him via tubes.
VII. My uncle has grown very suspicious of all the problems that grandpa is now suffering and misdiagnosis--even consults a lawyer--and finally fires Doctor Thompson, requesting a more apt caregiver. Nevertheless, Doc thompson apparently won't take such an insult to his ego, so he continues to return to the hospital and advise grandpa's nurses and my Grandma concerning his condition. Somehow he manages to convince them that Papaw needs rehabilitation at a nursing home, disconnected from his oxygen and machinery and thus my Grandma is forced to send Grandpa to the $800 a week home.
But Oh it gets better...
VIII. For some inexplicable reason, the nursing home is not notified in Grandpa's charts that he is a diabetic, so for the entire time he is there (three days), he receives no insulin medication. Note,he also is not receiving any oxygen assistance, as apparently recommended for 'rehabilitation'. Sometime within those three days of stay, Papaw passes out and falls AGAIN to the floor, while unattended. Grandpa's condition worsens to critical due to his other lung spontaneously collapsing (OH I WONDER HOW?!) and his kidneys begin to fail--thus he has tobe hooked up to life support and sent back to the hospital's critical care. When offered the possibility of removing life support with no resuscitation if worse came to worse, Grandpa said fearfully "No! I don't want that".
IX. So once again, Doctor Thompson intervenes and tells Grandma that all of Papaw's systems are failing, that he will never get better, and convinces her that the most merciful thing to do would be removing his life support and discontinuing the medication keeping him alive. So she agrees, obviously not fully understanding the medical terminology or background leading up to this choice, but trusting Thompson's influential wisdom for the situation. My mom walks in to visit my grandpa in the midst of this, so see my Grandma looking sheepishly at her and my grandpa evidently dying. The nurse encourages my mom to sit with my Grandma and "say her last goodbyes" to Grandpa, as they had already stopped giving him the medication. In conclusion, my mom sat helplessly as Grandpa's vitals broke down.
I felt utterly helpless through all these events, especially being stranded with no car at Rose Hulman. I don't believe papaw would have died so painfully (or perhaps at all) had Thompson given him his much needed oxygen the week before he was forced to call the ambulance. Both of his lungs should not have collapsed--or him most certainly--had he been given adequate care. The lack of communication concerning his diabetes and insulin between the hospital and nursing home was horrendous. Shutting off Grandpa's life support and discontinuing his medication against his wishes is unforgivable.
I cannot help but be angrily bitter in this 'time of mourning', as my family puts it. I cannot help but curse my adversity such that I obviously can't afford a lawyer and could not afford to visit him more than once--perhaps even finding a way to stop the horrid treatment. I cannot help but feel that these ignorant wastes of human flesh who made so many irrevocable mistakes ought to be destroyed and NEVER be allowed to contribute their imbecilic DNA to the gene pool. The massive stench of stupidity in the majority of society is suffocating my once hopeful outlook for the betterment of humanity.
Knowing well that my grandfather's doctor has always been a rather incompetent, self-serving moron, I also now feel that he played a role in a series of mishaps leading to papaw's death. Unfortunately, my grandpa had always trusted Doc Thompson as a friend for years, so there was little we could do to convince him otherwise when grandpa had his strength of choice.
I. Grandpa visits Doctor (Thompson) complaining that he can't hardly get his breath and is in pain, believing that it may be time to get an oxygen tank. Thompson listens to his lungs and heartbeat and concludes his diagnosis with "you're fine, you don't need oxygen".
II. Week later, papaw reaches point of pain and oxygen deprivation that he reluctantly calls the emergency ambulance (himself) to be taken to ER. There he is immediately hooked up to oxygen machine.
III. Sometime while in the waiting room, care of nurses, or lack thereof, he passes out and falls over onto the floor, with his oxygen mask coming unhooked. No one knows for certain how long he laid there without oxygen, but Doc Thompson stated that "it couldn't have been long because I'm sure the nurses would have heard the thud".
IV. When we hear about it, the nurses have already given him all sorts of meds to induce a coma and state that he now has a collapsed lung (oh I wonder WHY?!). Doc Thompson tells grandma that he will never get his mind back and that she should immediately look into nursing homes. Why would a man with a notably excellent memory suddenly lose his mind during a hospital visit--perhaps from LACK OF OXYGEN WHILE LYING UNATTENDED ON FLOOR FOR GOD KNOWS HOW MANY MINUTES.
V. The nurses finally reduce meds and Grandpa gradually regains his consciousness, recognizing his family and begging to leave, stating "I want my life back". So much for warning of brain damage, Thompson. Still I wondered if the induced coma was really to aid his body in healing or whether it was to cover up the possibility of brain damage from the fall, since the medication was noticeably worsening his condition.
VI. Grandfather's urine turns black, leading them to discover he has a seriously infected ulcer in his stomach that will kill him within hours if not closed up. A specialist examines him and says that he cannot do anything because paps would die during surgery. Thus, they let the hours pass expecting him to die from the festering cyst. Low and behold, the cyst closes up on its own and he lives, although they continue to feed him via tubes.
VII. My uncle has grown very suspicious of all the problems that grandpa is now suffering and misdiagnosis--even consults a lawyer--and finally fires Doctor Thompson, requesting a more apt caregiver. Nevertheless, Doc thompson apparently won't take such an insult to his ego, so he continues to return to the hospital and advise grandpa's nurses and my Grandma concerning his condition. Somehow he manages to convince them that Papaw needs rehabilitation at a nursing home, disconnected from his oxygen and machinery and thus my Grandma is forced to send Grandpa to the $800 a week home.
But Oh it gets better...
VIII. For some inexplicable reason, the nursing home is not notified in Grandpa's charts that he is a diabetic, so for the entire time he is there (three days), he receives no insulin medication. Note,he also is not receiving any oxygen assistance, as apparently recommended for 'rehabilitation'. Sometime within those three days of stay, Papaw passes out and falls AGAIN to the floor, while unattended. Grandpa's condition worsens to critical due to his other lung spontaneously collapsing (OH I WONDER HOW?!) and his kidneys begin to fail--thus he has tobe hooked up to life support and sent back to the hospital's critical care. When offered the possibility of removing life support with no resuscitation if worse came to worse, Grandpa said fearfully "No! I don't want that".
IX. So once again, Doctor Thompson intervenes and tells Grandma that all of Papaw's systems are failing, that he will never get better, and convinces her that the most merciful thing to do would be removing his life support and discontinuing the medication keeping him alive. So she agrees, obviously not fully understanding the medical terminology or background leading up to this choice, but trusting Thompson's influential wisdom for the situation. My mom walks in to visit my grandpa in the midst of this, so see my Grandma looking sheepishly at her and my grandpa evidently dying. The nurse encourages my mom to sit with my Grandma and "say her last goodbyes" to Grandpa, as they had already stopped giving him the medication. In conclusion, my mom sat helplessly as Grandpa's vitals broke down.
I felt utterly helpless through all these events, especially being stranded with no car at Rose Hulman. I don't believe papaw would have died so painfully (or perhaps at all) had Thompson given him his much needed oxygen the week before he was forced to call the ambulance. Both of his lungs should not have collapsed--or him most certainly--had he been given adequate care. The lack of communication concerning his diabetes and insulin between the hospital and nursing home was horrendous. Shutting off Grandpa's life support and discontinuing his medication against his wishes is unforgivable.
I cannot help but be angrily bitter in this 'time of mourning', as my family puts it. I cannot help but curse my adversity such that I obviously can't afford a lawyer and could not afford to visit him more than once--perhaps even finding a way to stop the horrid treatment. I cannot help but feel that these ignorant wastes of human flesh who made so many irrevocable mistakes ought to be destroyed and NEVER be allowed to contribute their imbecilic DNA to the gene pool. The massive stench of stupidity in the majority of society is suffocating my once hopeful outlook for the betterment of humanity.