Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Odds and ends

Except for the surgery and related pain, my stay at Florida Hospital has been filled with stories of courtesy, kindness, and at least one example of just the opposite.

First, the good.

Surgical prep nurses. They have a tough job with immediate deadlines and still make patients feel like human beings.

Cardiac step-down nurses. After a day and a half stepping down, I had one of my so-called "fart attacks" -- which caused a lot of sweat. Two words after that -- sponge bath.

ICU nurses. Beside another sponge bath, these ladies and gentlemen are amazing at what they do. Last night, when an alarm went off just about the entire staff converged at the room of an 100-year-old woman. She didn't make it, but that is not because of this team's efforts.

Now the bad

An unnamed former doctor of mine. Now up until today this doctor seemed a caring, focused man. Today, as he explained what was wrong -- a diagnosis Dr.Lee Zehngebot had come to more than a year ago -- spasms of cardiac arteries, a form of angina -- I pointed out, "I told you guys about this over a year ago." His response: "Now I believe you" So, for a year, I have been having the most horrible pains I've ever experience because...what? I cannot even fathom an excuse.

Any ideas out there?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here's my reason why: Doctors are a-holes. Nurses are terrific :)
I'm thinking about you constantly Keith!
Amy Rippel

Jamie said...

Ugh, that sucks. I HATE it when a doctor won't listen to me. How are you doing today?

Mr. Lucky said...

What is it about cardiologists? I had a heart cath last year and learned more about it from my kidney specialist than the cardiologist.

Anonymous said...

Doctors are mortals like the rest of us.
I'm guessing that they hear about so many phantom aches/pains that real actual complaints get lost in the noise.
It's not an excuse, and I didn't realize you were suffering.
I wouldn't wish angina on anyone.