I'm in a pretty bitter mood right now about my new hometown of Charlotte. My Dad came down here from Boston to have his hip replacement surgery--at my suggestion mind you--because he thought he'd get more attention at a smaller specialized facility like Presbyterian Orthopaedic Hospital than he would at that factory on the Charles, Mass General. He also thought (as did I) that the southern hospitality would extend to the nursing staff at the Ortho hospital and he'd be well looked after as far as his post-op care. Seems logical, right?
WRONG.
Not only has he experienced (undeservedly I might add) "Yankee backlash" in the sense that they feel justified in treating him and my entire family with the contempt typically reserved for enemy combatants (and frankly, I think prisoners at GITMO are on the receiving end of better attitude), he's been a victim of gross incompetence and gross negligence in terms of his care.
A vibrant, brilliant man with a memory like a steel trap walked in there this past Thursday, and today--thanks to being allowed to dehydrate and then overmedicated into a stupor--his short-term memory is for shit, he's slurring his words and at least two days behind in his physical therapy program. We're thinking of getting a neurologist to look at him, and yes, we're also considering a lawsuit if his mental status doesn't improve markedly in the next 48 hours.
Spread the word: Presbyterian Orthopaedic Hospital is full of incompetent, uncaring BITCHY nurses who honestly don't give a flying fuck if the patients they're responsible for live or die. Were it not for my sister and me, my father might be in much worse shape than he is--perhaps worse--and I for one am convinced that his diminished capacity is 100% their fault.
I want my Dad back. I miss him. He's still here in the flesh, but there's something not quite right. Can't blame drugs, he's not on any. He even refuses Tylenol because he says he's not in pain. He's un-hooked from all his tubes finally, but he's still foggy, still not himself and we're at our wit's end. I am convinced that he would not be in this state if he had been properly hydrated post-op day 1. I am convinced that had we not pointed out his color, his mental status changes, his lack of fluid output, he would have been dehydrated to the point of no return. As it was, when they FINALLY listened to us, it was a rush situation to get him hooked back up to the IV and catheter. I'm angry, and I'm sad, and I can't stop blaming myself for suggesting he come here in the first place.
I'm praying very hard he'll come around, come back to his full self, but my family and I need more power than our meager prayers can provide. So please, if you have a minute, pray for my Dad. He's a great guy and he doesn't deserve to be treated the way he's been treated.
If we wanted him to be ignored, treated like a medicare card number and a nuissance, we could have had him operated on in Boston.
As a fellow Bostonian, I can tell you that that attitude permeates throughout the South. They still call the Civil War the War of Northern Aggresion. Just tell the people in the Carolinas that we should've let them secede when we had the chance.
Posted by: Shawn at April 30, 2006 10:25 PMI'm so sorry about your dad's condition and I'll be saying a prayer for his strength. My mom is in the hospital often for differnt procedures. My sister or I or my Dad always stay with her 24 hours because we don't trust the care given in ANY hospital. It's too bad it has come to this. I am surprised that they took his IV out before he was about to walk out of the hospital. I think you can find bad attitudes from nurses in any hospital nowadays.
Posted by: sandy at May 1, 2006 5:49 AMDeb, that's dreadful. I'll have everybody I know pray for your Dad.
Posted by: Pete (Alois) at May 1, 2006 10:36 AMDeb, I'm sorry that happened to your dad. He (and your family) is definitely in my prayers. Don't blame yourself -- you only wanted what you thought would be best for him. It's disgusting the hospital didnt feel the same.
Posted by: Angel at May 1, 2006 11:10 AMI'm telling right now, I had surgery at Presbyterian and it was a horrible experience. My following two surgeries were at Carolina's Medical Center and it was the BEST experience I could have hoped for. Presbyterian is a HORRIBLE hospital to go to. I dealt with them and their doctors for a year before I said enough is enough.
And just so you know, the southern hospitality is here and usually extended to everyone. We poke fun at Yankees (heck, my mom is a Yankee) but we will be open to like anyone who comes along. We'll convert you to drinking nothing but a staple diet of southern sweet tea and having you learning how to be a responsible gun owner, then eating BarBQ. - that brings me to a tip. NEVER say to a Southerner that you are going to barbq. Barbq is not a verb. It is a noun. It's pork prepared special. When you are gonna cook on a grill, that's called 'grilling out'. Trust me, it won't be long before you say "I'm fixin' to grill out."
I'm sorry about your dad's experience. I'll try again to email you.
Posted by: Bridget at May 22, 2006 1:02 PM