On my way home though it became apparent this wasn't going to go away. I came home, H-2 was in bed already. I took some pain meds and tried to lay down and get some rest. H-2 told me to wake him if I needed to go to the e.r. or if I wanted to take a drive. Through trial and error we had learned that Michigan's horrible roads actually had a positive use, they shake kidney stones loose and and induce them to pass. I said thanks and turned over to sleep.
Not more than 90 minutes later I was woken from my sleep with horrible pain. I jumped in the shower hoping the hot water would give me some relief. That didn't do it and finally after listening to me whimper H-2 insisted we head for the hospital. They can't so much for me other than give me pain meds to make me comfortable but we headed there anyway since what I had at home wasn't helping.
When I got there I was immediately taken back to triage and then taken back to a "room." The triage nurse said it would be about 7 minutes before I saw anyone because it was shift change. I said ok and settled in on the gurney. No one offered me a blanket, it was freezing in there.
I saw several nurses walking around, not a single one came in to see me. I was in extreme pain and very nauseous. H-2 went to get me a cool towel for my face to help with the nausea. An hour passes, still no nurse. I push the call button and hear "Can I help you?" I said, "I wanted to know if I could get something for the pain?" She hung up on me. No, "let me get your nurse" or "just a minute." She just HUNG UP!
At this point I was tempted to limp my way tot he nurses' station and puke on their desk, perhaps they would take notice of me then. H-2 kept getting up to see what they were doing and each time he said at least three nurses were just sitting there doing nothing.
Thirty minutes pass and H-2 decides he can't bear watching me in pain anymore so he pushes the call button. "Can I help you?" "Yes, is there someone who can come see my wife?" The voice says, "Physician" and hangs up!
Are you kidding me???
Another 30 minutes pass and this nurse FINALLY comes in. She looks like she just graduated and is super timid. She says, "How are you feeling?"
Really? Really?? I just found a way to say I was in extreme pain and I wasn't happy at all with how long it took my calls to be answered.
"I'm really sorry." Yeah, that's going to help my pain lady.
She was really upset that I didn't accept her apology. At that point I was only interested in getting an i.v. and some pain meds and something for nausea.
She leaves, says she has to talk to my doctor. She comes back about 20 minutes later to put in an i.v. Now she took forever to look at my arms, that should have been my first clue. She took almost ten minutes to pick her spot and was really unsure about what vein to use. Lets just say her results were not good. She had to take out the i.v. and find someone else.
At this point we are going on two and a half hours of no pain relief. A new tech comes in to try and find a vein. However, she was delayed by my nausea. After getting sick she picks her spot on my arm. Right as she is about to put the needle in I told her to freeze! I had a distinctive and familiar pain in my lower abdomen. Then I felt tremendous relief! I think the stone had passed.
She insisted on placing the i.v so they could give me fluids, more like so they could justify billing my insurance. Before she hooked me up I insisted on a trip to the bathroom. I was right, I had passed not one stone, but two! They were HUGE!!!
The doctor comes in and I show him my "twins" and he is thoroughly impressed. So much so he comes back with another doctor admire my creation.
I was released shortly after since there was nothing left to do. I was really upset with the treatment I received or lack thereof. I never did get any pain relief. However, H-2 was there the whole time and did take good care of me, that is one thing I can never complain about with him. He has always taken good care of me when I am ill.
I hope they don't bill you for that.
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