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A letter to the ER doc who dismissed me
By Purple Pen
Dear Dr. Shestak, On November 19, 2009 I was brought into the Emergency Department via ambulance for severe abdominal pain. You were my physician that night. After several hours I was given a CT scan, after which you determined that there was nothing to be found, no other tests to be done and you basically sent me home, even after my husband asked for a sonogram. Several hours later I was seen by my primary care physician and a gastroenterologist who both couldn’t understand why I wasn’t at least given a sonogram (which my husband asked for, but you said wasn’t necessary). Both doctors were mortified that any physician would have released me in the obvious pain that I was in. I was promptly sent back to the Emergency Room. I proceeded to have numerous tests done, but since it became evening and it was a Friday, I had to wait until after the weekend to have the most important test done. I was admitted and placed in a room. After the weekend I had a HIDA Scan. They determined that my gallbladder was barely functioning. The technician almost sent me back up to my room, giving up on the gallbladder showing up on the scan at all. It finally did, then they injected the medication and recreated the physical response that brought me into the ER the night that I came to you. It was determined that the gallbladder had to come out right away. The next morning I had surgery. My gallbladder was in bad shape. I was released on November 25, 2009. I bring this to your attention because I never felt that you took my symptoms seriously. I am sure that you get a lot of crackpots in the ER, and I can appreciate that. However, for me to even ask to come to the ER, meant it was serious for me. The fact that I refused any offer for drugs to go home with, should have been a clue to you that I was there for answers, not medication. I have 6 life threatening drug allergies, an allergy to bees, a Chiari Malformation, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (with almost constant subluxations), 5 arthritic joints, a meniscus tear, a hip labral tear, and a surgically corrected tethered spinal cord. I am no stranger to doctor’s offices and hospitals. Maybe my knowledge and ability to have a reasonable medical conversation with you makes it seem as if I have some ulterior motive for coming to the ER, but it’s just built up knowledge. Lucky for me this was not an immediate life threatening condition, but I hope that this letter prompts you to stop and evaluate each patient as an individual, instead of lumping us all in a classification together. Not everyone is in the ER for drugs or attention. Thank you for your time, The Purple Pen
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It's very sad that doctors can't alays take the time to understand that when they make a mistake, someone could die.
It's very unfortunate that most of the gastro-intestinal pains that many people go to Emergency Centres for are little more than a severe stomach upset. A case of the people who cried 'wolf' too many times before you were examined.
To be honest, I have heard so many horror stories about tha American medical system that I'm glad I don't live there. One friend told m that after a car accident he was refused by one ambulance because he had the 'wrong' insurance - he had to wait for the 'right' ambulance to come along.
Great letter! It happens all the time. I sat in the ER and listened to a doctor lecture me about going to the ER without enough cause (I am not a frequent visitor -- he didn't know me). I am not kidding you, half an hour went by with his droning on about wasting money and time... my symptoms: 104 degree temp, aches and chills all over, pain in my leg. When he finally got around to looking at my leg, he called in two more doctors. I was admitted to the hospital at once. I had a massive infection in my leg -- it had spread from toe to knee. One week and three intravenous antibiotics later, I left the hospital. I understand the pressure they feel and that people waste valuable time... but the first concern should be the person. No matter what.
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This intel was contributed by Purple Pen
Purple Pen
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