Today was run around day. Last night David noticed something oozing out of my incision. He also found a stitch. There were only to be staples at the site or so we were told. The homecare nurse came and inspected my technique for injecting myself and said it was fine. I showed her the incision and she said it was hot and she thought it was infected and yes there was a stitch left there. I called my doctor and was told I could come right away or wait until tomorrow. The nurse had suggested I get in right away. So I head to the doctor to wait and wait and wait. Finally I tell them I am on chemo and I don't want to wait in a waiting room full of sick people. They escort me to one of the examining rooms. I wait. Then they decide they need that room and send me to another room. By this time I have had it!!! I let them know what I think of the health care system while having a mini-breakdown. My exceptionally good doctor comes in and is very kind. She says she understands and that I have a right to be angry but I still feel badly. After looking at the incision she says it is not infected and that the stitch is a dissolvable stitch but the part that is exposed won't dissolve so she cuts it short. This is good news but why didn't the surgeon tell me, or the nurse who removed all the staples or why didn't the homecare nurses know this? In my fit of anger I also told the doctor I did not appreciated the homecares nurses that reeked of cigarette smoke or the fact that a second nurse tried to come & give me an injection on the day I already had one (imagine if I was a senior and was unable to remember if I had my injection?) Needless to say the health care system isn't perfect and I should be thankful for what they have done for me so far. For those of you reading this with elderly parents or children or yourself make sure you keep track of everything and be in charge because mistakes will happen and you need to be your own advocate!!
The Lord gets his best soldiers out of the highlands of
affliction.
-- Charles H. Spurgeon
I remember a smoky-smelling nurse handling my newborn baby....disgusting. Try requesting non-smoking nurses only. That's what my parents did when my dad was receiving homecare.
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