I went home for a few hours to try and get some sleep, that didn't work. I was tired but worried, we all know those two things don't mix. Joey ended up being in the ICU for about 4 days. Lots of test and lots of questions. About 2 days or so after he was admitted to ICU, a doctor came in with some grim news. Joey had Osteomyelitis (an acute or chronic bone infection) in his spine. The Doctor explained sections of Joey's spine had been destroyed by this infection and sections were missing. The Doctor left us with no hope for a positive outcome. When I asked what we needed to do he didn't have an answer for us. They were still trying to figure it out. Not a very good feeling to have a Doctor basically tell you they don't know if there is an answer to this medical issue.
During the next few days Joey became stable and was moved out of the ICU, onto the "regular" part of the 9th floor at our local hospital. The surgeons and infectious disease Doctors were still trying to put things together and figure out a plan.
It was now June 3, 2008 and Joey's 31st birthday. Yes my friends, he had to spend his birthday in the hospital. I rushed out of work to go buy him a birthday cake, a card and a few small gifts. When I got everything I was looking for I went out to my car and found that someone had hit my drivers side door and left without leaving any insurance information. How annoying and disrespectful, but there was no time to call the police. I had a sick husband to get to and give him the best hospital birthday anyone could have! When I got to the hospital Joey said he was feeling "full". He has a history of bowel obstructions, so this was not a good sign. Joey's family, a few friends and myself tried to make things as fun as we could but he was just feeling so uncomfortable and wanted to rest. Around 11:00pm Joey called me and asked me to come back to the hospital because he was scared. I rushed right over to be by his side. He had expressed to "his" nurse that he was feeling "full" and very uncomfortable. He also explained his history of bowel obstructions and told her he felt this is where things were headed. She assured us that she was making the appropriate phone calls and doing what she could. 12:00am rolls around and a new nurse is now on duty. We asked the new nurse the status of things and she knew NOTHING about anything! Joey's original nurse left for the night and didn't pass one thing on! You better believe I went right to the nurse manager and made sure that nurse was not going to ever "care" for my husband again!
Now here is where I need to take a moment and talk about the medical professionals we have run into over the past 2.5 years. Anyone who is currently a medical professional or going to school to become one, please take this to heart. The people who are in your care are important to someone. In most cases, these people are too sick to stand up for themselves. When my husband or anyone I love is in the hospital I am trusting you to take care of them. I expect you to care for my loved one as if he/she was your loved one. Too often thing are let go because it's not a big deal or important to you. Because you are not laying there in your own body fluid, or because you don't feel the pain, or because it's not your skin that's going to break down doesn't mean YOU should ignore or take your time getting to the patient. I understand it's a job. But you have to remember you are dealing with sick people who depend on you. Now, please let me clarify this is not ALL medical professionals, but it is more then one would think. If you have read this blog from the beginning, you know that Joey lost more of his functioning level because the people who needed to listen didn't. Really listen and really look. Make sure you are truly doing your best. If it ever becomes just a job, it's time for you to move on.
Ok, now back to the story.
So it ended up that Joey did have a bowel obstruction on top of everything else he was dealing with. But this was the least of our worries. I believe it was July 11, 2008 that Joey was released from the hospital here in Bethlehem PA. Still, we had no answer regarding his spine and bone infection. We did however have an appointment at Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia to meet with a Neurosurgeon. Until Joey's appointment it was doctors orders that he spend most of the time in bed, so he did. I moved our bed into the living room so he was not always stuck in our bedroom. Finally the day had come. We were on our way to Philly. Joey and I went alone. I was too scared to drive his van in Philly so we took my little car. He was such a trooper. I have a mercury tracer, its small and not easy for Joey to get in and out of. We finally get to Philly and go to the wrong doctors office. So we had to rush about a block over to get there in time. If we were late they could give our appointment away and then we would have to reschedule.
No comments:
Post a Comment