Doctors do not always listen

I needed bilateral ear surgery (typmanoplasty and mastoidectomy) not too long ago. The physician left it up to me which ear to do first, depending on my pain and hearing. I chose the left due to the amount of pain and drainage.

I reported to the hospital (a very prestigious teaching hosptial - in US New and World Reports top 5) that morning and the OR consent form stated the wrong ear. It said the right, rather than the left.  I explained to the resident it was wrong and he proceeded to ARGUE with me, that I should just sign the consent form.  I finally asked to see my own surgeon prior to signing and he agreed with me and changed it and reversed the OR equipment etc.

In my case it would not have made much difference since I needed 2 surgeries any way.

But what about the older, scared, and confused patient with no family there?

Maybe the patient did state the prima donna physician did not listen. 

• Good Lord...this would have scared me to death (sm) - Anonymous
  • I can see how it could happen - Pugmom
  • Doctors do not always listen - Nearly a mistake too!
  • I hope they didn't charge him for the haircut! -(nm)- - Topaz
    • Ha! Just wait till the bill comes in. - They probably even added a tip. (NM)
  • Why hasn't that hospital adopted the *Time Out* - or *Pause for the Cause* procedure?
  • And my answer to this is - Jen
    • Could be he was already under some anesthesia. - Don't think family comes into the OR either.
    • I know but we forget how uninformed a lot of patients are (sm) - Anonymous
      • You are so right, remembering the case - Jen
        • Heh. Try military medicine - Pugmom

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First they make you wait out in the lobby and then they make you wait in the examining room. I don't mind a wait as long as I can be in the lobby and talk/see people. I despise having to wait for a long time in the exam room. I get lonely.

I wish the nurses could time it so you only had to wait in the examination room 5-10 minutes.

I've been in the medical field since 1971.

I was just venting a little - we were so relieved it wasn't bedbugs, and we were hopeful that we would find the real cause and be able to eliminate it. It was kind of a let-down when we didn't.

As far as we know, my husband hasn't been exposed to anything unusual at home or on the job, and his food intake has been normal - nothing unusual.

The only thing we can think of is we moved into this house late last summer, so he did mow the grass a couple of times, but of course different things grow and bloom in the spring than in late summer and fall. He does generally have the usual allergies involving itching eyes, runny nose, sinus congestion, etc., but he has never had a reaction like this. He was a Boy Scout and went camping and hiking all the time, so I know he knows what poison ivy looks like! And it doesn't look like poison ivy rash.

Maybe somebody out there has had a similar experience and can help us - let me describe his symptoms. It usually starts out as a series of small red bumps that are in a fairly straight line. For example, in the crease of his right arm, there are about six little red bumps going straight down (proximal to distal) from the crease in a space of about 1.5 to 2 cm. There is another line, about 1 cm medial to that one, running up the arm (distal to proximal), about the same distance. When he scratches them (he tries not to, but sometimes you just gotta), they appear to turn into one big linear welt.

Any ideas? TIA. And many thanks to those who have been following our "saga".

Doctors

   (A) The number of physicians in the U.S. is 700,000.

   (B) Accidental deaths caused by Physicians per year are 120,000.

   (C) Accidental deaths per physician is 0.171.

Statistics courtesy of U.S. Dept of Health Human Services

Now think about this:

Guns

  (A) The number of gun owners in the U.S. is 80,000,000. (Yes, that's 80 million)

  (B) The number of accidental gun deaths per year, all age groups, is 1,500.

  (C) The number of accidental deaths per gun owner .000188.

Statistics courtesy of FBI

So, statistically, doctors are approximately 9,000 times more dangerous than gun owners.

Remember, 'Guns don't kill people, doctors do.'

FACT: NOT EVERYONE HAS A GUN, BUT ALMOST EVERYONE HAS AT LEAST ONE DOCTOR.

Please alert your friends to this alarming threat. We must ban doctors before this gets completely out of hand!!!!!

Out of concern for the public at large, I withheld the statistics on lawyers for fear the shock would cause people to panic and seek medical attention!

Just got back from the neurologist's office. This is a doctor I have seen now approximately 3 times. I try my best to furnish any and all reports I think necessary for a physician either prior to seeing them for a particular issue or when I see them such as recent MRIs, lab tests, office notes and the like from another physician's office that I think might be pertinent to why I am seeing the present doctor. 

Have foot issues (along with a couple other things) but 2 weeks ago I called 2 different podiatrists offices where I have recently been asking that they fax (given number) office notes to the neurologist. Both offices I had visited for the same exact foot issues, no diagnosis and no help. The neurologist did not have the information requested from the 2 other offices this morning, 2 weeks later. When I told him had lots to talk about he said well start. I did and then he told me I was supposed to have told all that information to the person who took my blood pressure, checked my reflexes and so on. Well, not a mind reader here and I told him had the other offices done as requested, then maybe he would have some information before him to go by.

Why, why are people not doing their jobs? It has nothing to do with the economy (this was happening at least 5 years ago when the economy better) but people are so slack now days it just ticks me off. Blowing smoke out ears as I write this.

and leave you hang out to dry on the most obscure term or referring physician spelling if it is an odd name.  I'll be darn though, they will spell out "the" t-h-e, p-a-t-i-e-n-t, but never the hard stuff... . ?????  I wonder why?  People using cell phones when they are driving and not paying attention.  People that pull out in front of you, and then go 5 mph.  I hate it when the grocery bagger puts all the soap products in with my meat or food goods!  Great, now the roast smells like Dove Cucumber and Melon bar soap?  Hubby is going to think this is delicious!!!!!  UUGGHH! 

See my message above re yoga breathing. I have a friend who has adult-onset ADD. Yes, it can happen - or maybe she had just found ways to compensate all these years until she was diagnosed.

You might want to check into it further....

My parents were just a bunch of dumb hard azes that all they wanted to do was prevent me from having any fun.  Well, the older I got, the smarter they got. 

I am now going through it with my kids and I sometimes wonder how they ever kept sane.  LOL.  I have a smart-alecky mom that likes to say "payback time."