My wife had a procedure done today, which will hopefully make her chemotherapy infusions go smoother.
The nurses have been having a terrible time lately getting an I.V. started on her. They have been sticking her 6,7,8 times without success before they get one going. And this last time, they got the i.v. going but then it must have popped because the fluid starting going in under her skin. There was a bubble about 2 inches in diameter and 1 inch tall on her skin. Kinda looked like Mount Vesuvius.
So the doctor had some sort of a port placed. Went successfully, all is well, we just got home a few minutes ago. Main thing is she is cold, even in this weather. So she is in her chair wrapped up in a blanket.
My rant for today is about communication, or really the lack of it. Or maybe just about training, I don't know.
My thing for today is that the information dispensed by about 4 or 5 people was all different. And it is a really minor thing, but it still bothers me a little bit.
When the lady called her yesterday to go over do's and don'ts and stuff, she told my wife I had to have a vaccination or covid test or I couldn't come into the hospital with her, couldn't go thru the door. And since I am not jabbed, and it was really too late to get a covid test, we said okay I will just stay in the car and wait.
Well, this morning we got there and the lady at the reception desk said "Go on in." Okay.
Get to the check in desk and the lady said, "You can go up to the area with your wife and wait, but when she goes into the back to get ready for the procedure you have to leave the hospital, you can't stay in the waiting room." Okay.
Get to the third floor waiting room and the nurse says, You can come back to stay with her when she gets her gown on and we get the i.v. started." Okay.
Go back and sit with her, and then they take her into the o.r. and the nurse says "you can wait in the waiting room."
So I'm confused. I can't go in, but then I can, but then they want me to leave, but then I can stay.
Confusing, at least to me.
And on a side note about lack of communication, there was a guy in the bed next to her, all separated by those curtains they have on the rails. Anyway, I can hear the nurse talking to him about his medical history and meds and stuff,and i'm thinking "so much for privacy." And then she goes away and then she comes back and says, we have a problem. You have to reschedule your procedure. You were supposed to quit taking your meds 3 days prior to this and you did not. He said, the nurse from the hospital didn't say that, she told me i had to stop 24 hours prior. So now this guys all dressed out for the party, and he's got noplace to go party.
Talk about lack of communication.
And then the thing with the phone numbers. Yesterday the lady on the phone asked my wife for phone numbers for her and for me. I listened to my wife give her the numbers, and they were, in fact, the correct phone numbers. While sitting with my wife waiting for the docs and nurses to do their thing, I am perusing the paperwork. Hold on what is this I see? Incorrect phone number for my wife. Okay they can fix that. Looking further I see they also have MY phone number incorrect.
That would be a shock for someone when they call that number and say Hey you can come pick up your wife, and he says what she drunk again??
And another thing. I forget where in the course of events this happened, but I was told "when your wife is in recovery I will call you 10 minutes before you need to pick her up." Okay, sounds good.
At 8:45 I receive a call from the hospital, "hi we want you to come pick up your wife at 9:30." A full 45 minutes later, not 10 minutes. So, I'm thinkin dam, they really trying to be efficient I guess.
Anyway, i'm just being grouchy i guess cause i got up really early and only had about 3 good hours of sleep.
But I think those people really need to get together and all be on the same page when they pass out information.