Has this Ever Happened to You?
Eye Witness News
A personal account of modern medicine
I am in a reflective mood this morning and thought I'd share a few more true stories of my scrapes in the medical mill.
Back to the quack that gave my Cipro when in reality, I was a magnesium deficient, undiagnosed diabetic with heart and kidney problems. Dr. Q kept insisting I get a colonoscopy. Honest to God, I was so sick and run down, I think it would have killed me. I will never forget the evil gleam in his eye when he told me I would have one. I am not exaggerating - it was obscene. If that was his idea of humor, I was not laughing and it still turns my stomach when I think of it. I needed medical help and received disrespect and medicines that did more harm to me. In effect, his "treatment" was a mental form of a colonoscopy, far worse than it would have been in the real world.
After my stay in the hospital for congestive heart failure that occurred a few months after I quit seeing this poor excuse for a human being, I agreed to a battery of tests. First, I was put on a treadmill a few days after my revival from the ventilator. I have never been so weak. I was being pumped full of about 30 different drugs and who knows what side effects they all had! I only made it a few steps before nearly passing out. The assisting nurse did not know where the cut off switch to the treadmill was and I nearly fell off. In fact, it was only by the grace of God that I did not hurt myself further.
This cardio insisted I have a heart cath at once but told me that due to the blue dye that they use for the test, my kidneys would suffer greatly and I would then need dialysis. I had already been told that I needed to be on dialysis or I would die in months and that "diagnosis" was before I learned about the risks of kidney damage from a heart cath test. hmmm No wonder I thought the kidney doctor and heart doctor were working together.....
I refused the heart cath until it was deemed necessary two years later after I suffered an 8 hour heart attack. I did not realize I was having the heart attack until later when the emergency room measured my enzymes. By then, the episode was over but "they" had me. I did not want the heart cath. I did not want to be on dialysis. Something positive did come from this experience though. I had the heart cath and the doctor used a diluted blue dye that saved my kidneys. I urged my cardio to use this diluted dye on all his future patients and submit the information to all other doctors.
I had been told that the heart cath was not pleasant. The actual test is nothing to fear. It is stopping the blood flow after the test that may be rough. I was given blood thinners - a standard dose, no doubt. I had the heart cath in the morning and returned to my room around noon. The nurses worked 12 hours to stop the bleeding. I had to lay on my back in the most uncomfortable position you can imagine. No food, no bathroom, no sleep - just pain. The next morning I had a triple bypass heart surgery.
Knowing what I know now, heart surgery could have been avoided. For the two years after my congestive heart failure, I did not know about magnesium or CoQ10 supplementation. I knew a little about nutrition - that which I had taught myself up to that point. I took all the meds my doctors prescribed including prednisone, coreg, digitalis and 80 mg of statin. I will not let my bitter experience be for nothing. Share this with anyone who believes that doctors and medicine alone can save your life. I will write more about those "medicines" later.
Back to the testing I had after my fist hospital stay, which as you will see, did nothing whatsoever to prevent my progression of heart disease! I had MRIs, a nuclear blood test, a marrow biopsy and a kidney biopsy. I was told that the kidney biopsy had minimal risks and most likely would be an outpatient procedure. Though we had a heavy snowfall that day, I was anxious to get this test over with so we took the hour drive to the hospital the morning of the test.
I had the biopsy and was wheeled back to my room where I looked forward to lunch and later going home. However, that was not to be. I would be the one in 10,000s of patients that had heavy bleeding. In fact, my nephrologist told me she had never seen this happen in her 30 years of practice. So I was wheeled to ICU and blood transfusions.
My husband stayed with me as long as he could and I insisted he get back home so he wouldn't have to drive in the ice and snow in the dark. I'll be fine, I reassured him. I planned to rest. My ICU nurse and the kidney doctor who had done my biopsy earlier, were watching me closely. About 10 pm, that nephrologist came to talk with me. He wanted to take another look at my kidney and informed me they may have to remove it - that night!
My husband wasn't there. I had no cell phone. No phone calls are allowed from ICU. I think I could've gotten news to my husband but I decided not to worry him. I am stoic that way. I prayed for all I was worth as I was wheeled down the dark corridors on the way to the operating room. The aide parked me in a dark, sterile cold hallway where I would wait about 50 min for the surgery room to be prepared. For just a few moments, I felt alone, frightened and helpless.
My faith came alive and I began to think of beautiful songs I loved. At that moment, a cleaning lady appeared and this angel stayed with me until I was wheeled into surgery. What a blessing she was. We told jokes and laughed and shared the joy of our faith and she also prayed with me. Truly, that woman was the greatest healer I have experienced in any hospital!
After Xrays and more consultations, the doctors deemed I needed no surgery. Hallelujah!!! I was wheeled back to my room to sleep. I remained in ICU a few days before returning home.
I avoided the bone marrow test for a few months but I did want to rule out cancer that can cause high blood calcium levels. Back to the hospital I went. The bone marrow scan was scheduled the next morning. I had hoped it would be earlier but that was not to be. The hospital was short staffed that day. My blood sugar went low and I told the nurse who just shrugged her shoulders. She probably didn't have a clue what that meant or knew what to do. You'd be surprised how little doctors and nurses know about diabetes. Don't be.
The lovely woman in the bed next to me, who was active in the hospital's administration told me there was a nurses station just down the hall around the corner. There I found graham crackers and hot chocolate and "fixed" myself right up. I called my husband later that afternoon and told him to bring grape juice the next day so I would have something if I needed it.
The woman in the room with me was scheduled for surgery the next morning for arm surgery. She had slipped on the ice on her way to one of the hospital's seminars just a few days before. She was in her 70s, maybe 80s and as sharp and spry as they come.
I was told that I had to fast before my bone marrow procedure. Gads. I'd never make it that long without something to eat. I was going low again. Fortunately my room mate, had friends, family and well wishers dropping by all day. We were both hungry and she had not been fed yet either, so one of her nieces popped out and brought us back hamburgers! I know hamburgers aren't the healthiest food but that meal was a lifesaver. I told her I'd pay her back the next day when my husband was there. You are not allowed to keep money with you during your hospital stay. I would advise you to always keep a few dollars though - they can come in handy.
The next morning, my roommate was wheeled off for her surgery. My blood sugar was low again. My husband showed up just when the doctors did. I told them I had to drink some juice because my sugar was low. They tested me - it was around 50. I explained to the doctors that the nurses made me fast before the biopsy. They told me that had not been necessary. When they checked the records, it was my roommate that should have been without food before her arm surgery.
The biopsy was unpleasant but soon over and I got to go home later that day. No cancer was detected. I decided to have no more invasive tests and if I could help it, no more hospital stays. For two years, I managed to do that. If I would've only known about the numerous health benefits of vitamins, minerals and supplements - I would have achieved that goal.
more to follow.....
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