Frustration (re: Poppy)

Frustration

So--On Friday (1/27), I received a call from the care-giving staff where Poppy lives, indicating he wasn't his usual self. She suggested sending him to the hospital, since he seemed weak, plus he couldn't put any weight on his left leg. Besides that, he couldn't feed himself. He had trouble bringing the spoon to his mouth, so she fed him.She then called his doctor, saying that she thought my father was having a stroke, and she thought he ought to go to the hospital. In his infinite "wisdom," the doctor said, "Let him stay in bed through the weekend, and if his condition doesn't change, then bring him to my office."Poppy knew something was wrong. He even said to his care-giver that something wasn't right with him. So, she phoned me and asked if I thought he ought to go to the hospital. After hearing the symptoms, I too, thought he was in the middle of some sort of stroke, either TIA or CVA, but yes, he ought to go to the hospital.She sent him, and when I phoned them, they said they were monitoring him and the symptoms were from an old stroke. I thought that was odd, since he's never had these particular symptoms before. I asked if they were sure, and they said they were.Poppy was admitted, and on Saturday morning, I visited him. It was sad to see him in this state. He was so depressed, he couldn't move his left arm or leg at all, nor could he speak clearly, because his tongue seemed weak. The left side of his face had drooped. He tried to say things to me, and with some work, I did understand him. As I left, I saw the attending nurse, named Maureen. She said the same thing that the ER docs had said, that the symptoms he was having were from an old stroke. I asked where the test that shows this data is, and she looked in Poppy's file, but could not find the test. In fact, that whole section was empty. So I told her, as I told the ER docs, that these were new symptoms; he hadn't presented with these before, and that I want the docs to test him for a new (and improved?—yuck yuck) stroke.She indicated that she would write a note in his file for the doctor to see when he came in and examined my dad, and that family was concerned that these were new symptoms.

Sunday, I took care of some things around the house. I received no calls from the hospital, and I visited Dad right after dinner. I saw a different nurse on duty this evening, named Brian, and asked him about Dad’s condition. He also checked the chart, which informed him that Dad’s symptoms were from an old stroke, not from a new one. Bryan did not mention that there might be notes from any other nurse indicating that these were new symptoms, and again, found no test results at all in Dad’s chart. So, I told Brian the same thing I told Maureen, the ER docs, and that Dad’s caregiver told the ambulance drivers. Brian told me he’d leave a note for the docs to check dad for that.
Now, it’s Monday morning. I receive a call from Dad’s doctor, Dr. M., who said that he spoke with Dad, and that Dad was “doing well.” He was “alert, speaking, and as good as he was before.” The symptoms were from an old stroke.

I nearly screamed, out loud. Did he look at Dad’s chart? Did he notice Dad couldn’t move his left arm? That only his right leg moved? That the left side of his face was about ½ inch lower than the right? That his tongue moved around in his mouth nearly randomly?? In a much nice tone, I asked him these same questions.

He behaved as if this was the first time he’d heard of these symptoms. I know that is not the truth, since I know Dad’s caregiver talked with him about them on Friday.

Dr. M. said then that he would give my father a more complete exam, and that in fact, he was near Dad’s room right now. We would talk later after his exam. I told him that I was about 10 minutes away, but was on my way to the hospital to see Dad.

When I reached the hospital, I saw him exiting his office building. I waited for him at the bottom of the stairs to learn what he found.

The first thing he said was, “You were absolutely right. He had a stroke. I’ll have a neurologist examine and test him to find out exactly where.”

Several thoughts ran through my head at one time:

1. So, my diagnosis was correct, eh? Let me charge you $400 for an office visit.


2. And what, pray tell, could have been done if Dad had been thoroughly examined and tested Friday in the ER as requested—even demanded?


3. Was it once again Dr. W who ignored my father in the ER, as he had my mother?


4. Is my father permanently paralyzed now?


5. What’s going to happen to his living arrangements?


6. What about his finances?

These questions I asked in my head, in that order.

Dr. M. assured me that there would be further testing; that he would have the hospital social worker phone me to see what my options could potentially be. He also promised physical therapy for my dad, to see if any of this left side strength could be regained.

I said, yes, that would be great, thank you, and went into the hospital to visit with my dad. This depressed me, as I saw my father in a whole different light. I tried to get him to move his left arm, or even wiggle his toes or fingers to no avail. His speech was still significantly slurred, just like my mom’s when she had her stroke.

My poor dad. Ignored for three days, until somebody finally got it through the heads of five different medical staffers that indeed, he did have a stroke. All I can hope for is that at least some of his strength returns.