May 14, 2009

Red Tape, Scotch Tape/Duct Tape

The mazes I have found myself in through-out this last month would make a lab rat insane. It's that famous red tape. Well I am nothing but a studious gal and was raised that the squeaky wheel does indeed get the oil. I found some rather large scissors yesterday via the phone and cut that infamous red tape. The only thing holding my loved one from getting their radiation started is getting them transported back to the original facility to fix the fancy pacemaker they installed. It is infected. It needs to be irrigated and whatnot. For two days they have been putting off transport. Radiation is all set up, home nursing is all set up for when I am at work and they are slowing my game plan on allowing this person to come back to the normal (well, somewhat)healthy human being before this mess happened. Through the honesty of a male nurse at the local hospital I found out that the bigger facility keeps putting them off. Basically, they installed all this hi-tech gadgetry and than didn't set up aftercare. Send ya home to a very rural area where the local hospital isn't equipped to clean up the mess. So the yankee in me raged on the phone with the original facility and now transport is set up for today. Radiation starts next week. The irony of all this? The ones that make the final decisions about care are the people who never come into contact with the actual patients. Maybe if they could see another human being aspirating mucus and flem and watch their oxygen level drop to 30% and meanwhile have a staph infection, their pens might write a little differently. I just hope that if I ever get sick, someone will fight the good fight for me. It made my heart feel good to know that I accomplished what was necessary. Don't accept the word no, when in your gut you feel yes can be an option.

3 comments:

the walking man said...

Odd how you find the information you need when you need it isn't it? I call this "those hand of God moments."

Now that you both have gone through the valley he can start climbing to the peak again. I'll be praying for him Lori.

Lori said...

and I thank you for it...you and yours are always in my prayers to the man above.

meemawfish said...

I will also be praying.

Meemaw