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        New Message Board Archives >> Jul-Sep 2003 >> Stand up for our rights! It works!
        
(Message started by: Dave_Emond on Sep 26^th, 2003, 11:33pm)

Title: Stand up for our rights! It works!
Post by Dave_Emond on Sep 26^th, 2003, 11:33pm

Hi Gang,
A while back I posted about an ordeal I had at an ER with a particular doctor. I came close to letting it go, but saw the message from Barb and thought about past posts of similiar experiences and decided to do something.
I wrote the CEO of the hospital a diplomatic letter and entered my greivence, resolutions I expected and what alternative routes I'd pursue should they not comply.
The CEO put the XO to work on it immediately. I got a call from him this afternoon. He agreed to meet my 3 requests:
1. Personal discipline to the doctor involved.
2. A record of the complaint be placed on his permanant file.
3. A personal letter to myself of apology for his actions.

I was gauranteed all these would be met, and would check with me to see that I am satisfied. They even said they would fire this doctor should he choose not to comply.
This is not my personal victory, I believe it belongs to all of us. If we let things like this go, we are letting down those who in the future might otherwise be spared such treatments at ER's.
We can make a difference, let's stand up to them and let them know ... ya don't mess around with Clusterheads!

Title: Re: Stand up for our rights! It works!
Post by CC on Sep 26^th, 2003, 11:46pm

Nice work!

;D

Title: Re: Stand up for our rights! It works!
Post by taraann on Sep 27^th, 2003, 12:16am

Give yourself a pat on the back!

Title: Re: Stand up for our rights! It works!
Post by Dave_Emond on Sep 27^th, 2003, 12:39am

Thanks, but this isn't really about me.
This is OUR victory ... I just am passing it on in hopes that others who have been through similiar situations know they do have recourse and for those who, sad to say, will be treated as badly, will know they can fight back.
(No need for a pat on the back, don't think I'm not thrilled with the image of this "doctor" having to sit down and write this letter. His ego will make him as mad and as humiliated as I felt.) ;)

Dave

Title: Sweeeeeeeet
Post by rumplestiltskin on Sep 27^th, 2003, 7:08am

Waging Peace is sometimes about saying "No...this ain't right"

It matters.

Water dripping cuts stone
den

Title: Re: Stand up for our rights! It works!
Post by BarbaraD on Sep 27^th, 2003, 7:45am

This is "One small step for man - One Giant step for Clusterheads!" Way to go --- Dave.

Big Hugs BD

Title: Re: Stand up for our rights! It works!
Post by Prense on Sep 27^th, 2003, 8:19am

Dave, thanks for sharing that...it gives hope to some of us who feel defenseless in an ER or a hospital. These guys answer to someone!

Thanks again!
Chris

Title: Re: Stand up for our rights! It works!
Post by stevegeebe on Sep 27^th, 2003, 8:30am

Someone's has to clear the brush to build the road for the rest who follow.

Good work Dave.

Steve G

Title: Re: Stand up for our rights! It works!
Post by JDH on Sep 27^th, 2003, 9:20am

Let's hope your actions will help the next person that goes into that er with a ch.
Hopefully they will learn from this.

Jim

Title: Re: Stand up for our rights! It works!
Post by 5-string on Sep 27^th, 2003, 10:16am

Rah,rah Dave,
no one should ever have to endure that kind of mistreatment.
I know people get burned out with there jobs and are hard to deal with at work when that happens, but reading your post made me think ......."Man, them's fightin' words"....
I'm glad his employer understands your side of it.
Thanks for updating us.
...Mark.

Title: Re: Stand up for our rights! It works!
Post by Sean_C on Sep 27^th, 2003, 10:29am

Hi Dave,

I'm happy for the victory, I guess this is a follow up string?
Just to get up to speed here, what is it that the Doc' didn't do and/or what did you want him to do?, and what were you looking for specifically, other than obvious relief?
Was it an insurance issue?
Med issue?
What gives here?

Sean

Title: Re: Stand up for our rights! It works!
Post by Dave_Emond on Sep 27^th, 2003, 11:58am

This all started back at he begining of the month. I'll try to keep the details basic.
I had started feeling sharp nerve pains in my left shoulder after a sudden CH attack that threw me out of my chair. Didn't think much of it that night. Each night the pains spread farther through my body, and I could feel them as much as the barrage of CH attacks I go through every single night. I have never felt pain or anything for that matter during high level CH attacks before in my life. And I've tried pain deversions to extremes in the past. So this was not only scary, but so painful, I was suicidal. We went to the ER during the day and saw a "doctor." He just did some routine exams, told me to take benadryl and try to sleep through these attacks. He offered Vicodine and other meds, but we had a list of these meds I had allergic reactions too or bad side effects like seizures and convulsions.
Since the nearest ER was 30 miles from our home we spent the night near the ER, we knew each night was getting worse. Sure enough, it hit again, this time so bad my whole left side became paralized and I could not walk or function on my own. Annette got me to the ER around 3 AM. The same doctor I had seen earlier was on call. He came in yelling at my wife and myself about taking more than 50 mg of Benadryl, we just followed the instructions on the box, this med had nothing to do with the state I was in. He was obviously upset from either being woke up or missing a movie, who knows? But he was angry for some reason. He started offering the same meds we had hours earlier told him I could not take. He kept offering narcotics (Annette insists he thought I was a junkie looking for a fix, I was still pretty confused and in unbearable pain.) But I could hear, just had trouble responding. He yelled at Annette and asked her just what the hell did we want him to do? She started crying and said we don't know, that's why we're here! All the sudden, he grabs my arm and starts yanking on it and twisting it behind my back. Then grabs my leg and flips me over on my stomach, pulling , twisting and yanking me in a very aggressive manner. I have no doubt he was purposely trying to cause pain. I tried to defend myself, but was far to weak. I was like a rag doll he could just toss around until he could maybe get a confession I was looking for drugs? Annette freaked at watching this and went after him, to which he backed off. He threw me back over, tossed my legs back on the bed as I would have fallen. He then just told us to go home and see a doctor when we could.
I left in a wheelchair, and being the holiday weekend, we couldn't see a doctor for a few days. The whole story is much more detailed, his actions from begining to end were inexcusable, even the nurse kept whispering into my ear out of his range her sorrow at this treatment.
We still don't know what is wrong with me now. My entire body has fallen to these new symptoms. I cannot walk unassisted anymore. I've been to doctors almost everyday, as I'm deteriorating quickly. I've been on 120 mg of Prednisone for over 3 weeks, too dangerous ... and am now on the taper off schedule. I've had numerous blood tests, an MRI and a Spinal Tap. Oh, the fun! My doctor is a good doctor. He knows his limits and is stumped until all tests results are returned. But he has put me on "urgent" attention, and contacted all the local doctors for consultation and advice. They seem to be leaning toward West Nile Virus or even MS at this point, but can't say anything for sure just yet.
These days, my pulse has been extremely high and ... Annette has her fingers checking me now :) She says 96, better than last nite I guess. We're just in a waiting stage at this time, all my appointments with Neuro's have been moved up.
I'd like to thank those who offered me ideas on how to go about recourse with this ER doctor. It did work. Had I not read Barb's ordeal at an ER I might have just let it go, which would have been wrong.
I've heard many others having been treated as if they were junkies while at ER's under CH attacks, and other horrible treatments, not only physically but mentally as well. We need to stand up for ourselves, I'm glad I listened to our friends in here and followed through. Maybe one less person will be treated this way.
Dave

Title: Re: Stand up for our rights! It works!
Post by BarbaraD on Sep 27^th, 2003, 1:18pm

You just gave me an idea for an item for the Store. An OUCH BIG STICK!!! Someone want to design one? It could be in the shape of a baseball bat with OUCH carved into it and we could carry it when we go to the ER or to a NEW DOC!!!!! It might get some attention and stop some of the BS we have to go through!!!!!

Hey, I'm SERIOUS!!!

Hugs BD

Title: Re: Stand up for our rights! It works!
Post by Charlie on Sep 27^th, 2003, 10:39pm

Let's get Jonny to make a big OUCH stick. :D

I bet whatever he came up with would scare the shit out of anyone :o

Nice going Dave. Keep us posted. We're here for ya.

Charlie

Title: Re: Stand up for our rights! It works!
Post by jonny on Sep 27^th, 2003, 11:00pm

on 09/27/03 at 22:39:36, Charlie wrote:

Let's get Jonny to make a big OUCH stick. :D

Ah yes, a nice 40 sched (thickness) aluminum three footer would do nicely, will even grind in a pistol grip for finger postion....got to love aluminum.....light but has the hardness of steel when it comes in contact with a human head. just the speed you can swing it makes more leathl than steel ;D

I love my job :D

Im gonna call it "The Charlie stick".......Ever hear of Charlie horse?....now we have Charlie stick, "Get off the floor Doc or ill nail you with the Charlie stick again"......LMMFAO ;D

.....................................jonny