So, I finally heard from Toni, yesterday....

[capri0mni]

Dad's blood pressure went up, during the night, and they're now giving him about a week to live.

The nurse on the floor called Toni in the morning, and yelled at her because he needed to have his teeth brushed, and she wasn't there to brush them for him, and he didn't know where he was.

And Toni told her he was probably just out of it because he was on so much morphine for the pain.

Nurse: Morphine? What, you mean he has cancer?

Toni: Yeah, didn't you read his chart at the foot of his bed?

Nurse: Well, he's in the cardiac ward...

Toni: They put him there because he had a heart attack...

And it was up to Toni to tell her about father's condition, and to call his oncologist, to tell him where he is (the ambulance took him to the nearest hospital, instead of the one where he's been receiving his cancer treatments)....

*facepalm*

So she gave them permission to move him up one floor to the hospice unit. She said she would call again, yesterday. But I haven't heard anything from her yet.

She did say it was a very nice hospital, with everything all brand new (and, apparently, so are the nurses).

Oy!

Comments

[uncacreamy.livejournal.com]

That was an idiotic nurse.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but I'm usually more forgiving of the nurses than I am of the doctors. The nurses are even more overworked, and underpaid (and the have to decipher doctors' handwriting all the time, too). And it wouldn't surprise me if this had been a nurse just coming off the night shift, and hence, over tired.

Personally, I think it's our whole healthcare system that's idiotic. I mean, shouldn't all of the info about my father's condition travel with him to the new hospital, and shouldn't his oncologist have been informed automatically?

[uncacreamy.livejournal.com]

of course it should, but it often doesn't. You would think, that since we're not at all socialized, the tracking would be a lot better. Blah

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Actually, the failure of our current privatized healthcare system to keep up with itself is one of the best arguments I can think of for a socialize, National Healthcare system..

But that's a political argument I'm too tired for, right now...

[(Anonymous)]

If you're too weary to argue about that, I certainly won't. I will register my disagreement, though, in case you want to debate it when you feel better.:)

[uncacreamy.livejournal.com]

Sorry, that anonymous comment was me.. I didn't notice I was logged out.:)

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Yeah, No worries; I figured that was it.

One thing we can agree on: Doncha hate when that happens? ;-)

[uncacreamy.livejournal.com]

I sure do.:)

[alryssa.livejournal.com]

*HUGS* Oh, hun.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

I'm feeling very Grah-ish right now... Blah. Can't sleep. headachey, and out of tylonol pm...

[clamnebula.livejournal.com]

So sorry to hear about all this, Ann.... my power has been off at the apt (long story), but I'm at a college library now, and catching up on internet things... I lost my dad a few years ago, and it's never easy... I'm just glad to hear he's being moved to the hospice unit, because those folks really are gentle and kind, and know how to comfort in these situations... just be strong, and know that he'll be out of pain soon. Take care, and be well.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Thanks.