Gallbladder Surgery

[Gurgi]

I have complained to my family about this enough that I dont have anyone else to complained to.

Wendsday night I had my Gallbladder removed. I have had pain with it for nearly ten years. I first went to the hospital in 1998 with a huge attack. I was vomitting all over the kitchen table and my chest was so tight I couldnt breath. The pain was a 12 on a scale of 10. I was so scared I was dieing I actually called 911 for an ambulance.

I was taken to Northwest Hospital in Randallstown (I think it is Randallstown). It turned out that I had a Gallstone stuck in my Pancreas. This caused me to have a Pancreatisis(sp) They kept me three days and had me on a antibiotic drip. I guess the stone dislodged and the Pancreas cleared up enough that they kicked me out with out removing the Gallbladder. I had no insurance at the time. I lived with occasional major attacks every year or so since.

Last year i figured out that because I had served in the Army Honorably I could get medical care at the VA. When I had another attack I went to their ER in Baltimore. They at first thought I was trying to get pain medicine fraudently(I guess it happens alot there). The ER doctor wouldnt give me any medicine until I began to vomit in the sink. That brought him running back down the hall!

After the sonagram he belived me and I was refered to surgery. I met with their doctors around three weeks later. They agreed it had to come out soon. I was told to go home and wait for a phone call in around three weeks with my pre op date and my op date. Three weeks later nooooo call. We called them. They said I was still cleared for surgery but just wait a few more weeks for a scheduled date. This went on several months until they told me they were only doing emergency surgeries and cancers at this time.

I was out of luck again.

Finally my Fiancee married me last month. Wow now I am a real person again and can go to Doctors.

So Wendsday when I got a mega attack of pain I went to the Hospital in Glen Burnie. They were pretty good to me and I went in to the Operating room that night. My Doctor had told me he would shoot the four laproscopic entry wounds with a nice amount of pain killer and I would wake up comfortable.

Two hours later I woke up in unbearable pain. (I have a high pain tolerance, example the living with Gallstones for ten years) I mean I was clawing at my shoulder and moaning and yelling. The nurses taped my hands down because moving and writhing with pain. It took them what seemed like a half hour to give me any pain medicine(granted I am not a good judge of time waking up from antheisa)

But what really makes me mad was I could see the Doctor walking around below my feet on the streacher and he never came over and tried to calm me down. He didnt come over and say. "Rob we are increasing your medicine. It should help soon." "Rob I am surprised by your pain, relax we are doing what we can" Nothing, Nothing at all. He just walked around cleaned his hand in the sink, looked over his shoulder at me two or three times and left.


On a scale of ten the pain didnt get below an eight until they brought me up to my room and the nurses there gave me more pain killer.

The nurses were great to me. All of them. That Doctor tho is a smug jerk. I dont understand his behavior at all.


But on the bright side. I will never have Gallbladder pain again. It has been my companion so long I dont know how I will live without it.

[EddieO's21]

I'm sorry to hear all this happened to you! The gall bladder is really a finniky thing. In a few thousand years it will become the next appendix. Really it's only major use is the storage of bile, which other organs do as well. Glad to hear you got it out and are feeling better. Nurses are really life savers aren't they?

[Leitch]

That sucks.

About 2 years ago, I broke my foot and I went to Hopkins(the ambulance took me there because I couldn't walk or drive). I have no insurance and so they sent me a bill for $1200 and turned me over to a collection agency before I was healed enough to work.

I understand why hospitals treat people with suspicion but it still totally blows.

[The Wedge]

If I had have known, I'd have told you to steer clear of Baltimore-Washington Medical Center (nee North Arundel Hospital). Getting good care there is affectionally known as a crapshoot.

[Gurgi]

Yes nurses are great.

Doctors. Seem to have a holier than thou attitude. Guess they know they wont be seeing me at the country club.

I honestly dont think my surgeon will remember my name next week.

[Witchy Chick]

gurgi -- glad to hear you're doing a lot better. I'm not glad (but not surprised, either) to hear about the crappy (doctor) treatment you got at North Arundel.


Witchy