New Developments, New Problems

Things are going good with trying to get into this competitive nursing program.

My Anatomy grades are remaining high. The last test I scored a 98%. I still have a high A in this class, and I’m really working hard on memorizing many different parts, functions, and systems. We are in muscles now, and I’ve decided that if anyone ever asks me what a striation is they’re getting punched square in the face.

Yesterday was the last day to submit your application for the nursing program that begins in the Fall. Just for a refresher, I applying to one slot out of only sixteen available based on my ACT score, which was a very respectable 29. I’m getting nervous as I should be getting a letter stating whether I’m accepted, declined, or an alternate for the Fall 2008 semester. I have a good feeling, but you just never know.

I’m also facing another obstacle. My mother has been having uncontrolled seizures and I had to take her to the hospital and I missed some of my anatomy class, which is difficult since I can’t really afford to miss any class time in the accelerated class. She is doing better, however, I am not very pleased.

My mother went into the local emergency room, driven by a friend. She was disoriented, dehyrated, and severely malnourished. She was discharged and I was called by a case manager at the hospital who basically told me I needed to take her to another hospital. She has been familiar with my parents over the last few months and she is highly irritated they can’t pay their hospital bills. Anyhow, despite the rude conversation she had with me, I took my mom to a bigger, better hospital, and they have taken much better care of her and she is recooperating nicely. It was never explicitly stated, although it was highly insinuated, that my mother was discharged because she did not have insurance, which in case you did not know, is highly illegal.

I am considering a lawsuit for several reasons. First and foremost is the utter disregard for a patient’s health. When my mother was discharged, these are a few of her symptoms:

1. Malnutrition (She had not eaten anything in the previous eight days according to bloodwork)
2. Extreme dehydration (She was so dehydrated it took two IV bags of fluid and me pushing two cans of soda, plus a folley to get any urine out of her.)
3. Extremely disoriented (She did not know who I was, who my wife was, where she was, what she was doing, etc.)
4. Speech Impediments (She was slurring her words and had bouts of speaking gibberish words and making no sense)
5. Loss of Motor Skills (She could not walk and her arms shook whenever she attempted to move them)

Come on now. That’s just wrong. According to bloodwork, she hadn’t drinken anything in 4 days either. If they discharged her and she continued not drinking, she’d have died right now. How many other people have they treated like this, and shouldn’t someone do something? I mean when I explained the situation to a case manager at the other hospital, they may be writing the whole thing off pro bono. I’ll keep this site updated about this, what myself, and many others I know, consider gross negligence.