When I last posted, I told you I’d been sick in the hospital in October and I think you were able to guess\u00a0that aside from being horrible for me as a deaf person, it was a horrible experience all around. \u00a0I was warned not to go to that hospital in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada (Toronto), but it was urgent and we needed the closest emergency room.<\/p>\n
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Our experience with the health care was so bad, we knew we needed to do something. \u00a0As soon as I was able to sit up in the car, we drove to New York City to see our doctor here. \u00a0I ended up having major surgery in New York on December 7th at\u00a0Mt. Sinai West (aka Roosevelt, Roosevelt Mt. Sinai) which is at 10th Avenue between 58th and 59th Streets. \u00a0I don’t hesitate to name this hospital because the care I got was extraordinary and I want everyone to know it. \u00a0I couldn’t have gotten better care if my grandmother was here to take care of me.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
There are far more things than I’m writing about but honestly, it’s painful for me to relive the Canadian side of this. But these are just a few of the more serious examples:<\/p>\n
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My Deafness:<\/strong><\/p>\n Richmond Hill<\/em><\/p>\n They ignored it\u00a0completely and isolated me. \u00a0They made me feel like I wasn’t worth the trouble to try to communicate with me. They tried to talk to me through the intercom no matter how many times we told them I can’t hear. They didn’t face me\u00a0and they talked to me in the dark so\u00a0I couldn’t see their lips even if they had. \u00a0I slept in my hearing aids even though it’s massively uncomfortable, and held on to my cell phone because being able to text DH (Darling Hubby) was my lifeline.<\/p>\n New York<\/em><\/p>\n They immediately put up a sign on the wall by my bed where it was impossible not to see it. \u00a0They made sure they always faced me, always made sure there was enough light for me to see them, and even wrote notes to me when I had trouble reading lips. If I rang, someone came in immediately. \u00a0I\u00a0only needed my \u00a0cell phone if I was up to personal communication. One of the staff doctors spoke to me while looking at his notes. His colleagues immediately reminded him to face me because I can’t hear.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pain<\/strong><\/p>\n Richmond Hill<\/em><\/p>\n The doctors ordered morphine every 4 hours. The nurses (with the exception of one nurse in the whole six days) refused to give it to me as scheduled and made me wait very long times. \u00a0They said I didn’t need it. \u00a0We told them the doctors ordered it. \u00a0We tried to get hold of the doctors to tell them again. \u00a0The doctor finally did tell them and they said ok, but then when it was time, they’d keep me waiting up to an hour or more before coming in to refill it. \u00a0The family of my roommate actually went to the nurses station one time because it was so long and I was suffering so much.<\/p>\n New York<\/em><\/p>\n I was given a button to press to release the pain killer. \u00a0They told me not to let my pain build. \u00a0To use it whenever I needed it. \u00a0They said it would not dispense sooner than 10 minutes, so there was no danger of overuse. \u00a0They monitored it and it never ran out. \u00a0Even after major surgery, I felt no pain.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n General Monitoring<\/strong><\/p>\n Richmond Hill<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Even when I called for the nurses, \u00a0they rarely came in. My family would have to keep going out to find one, she’d say ‘I’ll be there when I can” and they’d make me wait. \u00a0I was hooked up to intravenous and needed them to unhook it so I could use the bathroom. \u00a0Suffice it to say, they let me suffer in that respect too. Then they kept me waiting up to an hour before coming back to hook it up again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Several times a day, alarms would go off on my IV machine, which they ignored for on average of an hour. \u00a0One time the roommate’s family called them because the alarm was disturbing them. \u00a0It’s rather frightening to have your IV monitor flashing red messages demanding instant attention. \u00a0Especially when no one comes to fix it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n New York<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Again, I was hooked up to intravenous. \u00a0As soon as I called, someone came in. \u00a0They usually waited for me so they could help me back to bed and hook me back up immediately. \u00a0The few times they weren’t able to wait for me, someone came in within a minute or two of my getting back into bed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dignity and Care<\/strong><\/p>\n Richmond Hill<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n NONE. \u00a0ZERO. They treated me like an animal. \u00a0The first night I was admitted, I didn’t have a room. I slept on a gurney in the main hallway on a different floor than the ER, but in the middle of traffic. I was physically sick and had no privacy. \u00a0I had to take my IV pole and walk without help (while being sick) to a public bathroom down the hall and around a corner. I passed at least three other patients in the same boat. \u00a0I got almost no pain killer and was ignored.<\/p>\n The next morning, I was put in a ‘transition’ room – the nurse in there was ok, but I was only there a short time before being moved to a room.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I was finally taken to a room where the roommate was so sick people had to wear gowns and masks to visit her. \u00a0Her violent coughing was frightening, as was seeing everyone walk by me with masks and gowns, and there was no protection for my visitors or me. \u00a0 The bathroom was on her side of the room and I was not allowed to use it because it disturbed her and her visitors. \u00a0So I (while on morphine) had to walk to a bathroom outside the room and down the hall. \u00a0That bathroom was out of commission after a few days so I then had to walk down the hall and around the corner. \u00a0A very long walk for someone on morphine, who was still physically sick, scared, and alone.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I had to spend six days and night in the dark. \u00a0The curtain between us kept my side blocked from natural light and I wasn’t allowed to have my light on at night because it disturbed the roommate.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n They were treating me like an animal, no caring, no compassion, and the care was horrible. \u00a0They even changed my IV in the dark – seriously – stuck needles in me without having a light on. \u00a0(My friend was visiting and her eyes almost popped out of her head when she saw that.)\u00a0I told my husband to get someone because I wanted to get out of there. \u00a0Finally some woman came in who was in some position of authority. \u00a0 \u00a0We first asked to have my room changed – which she refused. \u00a0We were concerned about the contagiousness of the roommate but she insisted the closed curtain was enough protection. \u00a0Yes, it was closed, but there were gaps. How is that protection when others coming in needed masks??<\/p>\n <\/p>\n She insisted they didn’t have another room to change me to so my DH (Darling Hubby) said, “Put her in a private room and I’ll pay for it.” \u00a0 Again, she refused. \u00a0Not only did she refuse, she said private rooms were for special cases and I am not special. I then said “then check me out. I’m going home.” \u00a0“You can’t go home,” she said, acting totally shocked. \u00a0“You need to be on IV, you need medication, you can’t go home.” \u00a0We tried to tell her how badly I was being treated. \u00a0“Oh you poor dear” she said, but did nothing to try to improve the care.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Almost every minute I was in that hospital, I suffered, I was treated badly, and I was terrified. The doctors were only there a couple of times\u00a0and\u00a0we had to keep asking them what\u00a0\u00a0was happening. \u00a0They said I had Acute Pancreatitis but weren’t interested in finding out why, or following up. \u00a0When I asked if this could happen again, the\u00a0doctor shrugged and said, “It could.” \u00a0 “Well what should I do?” I asked. \u00a0I was already terrified of a reoccurrence. “Come back and we’ll admit you again,” he said and left the room.<\/p>\n By the way, no one ever came in to clean the room, not even once. \u00a0I was there six days!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I went home with NO instructions, no idea why this happened to me, no idea what I should or shouldn’t eat, still in some pain, still feeling sick, and no one to help me. \u00a0 That’s when we decided to go to New York.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n New York<\/em><\/p>\n The first thing we did was go to our doctor here who examined me and did blood tests. \u00a0He read the reports from the hospital in Toronto and agreed that I did have Acute Pancreatitis. \u00a0He, however, cares about me and through questioning, we figured out this was a second episode – I’d had the first in August, but not quite as bad. That I had a second attack so soon after and so much more severe, was very serious and the tests and consultations with specialists began. \u00a0 The result being major surgery at Mt. Sinai West.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Everyone was wonderful in the prep and start of surgery. \u00a0I slept through the rest, obviously, but was awake when they took me to my room. \u00a0I remember how very gently they transferred me to my bed. They were so careful not to hurt me. \u00a0They got me settled, gave me my buttons, put up the sign to let other staff know I’m deaf, and made me feel\u00a0cared for.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The nurses cared for me\u00a0constantly. \u00a0They checked on me, checked on my monitors, which oddly never set off alarms, made sure I was comfortable, reminded me to use the pain killer, helped me when I felt sick, made sure I had privacy when I needed it, and treated me like I mattered. \u00a0They asked if I wanted the light on or off, did I want another blanket, was I comfortable, did I have any pain, etc. etc. \u00a0Again, my own grandmother couldn’t have taken better care of me.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A funny aside – one day I was just lying there, looking out the window (I had a spectacular view) and the nurse asked me if I’d like the TV on. \u00a0I told her that I didn’t bother to order the TV and she said, “Oh no, just turn it on. It’s free. \u00a0And handed me the remote control.” \u00a0 It was FREE. \u00a0Now that’s something I’ve never seen.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n My own doctor came to see me every morning, made sure things were going well and reassure me. \u00a0The surgeon also came every morning, as did a staff team of five doctors. \u00a0Even the lady who came in to clean the room each day asked how I was feeling. \u00a0I never lacked for attention or care.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n My biggest complaint is that I had one roommate who was constantly talking loud on her cell phone. \u00a0As hard to believe as this is, she started calling people at 5:00 AM! \u00a0Who do you call at 5:00 in the morning?! \u00a0When Darling Hubby and Dearest Son came in, they couldn’t believe her nonstop cell phone chatter. \u00a0They couldn’t turn off their hearing like I can!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When it was time to go home, the nurses hugged me goodbye and wished me well. \u00a0They told me I was a wonderful patient but they hoped I wouldn’t have to come back. \u00a0The doctor gave us a folder about 3\/4″ thick with follow up instructions and information. \u00a0Before I left the hospital, both the surgeon and my doctor told me when to come in for my follow up appointments. \u00a0 And everyone reminded us that they’re here if we need them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A few days after I was home, we received a call from the Mt. Sinai West Hospital. \u00a0It was a manager asking about the quality of the care I received and if there was anything they could have done better. \u00a0 As you can imagine, we got no such call from Richmond Hill.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Bill<\/strong><\/p>\n Richmond Hill<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n There was no bill. \u00a0It was free. \u00a0 Yippee. \u00a0It would have been insulting and salt in the wounds to pay for that torture.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n New York<\/em><\/p>\n I need to be clear about this because though it wasn’t free, it’s complicated. \u00a0Because our primary residence is in Canada, we don’t have U.S. health insurance. \u00a0Though we pay for extra insurance for when we travel, they would not pay for this because they said I could have gotten treatment in Canada. \u00a0In Canada, all this would have taken a lot of time\u00a0because of the long waits, referral process, and lack of access to the doctors. \u00a0Three doctors here told me if we didn’t get this taken care of right away, I could die. We had no choice. \u00a0Though the insurance lady was sympathetic, she could not approve the care, so we are paying out of pocket.<\/p>\n The doctors, labs, and hospital here are all very sympathetic. \u00a0They have all discounted our costs because we have no insurance. \u00a0I can’t deny that it’s a large number. \u00a0But they’ve gone out of their way to work with us and lower the costs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n There are some wonderful doctors in Toronto. \u00a0I don’t want anyone to think I don’t appreciate the good doctors there. \u00a0Getting to them, however, is difficult and time is an issue. I know how I feel about this experience, but you can form your own conclusion. \u00a0In the meantime, I’m very grateful to be here today, alive, feeling well, and enjoying my precious family and dear friends.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When I last posted, I told you I’d been sick in the hospital in October and I think you were able to guess\u00a0that aside from being horrible for me as a deaf person, it was a horrible experience all around. \u00a0I was warned not to go to that hospital in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada (Toronto), […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-176","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-musings"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lostmyhearing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lostmyhearing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lostmyhearing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lostmyhearing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lostmyhearing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=176"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/lostmyhearing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":430,"href":"https:\/\/lostmyhearing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176\/revisions\/430"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lostmyhearing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=176"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lostmyhearing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=176"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lostmyhearing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=176"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}