day 692

Well, it was bound to happen.

The pain got to an 8-9 and stayed there. I took Maxalt. I took E.S. acetaminophen. I laid down. I tried to sleep. Nothing...nothing....nothing...

So I woke hubby up and we headed to an ER much further from our home but one that I was fairly confident would treat me like a person and hopefully give me what I needed to break the cycle.

They were kinda slow, but that's because they were busy. They're starting up with another new computer system, this one for charting, and it takes time. Add to this my massive list of meds and allergies and diagnoses and it just takes time.

They were gonna hook me up to the heart monitor - everybody gets that - until I reminded the tech I'm allergic to adhesive. He hadn't looked at my bracelet, obviously.

Blood pressure was like 144/90. Pulse was a little high.

They put me in a back room, quiet and far from the desk. They didn't holler in the room, and the doctor was even quiet and very kind. He asked me what was up, and what we had found to be effective when this had happened in the past. I told him, and he said, "Okay. We'll get it for you."

I was almost shocked. No arguing, no counseling, no negativity at all.

The nurse, amazingly enough, asked me if I was allergic to either Dilaudid or Phenergan after looking at my sensitivity/allergy list to make sure I wasn't sensitive to either one before she gave the meds.

So into my butt went 2 shots...2mg Dilaudid, and 50mg Phenergan. They aren't compatible so it has to be 2 shots. By then I didn't care. I just wanted to stop hurting.

10 minutes later I still hurt, but I didn't care so much.

It was another 10 minutes or so and they sent us home.

No hassles, no grief, no implying that I was drug-seeking or that the problem was all in my head...just the shot, and the paperwork, and discharge instructions, and I was on my way.

I am writing a letter to the hospital and a thank you card to the nurse. I was treated with dignity and respect and kindness and I needed that today. It has started to restore my faith in the system.

Now I'm going to bed.