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Expect the Unexpected

Of course there were issues in the colonoscopy/upper GI scope. A list will suffice:

Good News:

The ulcer that my mother had (suspected to have been induced by Gout medication) when she had the Upper GI last month has now healed.

Bad News:

The material my mother took to clean her intestines was not fully successful. She vomited once while taking the material and must have lost most of it. The doctor came out of the proceedure room (4pm.... I was there for 6 hours before this happened), he told me the results of the upper GI and then said they would need to redo the colonoscopy again because of residual fecal matter. And of course again, there is no set time for the proceedure.... so again I will end up being there all day. It is exhausting and uncomfortable.

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Questions that Frustrate and Suspected Answers:

The time I am spending in the hopsital gives me ample time to ask a huge number of questions. Here they are and my suspected answers.....

1. Why are the very minimal pieces of furniture for family always so damn uncomfortable?

The chairs are virtually indestructable... but they wreck havoc with the human body. I suspect these types of chairs are used to try to drive away the meddling eyes of family (even though research shows family present helps patients to heal better and faster). The medical staff prefers to limit multiple eyes from seeing what they are doing.

2. Why are the rooms so damn cramped?

Most rooms in the hospital my mother is in (and in many places nationwide) were originally designed for ONE bed. But in order to heighten the profit margin, two beds are stuffed it. Not only is profit increased, but the discomfort of the family members being in such close proximity with another family inevitably drives many visitors away.

3. Why cannot the results from the colonoscopy (from 3 months ago) be used and the upper GI (from 1 month ago) be used to give the green light for the gall bladder surgery (especially after BOTH ultrasound tests showed severe numbers of gall stones and also inflamation)?

Simple.... profit. The DRG fights against my mother staying in a hospital bed to reest and recover, but the medical staff will be sure as hell to get every chance to bill for a test they can even if it is not needed. I am not saying it is bad for my mother to have another colonoscopy and upper GI check.... that is nice... but it sure as hell DOES NOT need to be "for the gall bladder surgery". She needs to have the surgery for the gall bladder, and she needs it right away because of pain. She also needs it done quickly because it can throw her heart out of rhythm due to the stress of the pain.

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I hope and pray that my mother has good results (both proceedure wise and health wise) tommorrow. If all is good, she could now have the gall bladder surgery on Monday. This is the first day of the semester.


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Sometimes I think I have people who hang around me because I DO SOMETHING FOR THEM. In a lot of ways this is what happens with my mother now, happens with my wife lately, happens with my kids, happens with my students. Everyone wants something, and then when they get it, they go about their business.

When and if does anyone be with me to just be with me? Not too damn many people lately. It makes me feel sad. I feel like a slave, a robot.

PipeTobacco