Saturday. 4am and I can’t swallow. Well I can but it feels like I have shards of glass in my throat. What is going on? I thought I had gotten over this germ infestation. Okay, let me get some water. Warm water. Nope. Nevermind. That hurts. That hurts bad! Okay it has been 3 weeks of a horrid cough, chest pains and now this. It’s time for a visit to the ER. I can’t function like this anymore.
Take a shower. Get Kiddies settled with Hubby. I drive myself to the ER. I have no worries because I think this most likely the same strep that seems to attack me every year around this time.
ER. Registered, tagged and seated. I figure this will be a good 2-3 hours and then I can go home with my antibiotics and try to rest before Monday comes at me in full force. A girl can hope right?
Is that my name? Yup, great time to go wait a bit longer in the ‘exam‘ room. Yeah. I’m on to you guys. I know I’m not seeing anyone anytime soon. This is just the shuffling act. That’s fine. I just want to drink a bit of anything without crying. Sit here? Okay. Right with me? Yeah right. But okay. You got me.
A good 45 minutes later. Doctor Maroon Scrubs shows up.
“Hi I see you have a sore throat and a persistent cough.”
I manage a raspy ‘Yes’.
“Well, before I check you I just want to ask why are you here?”
Okay. Did I just hear him right? I have a severe sore throat (glass shards remember?) and although the cough has eased off I have chest pains with every breath.
“Yes, I know. I mean why didn’t you just go see your regular doctor? You see if we take every little thing here we would be backed up for days. You really didn’t need to come to the ER.”
*In my head* Right. Ummm, I woke up in extreme pain and it’s a Saturday. You wanted me to endure that and wait to call my doctor on Monday only to be told I can’t be seen until next week? I know this is the ER and trust me I don’t take a trip here without a reason. I understand the wait and was prepared for that.
*What I manage to say* I’m in bad pain. I couldn’t wait.
“Fine. Let’s take a look at your sore throat.”
Seriously!?!? This guy was literally balancing on the edge of my last nerve!
“Hmm…okay well it looks like your throat is severely swollen and very red and raw. I am going to have someone come to give you a steroid shot to bring the swelling down because it is beginning to interfere with your airway.”
Really Dr. Maroon Scrubs? That sounds a bit …hmmm…I dunno ER worthy don’t you think? *I didn’t say this because well I could barely talk at all anymore but I was certainly sending every word to him through my stern looks and eye movements*
Nurse Green Scrubs walks in tells me he has my steroid shot. Advises me that it may sting a bit.
Sting a bit? LIAR! That shot ran through my entire arm and left me feeling like I had just been the practice bag for an MMA fighter! Geesh!
That’s when the shaking set in. Apparently I was having a ‘mild reaction‘ to the steroids. Great! Is this really happening? Why did I drive myself again? Now I had to wait for them to monitor me. Yay! Ugh. All I want is for my arm to loose the extra 100lbs that shot added, to get some antibiotics and Go Home.
45 minutes later I am finally walking to my car. Meds in hand or well limp arm at this point and trying to figure how I am going to drive with only my left arm since I can’t seem to convince my right arm to raise any higher than my waist without pain much like that of a contraction.
I make it. Not sure how but I do. Home. Finally. Water. Pills. Sleep. Rest…for now anyway.
“Momma….!!”
…and so it begins…
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42 thoughts on “An ER Tale…”
Oh you poor thing.. I hope you are feeling better and sorry that doctor treated you that way! Thanks for sharing this week on the #SHIBEbloghop! I hope you are having a wonderful week! 🙂
Thanks Lauren!! I feel a lot better than I did then. Thanks so much for such a great party!!
Holy cow that sucks…. Friends of mine and I were just discussing bedside manner and how some universities are now insisting that medical students take a class on it!!!!!
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Yeah. He would definitely need an intense study course…LOL
Oh… I hope you get good rest and feel better soon.
Take care!
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Thanks Tanya! The rest part seems to be eluding me…but I feel a bit better 😀
some doctors need some sensitivity training!!
hope you're feeling better
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He definitely does 🙂 yes I am…thanks so much.
I am so sorry you were in such pain. But your post is really funny! I've had surly, smart-alecky doctors too. I applaud your control! Glad you are doing better.
Thanks and well…thanks 😀 I had to laugh at it or I would\’ve just stayed ticked off…! I am feeling much better thank goodness.
Ugh the ER is never fun! Hope you get feeling better soon, mom's never get sick days!
Never. I am feeling better now, no sick days are not an option…LOL 🙂
How frustrating! I hate going to the doctor as well.
It really was. I’m just glad to be home and getting better.
I hope you are feeling better now! We had to go to the ER a couple of times with our son while we were still in USA but we were always treated nicely, even though the waiting room was packed! Once we got to Croatia and wound up in ER it was like landing on a completely different planet, the doctor was rude, told me my son was a wimp (this was after he has been throwing up for 4 days and not eating anything but a piece of toast or a very mild soup) because he was barely standing, and told me I am exaggerating.
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I’m feeling much better, thank you Ana! A wimp??? Wow! That’s beyond rude! I can’t imagine – of course I didn’t imagine the rudeness I received either. Some doctors definitely need to work on the bedside manners…
I hope you are feeling better 🙂 I hate being sick and it is worse when you have little people to take care of.
Thanks Sonya! I am. The Meds are definitely doing their job even though the rest part is definitely hard with Kiddies 😉
Part of the problem is that they see some people with such weird and not ER worthy things that when real people like you come in the door they treat everyone with skepticism. I'm glad you went especially with the steroid sensitivity. Hope you feel better soon!!
I agree. They should at least examine you though before they make that assumption…lol Thanks so much I am feeling much better 🙂
You were a prime candidate for the ER – you were in severe pain – duh – stupid Dr.! He needs a refresher course in bedside manners. I mean, really, who actually wants to be sitting in the ER in the middle of the night unless it's an emergency? Hope you are feeling much better!
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Trust me I don’t go to the ER on a whim…LOL He was just a mess…R-U-D-E. Exactly! I am feeling a lot better…thanks so much Alli 🙂
I feel for you! My son caught a virus 2 years ago and his temp was skyrocketing so we went to the ER in the middle of the night. And we were treated the same way! Ugh.
I sure hope you're feeling alright!
I don’t understand why they think anyone would make an unnecessary trip to the ER… I’m feeling a lot better. Hope to be 100% soon.
Blegh!!… Because you didn't feel horrible enough! Get well soon!
Thank You!! Such a jerk. I\’m feeling better though – thanks so much.
Chiiiiiile. I am so glad you went to the ER, forget that uppity doctor! Isn't it awful that we don't get off days as moms? haha No calling in sick…but stay strong!!
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Me too. He was a mess and so lucky I could barely talk LOL nope no sick days but I\’m in the mend. Thank God for antibiotics.
Ugh, how frustrating! If only hospitals were like the ones on TV, where the doctors and nurses all care about every little thing. <3 Except Dr. House lol. Hope you're feeling better!!!
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So frustrating. Then when it was obvious I was seriously sick her didn\’t even apologize for assuming otherwise.
I think he should have waited until he looked at you. Perhaps, if it wasn't as severe he could have advised you that a regular doctor is better, but you obviously needed the ER!
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My point exactly. He was telling my how much I didn’t need the ER before even checking me. Maybe my high tolerance for pain didn’t help. I can be near fainting and still look okay. Still that’s not for him to assume.
I hate the ER and never use it if possible. A few years ago I had to have my gall bladder out and went to the ER in such PAIN. The on call doctor was so rude and short with us, and I wanted to punch him when he told me the pain I was feeling "probably wasn't that bad". I had a stone the size of a baseball, it truly was "that bad". Ugh…I completely understand wanting to smack your doctor. Some have no bedside manners at all.
I'm glad you're on the mend!!! Severe sore throats are so miserable!
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Me too which was why I knew he had no reason to say the things he did especially before he even LOOKEd at me…
Thanks so much, I really feel a lot better. At least I can drink my coffee now..LOL Happy to have you come by 🙂
I despise going to the ER. The way that every nurse, doctor, admin, etc that you talk to they make you rehash your entire list of symptoms, etc. So annoying! Hope you feel better soon!
Yes. They just make you repeat it over and over. I’m always thinking can\’t you guys share this with the next person? LOL I’m feeling much better now thanks to my antibiotics…thanks Lysha 🙂
Hope you feel better soon! Yeah, that ER doc sounded like a butthead! My hubs had a steroid shot and he said it hurt really back as well. Rest…as much as you can.
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Thank God for antibiotics because I feel so much better! He really was and if I could’ve gotten my throat and voice to cooperate I would’ve told him so…LOL
Oh no! You poor thing! I hope you are feeling better now.
I hate going to the ER, it is always awful and the people are never nice. I went once when I was in high school-had a burst ovarian cyst-they kept insisting I was lying and that I was pregnant and in labor. All the nurses and doctors were not nice and even my mom was like ok, we are out of here you people are useless. I think this day in age since so many people can't/couldn't afford insurance the ER's became so overrun that it really made the quality of care go down since people were having to go to the ER for every little thing. Hopefully with the input of these little ER's that are going in, quality of care will go back up…but we will see.
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I am. I knew all I needed were the right antibiotics and maybe a nicer ER doctor…LOL I hope so, they were so rude and it wasn’t even like I was complaining about the wait – I expected it. I’m just glad he saw that it wasn’t any little complaint…
A burst cyst? I can’t imagine! I had cysts for a while as a teen and those can be incredibly painful. I am glad your mom took over that situation! Thanks for coming by Kate:D
I work in a hospital and totally understand why he asked why you went to the ER. TONS of people refuse to use a PCP and use the ER unnecessarily. I'm glad you went though, especially since you had a reaction to eh steroid shot!! Hopefully you will feel better soon!!!
I guess he had his reasons but his approach could have definitely used some work. I’m glad I went though too, trust me I don’t take an ER trip lightly and only go when I know I need to. Yes, that steroid thing was a bit nerve racking. I’m on the mend and the meds are definitely helping.