My ER Vist

[denb45]

  On Friday morning I woke up after a very restless sleep, all night long I had the annoying sore-throat, and couldn't breath very well due to this, so, at 7AM I woke up with a very very sore-throat, I couldn't even swallow or speak very well, got thur my morning ritual somehow, and about 9AM I decided to go to my HIV-AIDS-Clinic..I know something wasn't right   got there, and the place was closed for meetings until the 26th on Monday, so I couldn't wait that long, so, I went to an out-patient-clinic at the UNH-Hospital, Where was seen by a nurse and a PA, they didn't know how to treat what-ever was wrong with me, so they took my vitals along with a throat-culture, and told me to go the the ER, my Temp was now 103 , and I didn't feel very good at all, it was 12 noon by then...........

So I arrived at the ER, along with my paper-work form one of the hospitals clinics, checked-in to Triage
where the Nurse took one look into my mouth, and said YUCK! then I was seated to where they took vitals AGAIN, and this time my Temp was about 103-104, so I go out and sit in the ER-lobby-waiting room, with about 100 or so other SICK-people, and crying babies, and a few DRUNKS, 3 hrs pass, by then it was 3:45PM so, they call my name, and take my vitals AGAIN, and tell me to sit down AGAIN
4:15pm they call me back to take about 8 Vail's of Blood MARKED ASAP!..........I'm still sick and feel like CRAP, couldn't keep anything down, and talking was outta-the question........

SO, now it's 6PM, so the nurse calls me AGAIN, and puts me in a room where I see a Doctor, another 45mins pass, by now I feel like I'm dying   doc comes in it's now 6:74PM, sits down and talks to me
after looking into my mouth, and says you have Adult Strep Throat, and tells me what he wanted to do
to treat me, and then he left so, the Nurse came back at about 7:30PM with a shot of coradzone, and a 5-day bottle of PENICILLIN, cuts me loose, and sends me home, it's now 8:15PM when I get home, my almost 12 hour ordeal is over   fast-forward to this morning, I feel 50% better and can now eat, swallow and speak.... lovely health care system we all have huh  all of this could have been avoided if my HIV-AIDS-Clinic would have been open yesterday  

[Jeff G]

I'm sorry you are sick and happy you are 50% better .

Yeah ... the emergency room is the place of last resort . I am lucky to have a GP who will come in on the weekend so his patients can avoid that scenario

[aztecan]

Hey Dennis,

Having had strep throat as an adult, I can tell you it is not fun.

I used to get it every January, like clockwork. I didn't this year. (knock on wood).

I hope you are back in the pink soon.

HUGS,

Mark

[denb45]

Hey Dennis,

Having had strep throat as an adult, I can tell you it is not fun.

I used to get it every January, like clockwork. I didn't this year. (knock on wood).

I hope you are back in the pink soon.

HUGS,

Mark

Mark , I've NEVER had it before, not even as a child that I recall, so, I didn't know what the hell it was, it was kinda scary with the 103 to 104 Temp 

[denb45]

I'm sorry you are sick and happy you are 50% better .

Yeah ... the emergency room is the place of last resort . I am lucky to have a GP who will come in on the weekend so his patients can avoid that scenario

Yeah, JR, THIS could have been avoided, but that PA at the Family Clinic was the only person there, and she really didn't know what to do, are how to treat this after I told her I was an HIV-AIDS-patient, she really didn't want anything to do with me, after I told her this , her jaw-dropped to the ground, and she backed-up her chair AWAY form me 

[Miss Philicia]

I used to get strep as a kid, and even once in my 20's but I don't think I've had it since then.  Definitely not fun, but anti-biotics should clear it up easily. 

[bear60]

Hi Dennis...the story had a happy ending...so thats good.
Talk about Emergency Rooms.......at a hospital here a Hispanic man went in with chest pains...was told to take a seat....and died in the waiting room....and even had his watch stolen...all captured on surveilance camera.  I know one family thats going to have a new home.

Be well
Joel

[denb45]

Hi Dennis...the story had a happy ending...so thats good.
Talk about Emergency Rooms.......at a hospital here a Hispanic man went in with chest pains...was told to take a seat....and died in the waiting room....and even had his watch stolen...all captured on surveilance camera.  I know one family thats going to have a new home.

Be well
Joel

Yeah, I Bet they will ,where the hell is Hospital Security, when you need them, and another thing, don't EVER go to sleep in an ER-waiting room, you might find your pockets picked-clean when you wake up  our health care system is lovely isn't it  

[leatherman]

sorry to hear about the ordeal, but very glad to hear your're doing better

half of my er visits were at least 12 hrs and the other half they admitted me!
I like the visits, when they eventually send you back home, much better.

I had strep like evey 3 months as a kid until I had my tonsils taken out at 14. Barely even a sore throat since then. 

[denb45]

sorry to hear about the ordeal, but very glad to hear your're doing better

half of my er visits were at least 12 hrs and the other half they admitted me!
I like the visits, when they eventually send you back home, much better.

I had strep like evey 3 months as a kid until I had my tonsils taken out at 14. Barely even a sore throat since then.  

My tonsils were taken out at 5 or 6 yrs old.......Throat is still a little scratchy, but no more fever, w/ these 500-Mg-tabs of Penicillin taken every 6 hrs. for the next 5 days, I should feel better and better with each day passing, it says on the bottle to take all of them until they are gone  

[OneTampa]

Den,

Glad to hear that you are doing better.

[jm1953]

Den,

Glad you are feeling a bit better.  I have had strep several times as a kid and a teenager.  I know it is going around up here in Washington State.  It is horrible.  So I commiserate with you. 

As far as ER's are concerned, I always have the same experience as you when I go in one.  What get's me. an immune compromised patient with a temp of 103-104 degrees should be towards the top of the list to be seen by the triage nurse.  Incredible.

Sorry you had to go through that.  I just hope you are getting better.

Take care of yourself,

By the way, since the HIV clinic wasn't open, maybe there is an urgent care piece of the hospital you went to .. Some time you can be seen much quicker there.

Jeff

[denb45]

Den,

Glad you are feeling a bit better.  I have had strep several times as a kid and a teenager.  I know it is going around up here in Washington State.  It is horrible.  So I commiserate with you. 

Yeah, my immune system has taken a lot of hits due to this, and right now this Monday- AM I feel like I've been beat-up, and have a horrible-Cold with flu-like symptoms, the good news is, I don't have a fever, just feel like crap right now  however...... I'm sure I'll re-bound very soon 

[leatherman]

just feel like crap right now 

well, look at the bright side. feeling like crap at home is still better than being trapped in a hospital. 

I'm sure I'll re-bound very soon

keep hanging onto that good attitude and I'm sure you will re-bound soon too!
Hang in there buddy (rest, fluids, etc) and keep getting better!

[AndyArrow]

I'm glad to hear you are on the mend.

ER visits were always a nightmare.  Fortunately, for me my nearest hospital just opened up a new ER with private rooms.  (I personally think all of my hospital stays helped fund it)