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Post by iamkristinl16 on Oct 25, 2024 17:57:48 GMT
On Tuesday night my mom went to the ER with symptoms of extreme dizziness, nausea, throwing up, couldn't stand or sit up, just wanted to sleep and was crawling on the floor. Stepdad said he saw her eyes change and roll back before she basically tipped over. They got to the ER around 10:00pm. The doctor or NP that they saw said that it was vertigo and she probably had crystals in her ear. Was going to discharge her but my stepdad said that he wasn't comfortable with that since she couldn't even sit up. They kept her overnight in the extended stay ER. The next morning a new doctor came in and immediately said that she suspected a stroke, which is what it was. But, she stayed in the ER all night long with no treatment for the stroke which is disappointing. My stepdad is questioning if he should let the hospital know about this in some way or not. I feel like it could at least be a learning experience for the first provider. A lot of my mom's symptoms do sound like general vertigo but there are some other aspects of it that are different than what I have experienced with vertigo that seem like they should have been red flags to the provider. What are your thoughts?
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Post by crazy4scraps on Oct 25, 2024 18:38:25 GMT
I would. First because I’d be mad as hell and second because it should be a learning experience so it doesn’t happen again. I’m so sorry your mom and stepdad had to go through that.
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Oct 25, 2024 18:56:16 GMT
Thanks. She is at a different hospital now and seems to be getting good care.
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Post by peanutterbutter on Oct 25, 2024 19:34:53 GMT
I would definitely say something Reading her symptoms my first thought was stroke and I'm not a doctor. They definitely need to know and be aware
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Post by Zee on Oct 25, 2024 19:42:48 GMT
ABSOLUTELY you should speak up. Get ahold of the patient advocate and tell them you want this escalated to the highest level.
Now if she had appropriate screening and testing that was negative up to that point, then that's as high as it will go, but if care was delayed due to failure to order testing or follow procedure then that is a major concern.
With a stroke, timely care is of the essence. It can't always be detected early and I don't know if they followed protocol in your mom's situation but I sure would want those answers.
When my DH had a suspected stroke back in 2019 they followed the entire stroke protocol and in the end, found nothing, and I suspect it was a spasm of the vessel. Nothing for them to find. But they ruled everything out appropriately and that's the level of care I would expect.
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jayfab
Drama Llama
procastinating
Posts: 5,615 
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Post by jayfab on Oct 25, 2024 19:44:19 GMT
Hell yes!
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Oct 25, 2024 19:49:48 GMT
YES!!! Follow up!
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CeeScraps
Pearl Clutcher
~~occupied entertaining my brain~~
Posts: 3,927
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Post by CeeScraps on Oct 25, 2024 20:03:39 GMT
YES! Now, I'm not one to run to a lawyer, but in this case I'd consider it.
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Post by mom on Oct 25, 2024 21:35:01 GMT
YES! Now, I'm not one to run to a lawyer, but in this case I'd consider it. IMHO we don’t have enough info for that to be determined yet. It’s quite possible she was properly screened for a stroke and she didn’t meet the diagnosis. The first step is reporting it to the patient advocate and then seeing what tests/diagnostics were done or not done. |
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Post by AussieMeg on Oct 25, 2024 21:58:47 GMT
Absolutely I would say something! You need to make a formal complaint. It is so important to get treatment as quickly as possible for stroke victims, even if it is a "minor" stroke, to reduce the risk of permanent brain damage. I really hope that the lack of treatment hasn't caused any lasting problems for your mum.
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Post by Darcy Collins on Oct 25, 2024 21:59:39 GMT
I'm so sorry for all your mother has gone through. I would absolutelly report it - I hope that she recovers fully.
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Oct 25, 2024 22:07:17 GMT
My stepdad said that they did some tests to see if she had a heart attack but the first provider never said anything about a stroke (that is what my stepdad thought it was but I don’t know if he specified that to the provider) but the provider just said it seemed like vertigo and she probably had crystal’s in her ears. No scans or annoying else stroke related until the different provider came in and ordered them right away.
Right now she is doing ok for the most part, but the area where the stroke was is in the cerebellum and apparently that causes problems with balance. She can use all of her limbs and her cognition is normal but she is very dizzy and nauseous. They said that is due to the damage that is already done and that it should improve but they don’t know how long it will take.
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Post by getting started on Oct 25, 2024 23:46:17 GMT
Absolutely yes. There should be a patient rep or advocate role in the hospital and they should help you represent the error and the DELAY in treatment!
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Post by peasapie on Oct 26, 2024 0:20:13 GMT
That’s disappointing. Someone I know just had a stroke, and I understand the clot buster meds they gave her are very effective but only if you take them within the first four hours after the event. I wonder if your mom would have had less damage had they diagnosed her with stroke. I think you want to document what happened and report it.
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Post by littlemama on Oct 26, 2024 2:31:44 GMT
You...dont know if you should mention to the hospital that your mother may not have received appropriate care potentially resulting in a worsening in her condition??
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sweetpeasmom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,704
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Post by sweetpeasmom on Oct 26, 2024 20:09:28 GMT
First, I am sorry about your mom and do hope she is going to be ok.
As for saying something, absolutely! It's not going to change anything but someone needs to be held accountable for a very erroneous call.
My mom had her stroke simultaneously while being septic from a wound just above her butt crack. Because she was septic and had to have emergency surgery to fix that, they weren't able to give her the medication to mitigate her stroke and therefore we'll never know if her outcome would have been less severe.
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Post by flanz on Oct 26, 2024 20:13:10 GMT
ABSOLUTELY you should speak up. Get ahold of the patient advocate and tell them you want this escalated to the highest level. Now if she had appropriate screening and testing that was negative up to that point, then that's as high as it will go, but if care was delayed due to failure to order testing or follow procedure then that is a major concern. With a stroke, timely care is of the essence. It can't always be detected early and I don't know if they followed protocol in your mom's situation but I sure would want those answers. When my DH had a suspected stroke back in 2019 they followed the entire stroke protocol and in the end, found nothing, and I suspect it was a spasm of the vessel. Nothing for them to find. But they ruled everything out appropriately and that's the level of care I would expect. Yes!!! |
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Nov 14, 2024 2:47:23 GMT
Update--my mom is home (she was denied for intensive rehab) and improving. She and my stepdad are planning to talk to someone at the first hospital about not being treated for the stroke initially. However, when they were recently looking at her chart online they noticed that the note from the initial provider is no longer in her chart! The first note from the ER starts with the second doctor who saw her in the morning. It does say, "took over from Dr. X" but there is no note from Dr. X anymore. So now they are more inclined to talk to a lawyer.
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Nov 14, 2024 5:53:49 GMT
Yes. Because the next person may not have someone with them and then could be sent out alone into the night...
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