The Wonder Of It All...
Let me start by saying I do not believe in coincidence. We left UT Hospital and I was in major pain. This Nurse that was in the recovery room observed nothing nor heard any of our concerns. They were just interested in an assembly line, keep them moving. Yet in light of this, I still called UT Hospital my cancer doctors. Oh my, how the mighty has fallen.
Denise came into my room looking to see if I was awake yet and when I spoke up she was shocked, I had not slept any. She had to help me get up and I told her I needed to go back to UT, something just wasn't right and I could not breathe. We took my temperature the first time was 99.3, but a later reading was 100.3. A call came back from the dept that done the surgery finally and they said to go to their ER.
We loaded up in Denise's Jeep and almost as soon as we were aboard the pain went from a 7 to a 10, I was smothering. I told her I would not be able to make the trip. She asked if she should call 911, but upon thinking that they would have me lay down thus cutting off the air. She asked what I wanted to to do, where did I want to go and Morristown Hamble Hospital was the closest one. For years, well actually to be exact, since 01-31-2005 I had told people better care could not be found than their Cardiac unit and a better heart doctor could not be found other than Dr. Rama. Then I would add, nothing else would I go there for.
When we arrived there it was like day and night, I have been to UT's ER before and they make sure the paperwork and money are lined up before they could see you. When Denise explained what was wrong they got me right back and told Denise she could finish the paperwork back in the room. Oh wait, did the Patient actually come first? I told the ER Doctor what I suspected happened and he actually listened and started addressing that issue. My pain level was at 10, and I could not get a deep breath and without a deep breath, I could not get the infection in my right lung. He started me on antibiotics and working to bring down the pain level. Once the pain level went down and I could breathe and drink some water I was able to cough up a lot of blood. This freed up my ability to clear the right lung and set a path to recovery. What was taken from this is how the Doctor and Nurses listened.
Later on, a lady came through that was called, if memory serves me well, a Hospitalist. They had been calling UT to see about my transportation as we initially stated was our desires. By that time though we had met with Doctors and Nurses and was considering changing. We had tried to get to UT but were unable to get there and now I wasn't sure who was the best and who had our best interest in mind. So I asked if we could just stay. They found an open room and to the room we went.
Once in the room, we were given a menu, I was hungry again. We had Nurses in and out all day and night. In walks Dr. Rama, Denise's boss, and my Cardiac Doctor. He wanted to check when he saw the run of V-Tach I had run. They hooked me up to a monitor and watched the whole time I was there, apparently having only the one. He asked if we had seen Dr. Anderson that Dr. Rathfoot had set up with or Dr. Flanders Onocologist. We said no and Dr. Rama set the meeting up. Before we went to bed that night both Doctors had paid us a visit.
Dr. Flanders came in first and talked and he made sure that even I with my limited knowledge of cancer and the way he would treat it. Then came Dr.Antherson who also took his time and made sure we understood everything. Me and Denise talked that night and decided it was in my best interest to switch care groups. They had not only moved with intent, but they also seemed to actually care. I had come into this Hospital thinking this would be my last day and two days later I am sitting up in bed and mobile. It was nothing short of a miracle.
A lot of things had to take place for me to end up there, and a lot of things did. Morristown Hamblen was a Hospital I had never thought more than a heart attack hospital, the rest were horror stories that pass around. I'm sure some are justified, it is a big place and treats many people. Now from what I experienced, I hold Morristown Hamblen Hospital equal to Vanderbilt, and that is saying a lot. I will never view this hospital again as a last resort but as a life-saving oasis full of people that actually care.
Denise came into my room looking to see if I was awake yet and when I spoke up she was shocked, I had not slept any. She had to help me get up and I told her I needed to go back to UT, something just wasn't right and I could not breathe. We took my temperature the first time was 99.3, but a later reading was 100.3. A call came back from the dept that done the surgery finally and they said to go to their ER.
We loaded up in Denise's Jeep and almost as soon as we were aboard the pain went from a 7 to a 10, I was smothering. I told her I would not be able to make the trip. She asked if she should call 911, but upon thinking that they would have me lay down thus cutting off the air. She asked what I wanted to to do, where did I want to go and Morristown Hamble Hospital was the closest one. For years, well actually to be exact, since 01-31-2005 I had told people better care could not be found than their Cardiac unit and a better heart doctor could not be found other than Dr. Rama. Then I would add, nothing else would I go there for.
When we arrived there it was like day and night, I have been to UT's ER before and they make sure the paperwork and money are lined up before they could see you. When Denise explained what was wrong they got me right back and told Denise she could finish the paperwork back in the room. Oh wait, did the Patient actually come first? I told the ER Doctor what I suspected happened and he actually listened and started addressing that issue. My pain level was at 10, and I could not get a deep breath and without a deep breath, I could not get the infection in my right lung. He started me on antibiotics and working to bring down the pain level. Once the pain level went down and I could breathe and drink some water I was able to cough up a lot of blood. This freed up my ability to clear the right lung and set a path to recovery. What was taken from this is how the Doctor and Nurses listened.
Later on, a lady came through that was called, if memory serves me well, a Hospitalist. They had been calling UT to see about my transportation as we initially stated was our desires. By that time though we had met with Doctors and Nurses and was considering changing. We had tried to get to UT but were unable to get there and now I wasn't sure who was the best and who had our best interest in mind. So I asked if we could just stay. They found an open room and to the room we went.
Once in the room, we were given a menu, I was hungry again. We had Nurses in and out all day and night. In walks Dr. Rama, Denise's boss, and my Cardiac Doctor. He wanted to check when he saw the run of V-Tach I had run. They hooked me up to a monitor and watched the whole time I was there, apparently having only the one. He asked if we had seen Dr. Anderson that Dr. Rathfoot had set up with or Dr. Flanders Onocologist. We said no and Dr. Rama set the meeting up. Before we went to bed that night both Doctors had paid us a visit.
Dr. Flanders came in first and talked and he made sure that even I with my limited knowledge of cancer and the way he would treat it. Then came Dr.Antherson who also took his time and made sure we understood everything. Me and Denise talked that night and decided it was in my best interest to switch care groups. They had not only moved with intent, but they also seemed to actually care. I had come into this Hospital thinking this would be my last day and two days later I am sitting up in bed and mobile. It was nothing short of a miracle.
A lot of things had to take place for me to end up there, and a lot of things did. Morristown Hamblen was a Hospital I had never thought more than a heart attack hospital, the rest were horror stories that pass around. I'm sure some are justified, it is a big place and treats many people. Now from what I experienced, I hold Morristown Hamblen Hospital equal to Vanderbilt, and that is saying a lot. I will never view this hospital again as a last resort but as a life-saving oasis full of people that actually care.
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