Granny is mostly OK. Sunday the cardiac doc came to discuss her options. Her blood work indicated that she had a very small heart attack, so he wanted to do an angiogram. Depending on what he saw, he would insert balloons or stents into her arteries. Everyone agreed that because she needs oral surgery soon, he would use nonmedicated stents because the medicated ones would basically cause her to bleed out if she had dental work.
On Monday morning, the doctor told us that the test went well. He said that her heart was strong and that there was no damage from the heart attack. Then he said he saw a lot of heart disease and inserted a balloon and two medicated stents.
My mom and I recoiled. "What do you mean medicated stents?" she asked.
"Oh. Ooops. I forgot. I even wrote it on the board and I forgot. Sorry about that."
Yes, that is actually what he said. "Ooops... sorry about that."
"What about the oral surgery?" my mom asked. She was trying not to punch him. (She later told me that she was more angry about his flippant tone than the fuck up, not that she condoned the fuck up.)
"Oh, she'll have to wait at least six months, but I really recommend a year," he said as if it's no big deal to have a mouth full of rotting teeth. "Maybe you can find a dentist who would be willing to do a procedure while she's on Plavix."
I pictured some back alley dentist ripping up my Granny mouth and leaving her to bleed out when things went awry. I wanted to slap the doctor. (Husband suggested slapping the doctor - with a lawsuit.) I know it could be worse, but this really, really sucks.
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You should be allowed to slap doctors. really.
ReplyDeleteA. OMG, I am so sorry to hear this - that sucks for her.
ReplyDeleteB. This is reason number 1057 why I DO NOT go to doctors unless forced at gunpoint. Really.
That stinks. Do they remove the sincere apology muscle while doctors are in medical school, or what?
ReplyDeleteAND it's a good thing she has family there to ask, because if you didn't, probably no one would have mentioned it to granny and she could have just gone for the dental work and died. Ack.
I would ask to speak with the hospital administration. Seriously. The way he acted was unacceptable and should never be looked past. He should be reprimanded.
ReplyDeleteif more people slapped doctors, they probably wouldn't be quite such douche canoes.
ReplyDeleteI definitely like the idea of talking to hospital administration. Unless, of course, the reprimand is more like Cuddy talking to House.
ReplyDelete-Steph