Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Medical Staff: please don't play telephone, it's a horrible game.

At my wits end with medical people. Please, please listen to the parents. At least acknowledge that we know our children. After all we do live with them. I am so frustrated with no explanations...just do this and call us later. Really? Yeah, ok and I should trust you why?

I don't know what to do but I regret this facility and the decision to come here.

They are so focused on the constipation and not WHAT is making him constipated. I feel like no matter what I say/explain or otherwise they think this is a new problem and ugh, whatever. I thought of writing a letter to them since the person in charge keeps sending messages through other nurses.

Dear ARNP,

We came to your facility looking for answers to a life long problem our child has. Since birth he has been constipated. After 2 years of making appointments, visiting various urgent care clinics multiple, more than 15 different times in less than 2 years asking what is wrong only to get blown off, they did an x-ray in the middle of the night at an ER. At all these doctor visits, pediatric specialists, urgent care doctors and nurses they all felt his stomach and told us there is no way he was constipated. We just worried too much, or thinking about it too much. Well finally we had an x-ray that said we were right ALL along and oh yeah we don't know what to do cause its so bad. So after an ambulance ride to Children's we were given instructions for oral clean out since an enema would rip his intestines apart. After a month or so of this to no avail and he was suffering stomach pain and vomiting we went to the ER again. This time I was blown off stating he is simply 2 and having tantrums. Tantrums from a dead sleep? He does not, or did not ever have tantrums. I know my child. After telling this doctor I don't accept her answer she conceded to do another x-ray to prove that he is all better from the oral clean out. She ate her words and was apologetic when she saw how impacted he was. Thankfully the wonderful Neurodevelopmental staff stepped in and rescued him by having him admitted for a clean-out through the stomach. 24 hours of intense clean out and the x-ray after showed he was finally cleaned. We were instructed to give him Mirilax every day and told from now on he will be fine.

That was 2 years ago. He still is not fine.

Our visit to you was because he isn't getting better and a teacher at his school spoke highly of the department. We were hoping for answers. We were shocked to find out he is still highly impacted. For a child that eats hardly anything, just enough to survive this cannot be good. We totally understand and complied with your instructions. After numourous back and forth calls with your people and a second xray 2 weeks later we are still almost where we were. If you have a plan it would be nice to know that. How long can he go with poop that runs like urine? When I brought up to your people that he is barely eating you say its because hes constipated...but when I say he ate more before we started this treatment I am treated like I don't know my own child. When I say he wont drink something, I am not saying that just to hear myself talk. When I say that its liquid and there is nothing solid left, please hear me. I know my child. And whey your people say that you will be able to "feel his abdomen" to see if he is still constipated I have 20 other people that said that too in his first 2 years of life. Good luck with that. I just want answers or at least someone to throw out some things, do some more tests. This has now gone on for 4 years, it is not a new issue. Please hear me when I tell you this. I haven't gone to medical school but one thing I do know, is that I KNOW MY CHILD.

Listen to parents.

Sincerely,
Me

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