Wifes in the E.R. A little prayer please,,

[stealth007s]

Glad to be of some help JR

[Mercury]

When I first met my wife, we were best friends for a few months prior to dating.  Just before we started dating, she started getting debilitating stomach cramps and pains, so bad that she would double over and cry on the floor for hours.  I was able to convince her to go to the hospital a few times.  They took her for every test and scan under the sun.  CT scans, MRI's, bloodwork, you name it.  She was sent to every speSmurfpillst in Colorado.  No one could figure out what was wrong.  They thought it was an ovarian cyst for the longest time, and she indeed had one, but after it burst, the pains stayed with her.  Eventually they went away, and we never did find out what the main issue was.  That was 9 years ago.  She's had two kids since then and other than her thyroid going kaput, she is healthy as a horse.  I don't know if this helps, but sometimes Doctors get stumped.

[Aloha]

glad to hear she is back at home.  I hope she feels better and thanks for the update

[MadPlumbarian]

Yeah she's home alright, last night she was in pain, almost as much as she went in with, she called the hospital to find out what to do, and they said nothing, on her release papers it doesn't say what she had or still has, so she called the # that she was given from the one doc, who was covered by another doc, and he's saying it sounds like pneumonia, and that it's behind her lung, he said to take two Advil, and if it gets worse to go to the hosp, she said that the pain faded but still hurt when she breaths, but no where what is was, but this morning she said its ok, still hurts a little when breathing but she got an apt with the doc Friday, so I guess well see then, and hopefully she doesn't have to go back in! JR

[Monrogue]

Man what a run-around it sounds like she's getting.  I'll keep sending the prayers as I have been, and I hope she feels better

[MadPlumbarian]

Well Monrogue, you guys came back and were going in! But this time for something a little diff, well still pain, just a little lower, she's been having stomach pains for a few days, and everytime she eats a little something it goes from a 4 to a 9, our one friends a nurse and is not sure of it, and said if it doesn't go away to go in, one of the Rx that the doc has her on does say on it with a posable side effect of stomach pains, but at the first sign of it she stopped taking them, and they haven't gone away, it should have cleared out of her system within 12hrs and it's been over three days. So our friend will be taking us in soon, it's just with all the freaking X-rays that she had to take, I'm getting nervice! JR

[dks]

Regular x-rays should be fine, as long as they are needed. If the option is to have an x-ray or to be opened up or go without diagnosis then the x-ray is the best solution.
You really need to have a LOT before you start worrying about them.  With a CT scan things are a bit more serious but again if you need to have it then you have to have it.  Unless several CT scans are performed in the same area she should no need to worry. Again, ask the doctor for an estimation of her dose and any possible side effects. Ask the x-ray technician to optimise the x-ray, so as to get the minimum dose needed .

Also make sure you take your previous x-rays with you, or that they are available, so that there will/may be no need to repeat at least some of them.
You may also be OK with an MRI if they are mainly concerned about soft tissue. Ask for that possibility.

This may help, if you want to see what options are available: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/nuclear/radioprotection/publication/doc/118_en.pdf
 It gives you the various options available for various problems, though the doctor is always the one who will decide, as he has the complete picture and the responsibility for the patient.


All the best, and get a 2nd opinion too as this has been going on for some time mate.

[comis]

MadPlumbarian,

First time I read this thread, hope everything is fine now with your wife and family, hang in there!

[MadPlumbarian]

Thanks guys, and dks thanks for the info, normally she only needs one or two, it's just this is like the 8th time she's had to go in within a year, So that would like make 15-20 in a year JR

[dks]

The dose of X-rays, especially the effective dose (shows the effect to the whole body, unit mSv) will depend on the body parts in the beam. A chest x-ray (lots of air in the lungs) will be low in dose and so will an x-ray of e.g. the extremities, compareable to the natural radiation you receive in a few days.
Abdominal x-rays tend to be higher dose as the ray has to go through a larger, denser body mass.

However the actual dose will depend on what parts of the body were in the beam, the actual size of the person, what settings were used, what equipment was used etc. It is quite likely that the dose will be printed on the x-ray, though it may be in Equivalent dose units, mGy instead of mSv.

Again, even 20 abdominal x-rays, well optimised, will have no measureable effect on health, and will have a measureable benefit in diagnosis. 20 CT scans is totally different but highly unlikely to happen, even for accident victims.

Your best bet is to demand, not ask, to have the dose calculated. In cases of pregnancy, even with several x-rays or some CTs to the abdomen no problems are expected for the embryo (below 100mSv), in case you are worried about anything like this. There is a lot more but it will just get confusing   

[Aloha]

I sure hope the Docs get a handle on this for your wife.  all the best and a huge flow of positive energy sent your way

[Steinar]

Can't do much else than keep my fingers crossed over here. Good luck to both your wife, you and the rest of the family.

[Monrogue]

Ah man, sucks to hear she's having more issues.  I hope the docs can have a better time figuring this out than they seemed to have had on the previous issue she was having.  Prayers headed her and your way buddy

[MadPlumbarian]

Thanks all, were both home already, and she's no better! And that's with two doses of morphine everyone was a freaking you know what, except the one nurse she was nice, but the nicest one of all was the rn that worked in the freaking lobby. We had to wait for our friend to come pick us up so since we had time and haven't eaten anything since last night we stopped in to the kitchen and grabbed a sandwich, well, she took two bites and that's it, went to the lobby to wait for our friend, and when she came the wife wasn't feeling to good, went to stand up and that was it, I won't get into detail, but the lobby rn came over and brought her a cup of water, tissues, a wet cloth, she was so sweet, anyway, supposedly she has an ulcer, due to the Rx that the one doc prescribed to her, which she stopped taking two days ago! So now it's going to be a fun ride for awhile for her to stick it out, cause there's nothing they can do for her.. Oh this is going to be such fun! I guess the good thing will be a diet, which she's been doing very good on, I guess this will just make it faster! JR

[kirk13]

JR,I'm so sorry to hear your missus is being put through the mill again.

Wonder if its not time to threaten legal action?

[jerseydevil]

Hope everything ends up working out JR.  I know how fustrating it can be to see medical "experts" and not get any answers. 

[MadPlumbarian]

Ahhh, back in again, the one med she was taking was keeping the chest pain away, yet chewing up her stomach, and now that she was off the Rx the other pain started to come back, so no matter what it's a lose lose! I spent ten hours in the e.r. With her today, an they said that she was being admitted, but when she was getting a room was another question, so she told me to come home, so I could get something to eat and put up with the kids(yeah I would have rather staid hungry) anyway, there going to be shoving a tube down her throat tomorrow to be doing tests, that's pretty much all the info I got after sitting, standing, sitting, standing, holding her hair back patting her back(twice) sitting, and listening to everyone else's problems for ten hours. Such a wonderful day, but on a better note I put my sak to use, I had to spread the mayo on my sandwich I literally didnt do anything and feel as if I went to the gym for a whole day! JR

[Mercury]

I hope they get this figured out sometime soon, this must be terrible to endure.  Give her my thoughts, you and the kids too.

[MadPlumbarian]

I hope they get this figured out sometime soon, this must be terrible to endure.  Give her my thoughts, you and the kids too.

Thanks man, I really need some answers, I'm getting tired of this place, it's one thing to walk in to a restaurant and know people on a first name level, but in a hosp, that ain't good! JR

[comis]

Hope she will be better soon, and glad to see you are staying positive.  Thoughts sent your way to you and your family.

[Mercury]

I hope they get this figured out sometime soon, this must be terrible to endure.  Give her my thoughts, you and the kids too.

Thanks man, I really need some answers, I'm getting tired of this place, it's one thing to walk in to a restaurant and know people on a first name level, but in a hosp, that ain't good! JR

That's true man.  I've been there, my wife had an unknown abdominal issue about 9 years ago, and we never figured it out.  It just went away.  But we still tried for a year, in and out of hospitals and speSmurfpillsts, all of whom gave us scary diagnoses, and none of whom were correct in the slightest.  Sometimes even Doctors are clueless, which is scary.  Two kids and nearly a decade later my wife is healthy (and stubborn) as a horse. 

[tattoosteve99]

Ok. Now where do I need to go and who do I need to drag out in the parking lot and commence to beating? This usually makes the docs and nurses look for a hiding place as I ask"who's next?"  Usually when I go in a er or something like that I get funny looks from them, so I play on that. I raise my voice a little at a time until I get noticed. Then after that I ask "why are all these people in the waiting area while everyone I see back there is on a computer or their phone?" Then I ask for the superintendent/administrators phone number. That usually works

[Monrogue]

Dang man, I hope they get some good info/results from these tests tomorrow.  10 hours is a long freakin day to spend in the ER, especially without really getting any real help/answers.  Prayers headed to her and you and the boys as usual bud

[Mercury]

Ok. Now where do I need to go and who do I need to drag out in the parking lot and commence to beating? This usually makes the docs and nurses look for a hiding place as I ask"who's next?"  Usually when I go in a er or something like that I get funny looks from them, so I play on that. I raise my voice a little at a time until I get noticed. Then after that I ask "why are all these people in the waiting area while everyone I see back there is on a computer or their phone?" Then I ask for the superintendent/administrators phone number. That usually works

 

Sometimes that's what it takes.  Medical staff get very detached from the gravity of situations because they see the worst of the worst, and it tends to make any other problem less severe for them.  I know, my wife has been a radiology tech for 8 years. 

[Aloha]

man i really hope they get this worked out already for your poor wife.  hang in there man as best  you can and if you need to vent go ahead and let off some steam.  its annoying when you all have been back and forth and still back at square one, or so it seems.  wishing you all some answers and some news as to whats going on. 

[stealth007s]

This really sucks JR!¡! Prayers from Texas!¡!

[detron]

JR,  wish you the best and a quick solution and recovery

[Gareth]

Jeez mate, that's rough.   My wife and I are thinking of you.

[Steinar]

That's... smurf.  I really hope things start to look up for all of you soon. Really soon. As in right now.

[MadPlumbarian]

Thanks guys, I need the luck! The dog already pissed on the floor, luckily most in the kitchen but still on the carpet, so I've been up since 5:30 scrubbing, that's one hell of a workout! I feel so dirty yet clean at the same time, I guess I'm considered a oxymoron? No news yet, I guess no new is better then bad news? but I'm expecting a phone call any min from her, to make sure I'm up and ready to kick the kids off to school,, so if I get any info ill post it, thanks again guys for the support! JR