Just another day in paradise.

Tom's Journal.http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/tschuckman@aol.com

Another hot, humid day after another storm and tornadoes North of us in S.E. Wisconsin. I went to visit my wife in St. Catherine's hospital West of Kenosha, WI., and found her writhing in pain, hyper and TIED DOWN TO HER BED with her privates exposed, with no body looking after her. Her lips were dry and cracked and she need help in ICU! And then in front of the hefty RN--Linda M., and a Nurse's Aid, my wife articulated that she was thirsty, so the "nurses" finally got her some cold water to drink, which she did. I was angry as I had to hunt for "professional" help. All they did was act defensively and give me some 'dog pile' nonsense/ excuses that amounted to nothing, but I expected that. He cardiac 'doctor' didn't do much better. They claimed that she was unresponsive all the time --- until I got there and started talking and communicating with Sharon, much to their embarrassment. She needed to urinate, move up in the bed and was VERY thirsty. I could well understand Sharon's needs and verbal English OK! Sorry, folks, I get upset when my loved ones are abused and abandoned, and I AM SHARON'S 'PATIENT ADVOCATE', as we both agreed to that in detail many moon ago! Who knows how long Sharon had her hands tied down when she was in pain, had to urinate, but no body told her that they had inserted a catheter, and she was holding it all that time!! I didn't know that we were in North Korea!

Sharon was in and out of unresponsiveness, but I did get things done for her. It was very irritating that none of the staff knew anything and had a very detached, aloft, attitude about my poor wife's welfare or feelings. I know darned well that they put on a little show for me while I was there. I held Sharon's hand-- rubbed it and talked to her for a while, but after all the sparks with the "staff" I left and said I would be back latter-- and we live 22 miles away from that "hospital of horrors." You see now why I was so concerned with the EMT- Ambulance people taking her to the WRONG hospital. They dumped her in a 'slop shop' where they have not a clue! Knowing that I put the fear of God in the hospital staff, I felt somewhat assured that Sharon would get better treatment...today-- for a while. The hospital downtown in Kenosha, WI-- KMH, is a better facility for sure. St. Cat's has a bad rep. in my opinion. And I expect things to get MUCH worse with 'obama-care.'

I broke my upper molar a few weeks ago, and the VA Dental folks will have to remove it, if they can't fix it, and it broke off while I was eating pure chocolate-- AT THE GUM LINE! That procedure ought to be FUN on Saturday morning!
On top of that, my youngest daughter is driving up from CO to visit us, and she can use my house as a "Base Camp" from which to deploy and visit all the relatives, etc, including Sharon, but no kids allowed in ICU, unless my wife is dying.

The hospital staff continues to run more tests on Sharon, concentrating on the heart. It's pure hell for me to just wait and be patient not knowing anything, and very frustrating seeing the staff and RN's/ Docs who don't have a clue either and running me around like a coon hound-- feeding me baloney. I would have to say that even the VA hospital in Milwaukee is much better...Ha! The right hand doesn't know what the Left hand is doing at St. Catherine's--Kenosha on Highway 50. What State organization or entity do I contact to report unprofessional patient care and abuse?? Why would they leave my wife tied down and abandoned and then not being able to give a response for that??

Just another day in Paradise.

Tom