Boyfriend's Leak

[smkeller 3]

I'm glad he is a fighter and seems to be doing better. Best of luck on everything. Get a lawyer; this stuff isn't supposed to happen. It's not bad luck, it's bad practice. Get a medical lawyer to look at the case.

A small update this evening. Turns out they are finally going to put a drain in to drain the Fluid outside the leak that accumulated. His nausea and vomiting are about 50% of what it was, but when he vomits, it's pretty hard to get under control again. I know he's thankful his stomach is empty through all of this. I am sure the drain will be the biggest piece of making this all become history. I can't wait to see him out of there and back on the right path to healing. Right now, he just has to lay there and take it, whatever comes his way, fighting through closed eyes. Sucks.

[mp8btpc 33]

I am also very sorry to hear about this. I think he is lucky to have you! I hope he starts healing quickly and that he is able to get the nausea under control and have a sense of peace and calm. Hospital stays suck and I hope he is well enough to go home soon.

[smkeller 3]

'but I wish they had pushed treatment on what they thought was an abscess at the time. Either way, he would be in the same boat he is now, because he was treated, just not as aggressively as they are doing now....'

"Any fool can see the danger once the damage is done" - Aristotle

I am sorry, But my sympathies are NOT with the medical profession as yours obviously are; mine are with this suffering patient who is lucky to be alive. It is NOT good enough that the doctor made a bad decision, a 'medical call." He made a MISTAKE that has caused the patient great suffering and almost his life. He got his money and moved on. This is NOT experimental surgery. I have never heard of revision surgery over unstable and damaged tissue. This doctor is looking at making a fortune doing WLS. His patient is looking at the rest of his life with problems and pain.

My advice: Get a lawyer.

[sleeversGF 4]

The drain has made a heck of a difference since they put it in yesterday. The color in his cheeks has returned and he has some new spunk about him. I"m happy he is showing so much improvement. He will get to test out some drinking some fluids today and he is very excited about this.

Smkeller, I do appreciate your concerns, thank you. A lawyer isn't really a decision I get to make here. I'm just worried about someone I care very much about. Revisions are risky. Regardless of mistakes made, I want my boyfriend to feel better and get through this. I do not sympathize with the medical professionals, but my boyfriend. I also know that sometimes mistakes are made. Whether they were here or not, I would actually have to request and read tons of records from the past few months. At this point, that isn't my concern. Maybe at a later time. Maybe not. We are only concerned with his physical improvement right now.

[smkeller 3]

Yes, you are right, this isn't the time. He is lucky to be in such good hands. (you).

The drain has made a heck of a difference since they put it in yesterday. The color in his cheeks has returned and he has some new spunk about him. I"m happy he is showing so much improvement. He will get to test out some drinking some fluids today and he is very excited about this.

Smkeller, I do appreciate your concerns, thank you. A lawyer isn't really a decision I get to make here. I'm just worried about someone I care very much about. Revisions are risky. Regardless of mistakes made, I want my boyfriend to feel better and get through this. I do not sympathize with the medical professionals, but my boyfriend. I also know that sometimes mistakes are made. Whether they were here or not, I would actually have to request and read tons of records from the past few months. At this point, that isn't my concern. Maybe at a later time. Maybe not. We are only concerned with his physical improvement right now.

[weho 103]

So sorry that yall are going through all of this! My thoughts and prayers are with you and your boyfriend.

[sleeversGF 4]

So, a month later, thought I would update on my boyfriend's leak. He got out of the hospital Friday, adding up to exactly one month in the hospital-- 4 full weeks. The first stent slipped into the stomach. A week later they put two stents in, one below the initial one to decrease the likelihood of slipping and migrating. They migrated-- one up and one down. So last Tuesday they put in 3 stents-- one stacked on top of the other and the 3rd one inside both of those. They stitched them in place. So far so good.

He was discharged 2 days ago with his PICC line, antibiotics, TPN, home health. No pain meds were ordered. His protonix (PPI) was ordered IV push, but when I went to fill the 'script, the med won't be available until Monday at noon. I tried 3 pharmacies and this was the best I could get.

No pain meds-- the doc didn't "feel comfortable dispensing narcotics IV" for me to administer and told him to see a pain management doctor. All in all, I'm pretty unhappy with the discharge. His PICC line was nearly clogged when I hooked up his TPN Friday evening (he was discharged at 4:30 on a Friday!!) and by Saturday morning, I couldn't get a single antibiotic bag to drip in. I requested heparin from the infusion company and they sent it out. I was hoping a good heparin flush would make the PICC line more viable. It didn't work.

So I took him back to the ER. His pain and acid buildup were off the charts and they admitted him last night. They are discharging him tomorrow. He has an appointment with a pain management doctor at 3 tomorrow afternoon, so I hope they do a better job than the discharge plans did of controlling his pain. He was getting dilaudid (morphine) every 2-3 hours almost the entire time in the hospital and then discharged him with nothing for 3 days. I'm not a happy nurse or girlfriend right now. Thanks for listening to me vent and I will keep updating you all. I'm ready for this to be a distant memory. :-/

[DoOver 17]

So, a month later, thought I would update on my boyfriend's leak. He got out of the hospital Friday, adding up to exactly one month in the hospital-- 4 full weeks. The first stent slipped into the stomach. A week later they put two stents in, one below the initial one to decrease the likelihood of slipping and migrating. They migrated-- one up and one down. So last Tuesday they put in 3 stents-- one stacked on top of the other and the 3rd one inside both of those. They stitched them in place. So far so good.

He was discharged 2 days ago with his PICC line, antibiotics, TPN, home health. No pain meds were ordered. His protonix (PPI) was ordered IV push, but when I went to fill the 'script, the med won't be available until Monday at noon. I tried 3 pharmacies and this was the best I could get.

No pain meds-- the doc didn't "feel comfortable dispensing narcotics IV" for me to administer and told him to see a pain management doctor. All in all, I'm pretty unhappy with the discharge. His PICC line was nearly clogged when I hooked up his TPN Friday evening (he was discharged at 4:30 on a Friday!!) and by Saturday morning, I couldn't get a single antibiotic bag to drip in. I requested heparin from the infusion company and they sent it out. I was hoping a good heparin flush would make the PICC line more viable. It didn't work.

So I took him back to the ER. His pain and acid buildup were off the charts and they admitted him last night. They are discharging him tomorrow. He has an appointment with a pain management doctor at 3 tomorrow afternoon, so I hope they do a better job than the discharge plans did of controlling his pain. He was getting dilaudid (morphine) every 2-3 hours almost the entire time in the hospital and then discharged him with nothing for 3 days. I'm not a happy nurse or girlfriend right now. Thanks for listening to me vent and I will keep updating you all. I'm ready for this to be a distant memory. :-/

Thank you for the update. I was wondering how things were going for him....and you.

It's almost hard to believe what he's gone through. I understand your not being happy. It's so difficult when someone's struggle becomes yours even when it's someone you love. I've "nursed" my mom for years now and people who've had week long struggles don't understand that its very different when things drag on and on, especially when you don't see gradual improvements but more setbacks.

I do hope this all works out for you both and he begins to get noticably better each week. You both really deserve a break.

[Escape_Pod 358]

Wow, sounds like he's really been through the wringer, and I'm so sorry for both of you! How wonderfully fortunate for him to to have you there to help and support him, it sounds like he really needs you! Bless your heart for being there for him.

Hoping for smooth sailing from here on out ... for both of you.

[M2G 1,836]

WOW! I am so sorry this happened to him and that things are not 100% better yet. He is indeed lucky to be alive and lucky to have you to care for him. Thanks for sharing an update, although I wish it was better news. I will continue to keep you all in my thoughts...

[Shell77 0]

I am so sorry that you and your boyfriend are going through this. I will definetly keep you both in my thoughts and prayers.

[sleeversGF 4]

Thanks everyone for the warm thoughts. I always accept prayers, too. He should be headed back home tomorrow, but we may be looking into him going to a skilled rehab facility for a few weeks first. He doesn't live with me right now, so that makes it difficult for me to do things for him more than once or twice a day and they discharged him home with an antibiotic three times a day. Virtually impossible for me to manage, and I hope the doc makes a more likely decision to get him the care he deserves until he heals. I am angry, I know I am. I want my boyfriend back. He is so out of it I only get glimpses of him these days, and I want him well!!!

[doggz109 41]

All I gotta say is I hope he gets better and I hope he marries you when its all said and done because you are a keeper for doing all this for him!!!!!!!

[Raine 170]

I don't blame you for being pissed off! I would be too. Hopefully they will do what is needed for your BF going forward. Thank God he has you take care of him. You have my prayers as well.

[sleeversGF 4]

Well, he discharged from the hospital a few hours ago, so wish us luck. They changed a few meds so that things are more manageable for us to deal with at home. I hope he gets something decent for pain at his appointment today. We shall see!