You know that I have consistently been an advocate of ECT because it has been miraculous for me in managing my depression. I go to a teaching hospital, so when I'm there, they often bring medical students to talk to me to get a patient's perspective. I guess they have figured out that I'm not shy and usually fairly coherent.
I have even been a very agreeable pincushion for med students, interns, etc. The med students are very pliable. The interns seem to think they know more than I do about my body. As I indicate where I want the IV (upper forearm), they insist on wrist or hand. I usually get my way. However, this time it was an intern who REALLY wanted to do it in the wrist. I told him they usually tell me I have great veins in my forearm. He proceeded to use a vein in the bend of my elbow. These veins look good...all blue and chunky, but it's really the veins UNDER the skin just below that are the perfect IV veins.
But silly me...I figured he knew what he was doing. It hurt and continued to hurt when he put it in. I probably had saline flowing for about 15 minutes before I got in the procedure room and they started to administer meds. Suddenly my mind conjured up Dr. Bailey with that woman's intestines all around her and the woman waking up. So I told the head anesthesiologist that my IV just didn't seem right. She looked and said it wasn't and gave me a quick one in the wrist, telling me they would remove the other while I was under. So apparently, during that 15 minutes, the saline and meds were going in one side of my vein and out the other into the surrounding muscle and tissue.
In general I felt pretty good...up and perky on the ride home. Then I started to feel pain radiating from the spot of the first IV to the top of my arm. And I started to feel really exhausted. My neighborhood medical professionals, Mark and Avis (bless their hearts), reassured me and told me what to do...800 mg. ibuprofen and warm compresses.
The next day was busy, busy. Lunch with the N&O Mom2Mom Bloggers. Then an FVHS Theater Board Meeting in the evening. Well, I wasn't able to make either one. Hurley even offered to drive me but I was just an exhausted noodle.
So, the lesson here is that if you are in a medical situation and something doesn't feel right, ASK ABOUT IT. Don't assume that the person doesn't know what he/she has done or can't make a mistake. It happens. Be nice about it. But definitely say something.
Love, Di
Impressive blog! -Arron
Posted by: mattress reviews | December 22, 2011 at 12:38 AM