A Contagious Smile Podcast
"A Contagious Smile" is a transformative platform embracing special needs families and domestic violence survivors. We illuminate the journeys of extraordinary individuals who've triumphed over adversity and aspire to ignite your own inner light. Through candid stories, we showcase how they conquered challenges and emerged stronger. Our podcast features insightful interviews with experts, offering resources that empower and uplift. Let us guide you in rediscovering your inner light – because every smile narrates a tale of resilience. It's time to share your story and rekindle your spirit.
A Contagious Smile Podcast
Medical Mishaps and Advocacy: Victoria and Michael's Battle with Hospital Incompetence, Faith's Emergency Ordeal, and The Power of Patient Advocacy
What happens when hospital incompetence turns a family emergency into a nightmare? In this emotionally charged episode of Unstoppable, Victoria and Michael recount their traumatic experience with their daughter Faith's emergency visit. You'll hear about the distressing chain of errors that led to a series of unnecessary panics and suffering, from being placed in an inappropriate room to mishandling critical lab work. Their story highlights the stark reality that when medical professionals fail to read patient charts and understand medical history, the consequences can be devastating.
Ever had to confront a medical professional about your loved one's care? Victoria and Michael did just that, facing off against an unprofessional nurse who failed to recognize their daughter's specific medical needs. This intense encounter culminated in the nurse's removal, underscoring the importance of patient advocacy in ensuring proper treatment. Through their harrowing journey, they shine a light on the systemic issues in healthcare and the emotional toll it takes on families, especially when dealing with special needs and medical PTSD.
We wrap up this powerful episode with a call to action, inviting listeners to connect with us at Contagious Smile. Share your own experiences, join our show, and help raise awareness about the critical need for vigilance and advocacy in medical settings. Thank you for your continued support—your stories and voices are what make this community strong. Join Victoria, Michael, and their two lazy dogs (with the third probably in the hallway) as we sign off with gratitude and a renewed commitment to patient advocacy.
Good evening and welcome to another episode of Unstoppable. I'm Victoria and I have the love of my life sitting here looking at these glasses. Howdy y'all experiences for individuals or families of those that have had issues in a hospital with staff. I think it's critically important that we discuss this because I don't think a lot of people know, but Faith went in emergently over the weekend and from the jump there was nothing but issues. Is that safe to say that's?
Speaker 2:great.
Speaker 1:So her doctor, or surgeon rather, for that matter is amazing and phenomenal and this has no reflection on him at all and phenomenal and this has no reflection on him at all. So we go through the emergency department and we end up already the surgeon already let them know we were on the way and we end up just in in like a cluster like nobody knows what's going on, they end up putting us in a psych room that literally looks like a storage unit.
Speaker 1:Is that safe to say? That's correct Because it's got like one of those pull-down doors and they hold psych patients in it. They said that was the only open room, which was not correct because when we were going through and passing all these other rooms there were other rooms open, and literally next to us is a grown man who is screaming and yelling at everybody at the top of his lungs, complaining his foot is numb, his leg is numb and nobody will understand the pain like his.
Speaker 1:And you know, faith is like laughing at this guy, saying nobody knows the pain like his, my foot's asleep, and then he's threatening like harm and all this other stuff.
Speaker 1:And when all this is going on, they first took Faith and told her that they were going to do lab work, and I expressed to them that she is a minor and they said well, there's not room for mom, it's a tiny little corner, they're only doing a lab and she'll be right back. Well, faith starts texting me telling me that she's having a panic attack and that they have stuck her more than twice and that now they're doing an EKG on her, which I had not consented to. And so I start trying to find her. And I guess the part of this I'm leaning out because to me I guess it is important, but to me it's not relevant is I'm one week post-op and I have stitches and many, many incisions and I'm not supposed to be lifting or carrying anything and I'm taking all of our stuff that I'm not supposed to be lifting or carrying anything and I'm taking all of our stuff, that I'm literally on the hunt now to find Faith and.
Speaker 1:I find her and I'm, you know, told you can't be back here, which is baloney, if you know me, because that's not gonna fly. So she's having an absolute panic attack. They're telling her to hold. Still, she's like they stuck me more than twice. You're not supposed to stick more than twice before doing an ultrasound. They didn't even let me know they were doing an EKG, and then I told them that they were done like it's done, and we had a great PA who came over and tried to intercede, and so we find out that the IV that they had finally got in didn't stay in or for whatever reason, they'd taken it out, and so she was going to have to get stuff again so this just keeps going on and on.
Speaker 1:And I mean, at this point now, I would say we've been there. How long would you say four or five hours at this point. And at this point we've been there, how long would you say four or five hours at this point? And at this point we've had no antibiotic, no pain meds, no, nothing at all. And you know, I don't want to go into specifics of what's going on with her, but it's pretty urgent because we're going in for emergency surgery and literally nothing is being offered to, even to help with the swelling.
Speaker 1:So finally my husband gets up there. Why don't you take it? For a minute, because I'm already getting steamed up and I know you're going to have to talk about the night off, so go ahead and you start.
Speaker 2:Okay, where would you like me to start? Well, when you arrived, so upon my arrival, I immediately noticed a vial of blood In the field, left, as my wife put it, in the field on a surgical tray in the room where my wife was, and I'm like what the hell is this blood doing here? Why is it still here? It's just sitting there, it's not even labeled yet, and that, right there, shows you the incompetence of what we did with just that one simple act. Who leaves a vial of blood laying around? Really Right?
Speaker 1:And everything else was cleaned off the tray.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:That was left there.
Speaker 2:So one of my biggest pet peeves is with most of the hospitals that we've dealt with, most of the staff we've dealt with. Is that these nurses I don't know all the terminology for the text the practitioner, whoever? If you're working with my wife, my daughter, in any medical capacity, read the freaking chart, guys.
Speaker 1:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:Know what is going on with my child, my wife, know what they're allergic to. Know what they've been through. Okay, do your homework Know your patient. Know what they're allergic to. Know what they've been through. Okay, do your homework know your patient. If you're there for 12 hours.
Speaker 1:Know your freaking patient, okay this is not just a job for me this is my daughter.
Speaker 2:This is my wife and yes, I will get pissed, I will get up in your face and the old cop guy will come out. And I love to see my wife because she is such a fiery vixen when she blows up on somebody for their incompetence. I just our daughter, my daughter, and I, we just kind of sit back and watch the show because it's quite enjoyable.
Speaker 1:Well, we'll get to that in a minute, because that happened.
Speaker 2:But for me I'm quite hot and you know I'm 6'1" 270. You know so I dwarf most of these technicians in there and you know it's just, it is mind-boggling. You come in the room knowing my child has certain medical conditions and you want her to swallow a pill.
Speaker 1:Well, it's not even just that.
Speaker 2:Let's go to the fact that it's now 6 pm.
Speaker 1:Now who's getting steamed up?
Speaker 2:You, it's not even just that you want to do other things Now 6 pm.
Speaker 1:It's kind of sexy. But now it's 6 pm and we're finally taken to our room. She hasn't eaten. She has not eaten. That's where I was going, always on the same page. I'm waiting and waiting. Half an hour goes by and nobody comes in the room, not a nurse, not a tech not Santa Claus not.
Speaker 2:Rudolph.
Speaker 1:Nobody. Nobody comes in the room. So I go and I ask to get somebody to come in. I really don't get much of an answer. We have Faith hit the nurse's button. No, we'll send them in, okay, nothing. So finally we get somebody and she's like oh, I'm tired, I need to go home. I've had a day, so okay.
Speaker 2:She did say that.
Speaker 1:Number one. Let me just advise you the following I have the patience of Job, and anyone who knows me knows that. So I was like oh, I'm so sorry, you're tired and you know you would do a home suit. Can I get the child something to eat?
Speaker 1:She hasn't eaten since, like last night, and you know obviously she's uncomfortable been like 18 hours right and I said, by the way, um, we need to set up and I need to get a feeding pump, and I need to get this formula, and I need to get this going and this going and this going. Can we go ahead? Well, there's no orders put in, okay, okay, I'd rather you tell me you're a lazy person than lie to my face, because I will call you to the carpet every single time Because you know what. At the end of the day, you're going to go home, you're going to kick up your feet, you're going to do whatever. This is our life and you know what? I wouldn't trade our life for a damn thing. And oh, I can't do anything without orders.
Speaker 1:Okay, can you give us a pillow, maybe? A blanket or something for her. We don't have it Okay, so this is how this is going to go.
Speaker 1:So we keep saying we need to get something to eat, we need to get something to eat for her, and oh, the kitchen's closed. And it's one excuse after another, after another. Well, the resident for our surgeon, who was so nice you got to give him credit, he's super, super nice he comes in and he was like are you kidding me? I put in the orders when you guys were in the emergency room, like hours and hours, so I bring nurse.
Speaker 1:Nightingale back in the room and she blatantly lies standing there again. So the resident says, ok, I'll be right back. And he comes back and he was like, no, everything is in there. And she basically says he's a liar, which is not true at all and still nothing for faith to have. And her guy? Well, anybody who's ever had surgery knows that at midnight you are DC from anything you're.
Speaker 2:NPO.
Speaker 1:You're not going to have anything in my mouth, you are just going to have to do it. So now I'm looking and it's like I don't know close to seven and she still doesn't have anything. And I'm explaining to this nurse that if you look at the rate delivered by hour versus how long it takes per carton, she's not gonna get a lot like. I really need them to step up and get moving and do something. So I'm kind of like disregarded. Then there's some shit change and we get I don't even know how or what I want to name this creature that we had for the next few hours. We had her.
Speaker 2:I would say Nurse Ratchet, but that's, that's a compliment, yes, and undeserving yes.
Speaker 1:So Thing? No, I don't want to be Thing. I don't want her to be Thing because that's like no, I don't know. Demon Child, whatever, don't know Demon child, whatever comes in and says where is her pick line or her central line? And I advise them that Faith does not have a pick line or central line where she basically tells me that I don't know what I'm talking about. And my husband will tell you that in all the years he's ever known me, I don't drop typos Ever, never. And you guys have heard of it.
Speaker 1:When we're on air, he says oh, doctor, I'm like shh, all right, whatever, like, this is how I am. It's a piece of paper or a certificate. Not to everybody, I mean, it takes a lot of work and hats off everyone, but this is how I look at that, right. So she goes no, she has a pick line or central line. So I'm playing ping pong alone, trying to communicate with this creature, and I said do you have the ability to see? Because if you look at faith, you will see there's no central line. Because where's the central line go? And I'm showing her on my person and she's like no, she has a central line, oh my god.
Speaker 1:So then faith says I really want something to eat, I'm hungry. And then she says can I have a band-aid for my nose? Because, faith, she got her nose repierced after the last hospitalization. After just getting it pierced and they took it out and closed. So my husband and I put our heads together and we got a plastic replacement and we had changed it out so that she could have the plastic one in there and it wouldn't get closed. We just needed to put a band-aid over it so she wouldn't lose it and nurse whatever. I can't even come up with a good name that won't get me off the air. It says oh, you want to be fed by nose, you want me to put a tube in your nose. And Faith is like I'm losing my patience and I said you have your voice and I really think that it's okay if you choose to use it. Now I'm kind of hoping I get to sit back just for a minute and watch Faith go at it.
Speaker 1:And she goes mom, you raised me better than that and, as I was so proud for that millisecond, I was kind of disappointed because I've seen Faith go off. Yes, and she can go off. Yes, and she can rip off.
Speaker 1:Well then, my husband is asleep, snoring logs on the side of the room and I was gently taking a nap and so I'm going to let you tell this part, because she ends up again saying I don't know what I'm talking about, about the whole like line and central line thing and about her getting fed through the nose. And I did something that never, ever have done ever, and I mean faithful little face was like huh.
Speaker 2:So my wife actually said that she is a doctor. She has a doctorate, at least one Multiple. I didn't say multiple. I'm claiming you have three doctorates.
Speaker 1:Whatever See, it's automatic. So I look and I'm like, and I go over to my husband and I gently wake him up. I'm like you need to get up. You need to get up because it takes a lot for me to lose it. But when you screw with someone I love, like glove. I'd say glove because it's singular. Glove off, let's go.
Speaker 2:So, going back to reading the chart, reading the medical records, reading everything, this line was taken out, god, months ago.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, right.
Speaker 2:Months ago, months. So why is this still in the system?
Speaker 1:No, no, it showed in the system. It was put in today. Sorry, it was put in yesterday. The PICC line was oh my God it shows that the PICC line was put in yesterday, or the central line, I didn't see which one. They just told me that it was shown, that it was put in yesterday.
Speaker 2:And can you do that in the room?
Speaker 1:You can.
Speaker 2:Is it?
Speaker 1:a surgery or procedure. Well, it depends which one they do. Some of them need to be done in IR, Like a PICC line would be done in IR so that they can use like a almost like a scope or a camera to help thread it. They can do a swan at bedside. There's all different things that they can do, Anyway.
Speaker 2:So but he had just gotten it.
Speaker 1:Correct and I woke up my husband and I said this is you know, you're going to have to, you're going to have to come here for a minute and I'm literally, I'm like one to 10. I forgot one, I forgot nine, and next thing, you know, this nurse decides to scream at me and raise her voice. I didn't scream back. I did, I didn't, I did not. So nursing staff, including techs, all from all over the floor, hear her, it whatever, and come to view, I guess you could say, because our door was open, and you say what happens?
Speaker 2:What happens at this point, when she's basically, you, you did the you know whole shush. You know I'm speaking short thing and yeah, so you, you have a commanding presence about you, when, when you're fired up, fired up quiet mode, if you, if you don't, or whatever.
Speaker 1:I did the part for no whole handedly and I said I'm talking, okay, go ahead. Sorry.
Speaker 2:So my wife uses all the jargon that they use. Okay, but she really done to death for this lady, because it was not getting through after the visualization that there's no PICC line, no central line in our daughter, because at this point she's wearing a gown and you can clearly see her upper clavicle area. There's nothing there, and my wife pointed that this is out, and so this ignoramus just failed to comprehend. I see it right here in the in the picture on the notes no ma'am, no ma'am. So, needless to say, she got fired.
Speaker 1:No, I fired her, you fired her of our daughter that's right yes, and she kept saying I'm not yelling at you, and I was like oh really, then how did you obtain the the you, the audience that's outside the room, and so she was screaming at me. She screamed at Faith and I kept looking over at my husband and he had this look on his face. That was really, really just.
Speaker 2:It was cute, but I couldn't focus on my husband because I knew how that would work okay, guys, you know, when your woman walks into the kitchen or the bedroom and nothing but one of your shirts.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:You got it, guys, right there. That's been her life. When she's in action like that, she's the last Anyway.
Speaker 1:And Faith is just like oh, this is going to get good of whatever.
Speaker 1:So I said to the audience getting outside the hospital room to please get me the uh floor nurse, the manager, and they did. And when she arrived, she's still screaming at me, the other one's still screaming at me, the other one's still screaming at me and I said to her. I said are you going to say that the surgeon's chief resident or second in charge lied Because you said there was no orders put in? And there are. And she, you know whatever. No, we brought up the wrong formula and I thought they were waiting on the pump. Well, when my husband and I were walking around while Faith was in her procedure, they have a staff vending area, if you will, where you can order the formula, and it's right there. We saw it with our own eyes and they didn't end up hooking her up till what time?
Speaker 1:uh for the food yeah, it was like 10 9, 45, 10 ish yeah right there. She had next to nothing and I kept asking can you give her some pudding? Can you, you know, give us some? Never even can we get her a water. Can Can we get her? I mean, it was literally nothing.
Speaker 1:So this creature, you know, is still pushing me, if you will, oh, and without asking me, she tries to give her a narcotic, and I said to her I was like, excuse me, you don't have permission to give her that. And she goes, I don't need your permission, okay, well, let me bring you back to basic square one. She is a minor. And not only is she a minor, but in the state of Georgia you can't disperse a narcotic without parental consent, but, as everybody knows, she does have special needs.
Speaker 2:If the parents are there. We all understand that. The doctors and the staff. They have their intentions you life or to sustain life whatever their cause is.
Speaker 1:And then she asked Faith, what level is your pain at? Okay, this is really the straw that broke my back, and Faith is like I can't give you a number.
Speaker 1:Faith has my pain tolerance, so she goes. I can't give you a number. Faith has my pain tolerance, so she goes, I can't give you a number. So she takes her index finger and starts pointing it at her head, like are you capable of answering this question or are you just not mentally there? Like that was the way she acted. And thank God Faith didn't catch it Because I dropped out of the hospital bed where I was snuggling Faith stitches and all, and that's where we got one-on-one face-to-face Because she literally was acting like yeah, I can't even say it Because to me those words are worse than anything. So it was that that just did it. So it was that that just did it.
Speaker 1:When the charge nurse comes in, I expressed to the ignoramus, as you call her, that she was now fired, she was done. And I said let me explain one thing to you before you're excused from the room. And I said you know, when you have a child or even an adult in this room, this is not not their choice. This could be the hardest night of their life, this could be the scariest night of their life. And while they're laying there, the unknown is heart-wrenching. It is so consuming. Sit and look at a clock and watch the little hand go by A minute is so long and when you don't know what's going on and you don't have answers and the only interaction you have is a nurse that's supposed to come in here. You chose this profession, you know it's really a calling. You need to be able to come in here and give them a little sympathy, give them a little empathy.
Speaker 1:How about just be nice? Let's not go too far off the chain and say, let's just be nice. How about? You know? I hope you feel better Is there anything you need? You didn't even offer her anything to drink, nothing, absolutely nothing. And if that's how you're going to be, then this is the wrong profession for you.
Speaker 1:I have no idea how she even passed to get her nursing license. So I expressed to her without raising my voice I'm like her Without cursing, I never said a curse word I expressed to her that I'm giving her my professional recommendation that she would be best suited working in a morgue, because if she couldn't find work in a morgue, then she needed to go find work where people are deaf and blind and didn't have to hear what was coming out of her face. And so when everybody walked out of the room. I wish I had recorded my husband and daughter's reaction. My husband comes over and literally starts looking to see where my balls are. It is not like this is the first time that was hilarious. It's not like this is the first time that was hilarious. It's not like this is the first time they've ever seen me like this. This is what I used to do professionally back in the day.
Speaker 2:Before you know, it's all yeah, so my wife, my wife just touched on a subject here. Guys, gals, moms and dads, if you know that you're going to the hospital, okay, this is coming from two people who have been in the hospital a lot here, and my wife and daughter more than 900 to the people. Probably yes.
Speaker 1:I mean between the two of us. We've hit over 150 services.
Speaker 2:Guys check your state law, but I implore you, write shit down, take pictures and even record every conversation you have with a doctor, anyone coming in there to give you medical advice. Something recorded okay, it's simple to delete later.
Speaker 1:But at least you have.
Speaker 2:It okay, get this on tape and that way you see why and you can go back. Like this nurse told us straight out, there are no orders in and the what did you call them?
Speaker 2:the PA, the chief resident or the second charge chief resident Told us yes, I put all these orders in yesterday. So, guys, take advice from us and get your little recorder. There's different apps for Android and iOS that you can have and you can set up your phone Just one click of the button, depending on what phone you have to start reporting. I highly encourage y'all to do this.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I mean, and then we had expressed even with the resident that there was certain medications for pain that we didn't want administered, because for those of you who remember or are new here with us, we welcome you and the thing is that Faith, you know, as you know, we've almost lost her over Christmas and in this last go around in March, when you know her heart stopped. We got a code and then like 36 hours later she had an 11-second episode.
Speaker 1:So we made it very clear we didn't want fentanyl, we didn't want morphine, because they had her on that for close to a couple months straight and then they DC'd her completely off of it and she went through withdrawals and it was so awful to see our kid it was horrible, it was awful. And she got to the point where she was like how much longer before I get my next dose?
Speaker 1:how much longer will I get my next dose and michael will tell you this kid will go through other things normally and it's like do you need anything? No, I don't want any payments. I don't want any payments. I don't ever like, doesn't matter. She didn't want any, but when she was there she was withdrawing, and so they ended up doing the methadone on her and nobody wants to see their child go through that. So we told them you know, we would rather try like a toradol or tramadol or you know something that's not narcotic.
Speaker 1:And so, without even asking this nanny if you will, comes back and she's like, oh, here, and I was like what are you about to give her Oxy? No, no. And I made it very clear. I said there is no oxy, there's no this, there's no that Period Statement is finished, like done. And normally, if anything, just Tylenol and Ibuprofen help her. And so Faith is the person that if she doesn't need it, she's not that sick, she's just like me.
Speaker 1:And so when the resident came back again, he was like I said I don't want any of that. And I explained why he understood completely at that point. He was fabulous any of that. And I explained why he understood completely at that point he was fabulous. And so when we get to the day of which was yesterday at the operation, we didn't have a good nurse during the day, but everybody was just so stunned at all of this and and the behavior, you know, of what happened the night before, and even the nurse that replaced her was good, but I mean, every time we've been hospitalized we've had some incompetent nanny, right you know.
Speaker 1:And what was so important is like, for instance, when we went down to pre-op, people need to know their, their, their stepping stones for real. Because, like when we went down there they were, they were like, oh, you're only allowed to have one person back with you. No, first. First of all, she's a minor, so that scratches. Next, she has special needs.
Speaker 1:And the fact that, like they were sitting there and chatting and I said to the anesthesiologist when he came in I don't know this guy. I know almost all of them, but I don't know this one. He's on call and he's on weekends, so I don't really know. He's probably a floater who goes through multiple hospitals. And I walked up to him and I said, hey, let me give you some pointers of how this works. There are some things that will prevent her from having a panic attack. Now, faith had two outright panic attacks during this already, like shaking profusely, unable to calm her down, crying her eyes out, and we are already in a really bad situation, needing to get into an OR. So I told the resident she has, you know, medical PTSD documented 10 times over. There are certain things you can do and not do. It'll make it 10 times easier for you, right? So I was like let me just give you a heads up.
Speaker 1:The surgeon who was working on face has probably done 15 of my surgeries, so he has never operated on her until yesterday. And he is. You met him. He's. I think he's amazing. He's a gifted, a wonderful, gentle gentleman. He's an okay bloke, right, he is just the nicest guy and I hope he's listening. Um, because there's not a lot that care.
Speaker 2:There are some, don't get me wrong, there are not a lot of surgeons in his town who goes above and beyond, like this man does I mean they're not.
Speaker 1:It's amazing what you said, he, he does oh, he goes all over the world doing free surgical procedures on families and children that can't afford it. I mean, he's a savior, he is, and he's as nice as he can be. He really really is, and Faith likes to, you know, be there and talk with him and he spends time listening. So, with all that being said, you know I was giving little pointers to the anesthesiologist and a lot of times men look down at women.
Speaker 1:Well, when I'm having a conversation, I'm going to look you eye to eye. I will shake your hand. I've been told my handshake's a little intimidating. I don't know why. Why am I looking at you like that? I don't know why. Why is my handshake intimidating?
Speaker 2:You have a grip of steel.
Speaker 1:Well, I don't get that, but whatever and I told him I'm making this as easy as possible there are certain words you don't say. You know, when you put together a community of special needs families and parents, you have more education, more training and more knowledge than a lot of doctors because, we are the ones that will research and learn and everything that we can from the job and when after expressing all this, then we had the head nurse come in and start asking all sorts of questions, and I love watching my husband's face because I don't even know how to explain this when they start asking.
Speaker 1:But go ahead, because I'm doing most of the to explain this when they start asking. But go ahead, because I'm doing most of the talking today and now I'm starting to do so you go.
Speaker 2:So again, I'm always impressed with my wife, but I'm not impressed because she has set the bar so high that you know, when I come home and I see you know five more certificates or another doctorate printed out on the printer, I don't jump for joy anymore because she's hit that bar. She's hit that level and she's exceeded that so many times in the past that all my yippee-ki-yay has already got up and gone. Thanks, yeah, so it's just a finger twirl and a whoop-de-doo basil sort of thing now, once he gets the Nobel Prize or whatever. So the head nurse starts spitting off all these questions to my gorgeous wife over here From a long years and years ago.
Speaker 2:When was the last time she had, you know exoprofen, you know fiber, whatever right, and so all these medical terminologies. And she's saying how many?
Speaker 2:milligrams of this and when was this last uh procedure? And you know what about this? Over here, and my wife is like a freaking 249 saw. I mean mean just spitting out round after round, answering every one of these questions without referring to any notes, a phone, any type of record. I mean just spitting off the date, the times, the locations she's given, the emails for whatever the prescription may have been. And it's just, it's amazing to watch her, her brilliant mind, at work. And you know she takes it for granted, y'all you know. And, and I've told you, she's got probably two to 300 certificates, three doctorates and that's whatever. It's nothing to her. You know, it's like changing socks for us If we change socks.
Speaker 2:Today I wore flip-flops to the store. I get my daughter some taters. That's not my neck word for the day, and I'm currently cooking a crock pot full of taters, so they can be soft and mushy and my daughter can eat them.
Speaker 1:Our daughter.
Speaker 2:She's a little sore right now. Y'all- yes.
Speaker 1:So the thing is that you need to know basic information, like know your blood type, know your allergies, know, like they would ask how many blood transfusions, if any, when's the last time she had one? Um, you know how something, they're even documented. They even had her taking the wrong medication that she'd never even been administered. And you go through all this and it's like are you kidding? And when's the last time she got this? When's the last time she got that? When's this? When's that? Give me an approximate? No, I don't have to give you an approximate. I can give you you the right right there. I can tell you exactly what it was. So it's all about caring for our child and you know what's right and what's wrong, and you know it mind boggles me, that you know I lost my arm due to the incompetence of a doctor.
Speaker 1:My husband's going to spit into this one. I can tell Incompetence of a doctor. Can I call her a slut? Can I just call her a slut? Yes, a slut. Whore therapist. Physical therapist Skanky slut whore physical therapist. Yes, good answer. Do I want to say anyone else?
Speaker 2:Love you.
Speaker 1:And someone else, Anyway. So I lost my arm to that and you know, I know there's a lot more to the lawsuit about the person who got burned by the McDonald's coffee.
Speaker 2:I know that.
Speaker 1:But I lost my arm and I was told there was no ramifications or way to go after them legally for this, which is, you know, full crack and a half. There was but the way to do it.
Speaker 1:I chose not to because I didn't want to hurt someone that I thought loved me and I love back, who happened to be my father, right out in the field, right. So, yeah, you want to know about that one and our book is coming out, and so yeah, but you need to know because there is mistakes being made left, right and center and, yes, they have a lot of things going on. They have, okay, that's just scary. Like I just said, my bio father and I got a pop-up of that individual's ID on social media right then and I am not following or friends with.
Speaker 2:I told you everything's listening. That's why I don't like that, alex, whatever.
Speaker 1:Anyway. So you need to get stuff in order, get an advanced directive done, you need to have a living will. These are all things that really do make such a big difference. Know what your family wants, know what your loved one wants God forbid something happens so that you can, you know, keep in mind their wishes. But every time we've had a hospital stay, the incompetence is just unbelievable and I don't know. That's why they say it's practicing medicine. I get that, but then, like, let's look at this one last part of it before we go for the for the week. So we had a doctor who we had from inception, right Her entire life, like from day one. Well, yeah, and we, I took her, I took faith to see him and we were told it was X, y, z and I was told I need to go see the surgeon. So I pull favors and basically, you know we're going in to see him. I send an email and pictures to the original doctor and say this is what's going on. I need to get her on an antibiotic.
Speaker 1:No, she's fine until she sees the surgeon right and there's this and there's this going on. That's what we're told. So when I get to see the surgeon, he's like why didn't you get an antibiotic? Well, that's my question, why didn't they do this? Well, that's my question. So after the surgery, he expresses to me that not only was none of the things we were told she had were there, none of them were there, that, yes, she should have been given an antibiotic, which was put into the medical record and it also what we were told was the cause of this was nowhere at. The cause of this and that's what scares me is the fact that you know some people. I am a thoughtful, I know and I know I get on people's nerves about how methodical I am about health care.
Speaker 1:I'm a thoughtful I am about the care of my loved ones.
Speaker 1:But I can tell you right now I have caught and I'm not patting myself on the back of my head, but I'll tell you I have caught so many times I can't count anymore where incompetence could have really hurt not only faith but myself. Like she has an allergy to something and the nurses tried to put it on her. We're talking about, you know, the tape tried to put that on her time after time, even though it's clearly stated that she has an allergy to this and and even faith will say it's that Tegaderm. And they're like yeah, I'm allergic to Tegaderm.
Speaker 2:Which is clearly on the chart.
Speaker 1:It's everywhere, it's on our highlighted from the left side. It's a band.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And you know I didn't even want to say anything until we were out of there because had it been any other surgeon I would have raised holy cane about this. I'm surprised that you didn't catch this. There was no allergy ban on faith in human history. There was not. There was only her id. There's the id. They did not put an allergy bracelet on her. The only reason I didn't raise holy freaking pain is because the chief resident and I had gone over it in depth.
Speaker 1:The surgeon knew me upside down. He's done literally most of like at least 15 of my operations and we went over it 100%. I knew exactly what they were going to be using on or how they were going to be administering it, and exactly what they were going to be doing exactly what they were going to be using on or how they were going to be administering it, and exactly what they were going to be doing. So, with all that being said, you know they had even told me that they had cleared their field of like Tegadar.
Speaker 2:They weren't going to use any.
Speaker 1:And they even asked me can we wrap with this, this and this? And I said yes. So they went ahead and had all that prepared and told me they took it out of the field. So it wouldn't even be an option at that point. But it's simple things like that, like if you are under the care of anesthetic, most people don't realize that you're on your own form of life support because you're not breathing on your own. They're breathing for you. And if you have an allergy to latex or you have an allergy to tape, they tape your eyes shut. Most people don't know that, but they do. They tape your eyes shut, and there's a whole list of things that they do. Well, they give you a broad spectrum antibiotic. They do this, they do that. If you have, if you have a reaction to reglan because it gives you a dystonic reaction which presents as like a stroke, well, that's a reglan family there's other things in that family that can present that way.
Speaker 1:So there's other options out there, you know. So instead, tell them you want this instead of that and you don't want this, and make it very clear and known. And my husband keeps looking at me.
Speaker 2:I'm shaking. I have not stopped looking at you.
Speaker 1:Because I'm shaking my leg, because it pisses me off that if you have a shift and you come in and let's say you work a 10-12 hour shift, is that our daughter? Yes, our daughter and you work a 10 or 12 hour shift, right, and let's say you work three days on and four days off. I am not for a millisecond taking away the fact that you have a lot of work going on and you've got a lot of stuff to do, right like?
Speaker 1:I am not by any means taking that away, but, babe, I need you in on this one. So, with that being said, is she okay?
Speaker 2:she's okay, she wants to know about dinner okay, babe.
Speaker 1:With that being said, I totally am not taking away from anybody who worked a 10-12 hour shift.
Speaker 2:I'm sorry, that was thanks.
Speaker 1:That's the wrong person, so I'm sorry so what I'm saying is you have a 10 or 12 hour shift, three days on, four off, whatever the case may be, but you know what? You also have techs.
Speaker 1:You have other nurses you have other physicians, you have all sorts of people at your disposal that are there to help you do your job. Right, right, okay, if that's the case, as for the longest time, I was a single mom. I went through all of this by myself for a long time, and I didn't have a 12-hour shift. I had 24-hour shifts without a day off, and I promise you, I was on my toes every single one and every single time I made sure. If this is your profession and you're going into work, read the freaking chart Like. Know your patients, know what they like, know what they don't like.
Speaker 2:See, I go above and beyond when I work with families. Do you remember how many patients we asked how?
Speaker 1:many, they had four, but they also have texts, right, and we were not on a floor where people were mating bays 24, 7, right, we were not busy. It was not busy. There were so many empty rooms empty. There were so many empty rooms. They even said they had too many staff, that there was just too many staff but, I mean. The point is that you have people who can help take an extra minute, two minutes, three minutes.
Speaker 1:If I was laying in that bed and you were, coming in to check and give me something and I'm not at my best and I'm the patient and you say, hey, give me just a minute. I want to review the chart to make sure. I mean they make us wait with like timers, like we're waiting at Applebee's or Longhorns for a table. You know your table's not ready, your patient's not ready. Take a minute and read the damn chart and make sure that they don't have a reaction to this or that or that they need this or that and do your damn job. If not, find I mean I know health care pays well, but go find it in a way that you could, you know, teach a class or you know whatever Go work the board. And I know I'm pissing off people, but if it happens to you you won't be pissed, I promise. I promise you.
Speaker 1:If you have had it happen to you and you need the pit bull in your corner, just let me know, because I'm happy to come up there and fight for our kids, because these healthcare people not all of them are, you know to them it's a paycheck. Even in front of faith, they kept calling her the case. This case will be done in a few hours. This case will be. No, it's not a case. It's my kid, it is our daughter. Don't call her a case. You know it's not a case.
Speaker 2:You know, oh, we have another case after this no, you're looking at my daughter, she's right there.
Speaker 1:You have a patient who is a human individual. Treat her as such, because how do you want to be treated when your time comes and you're laying in that bed Right, how your time comes and you're laying in that bed right, how hard is it? Take an extra moment. You know? How do you think you're paying for your golf club and your tesla and your whatever, and your wife and mistress, and I'm just gonna let you out because I love it, mom gets fired up.
Speaker 2:So in closing y'all, uh, remember, record record, record record, record. There's going to be incompetent people out there. You can't help that, but at least you can mitigate some of the erroneous claims, Like saying, hey, this moron said this and I have proof of it. So my wife touched on a lot of things tonight.
Speaker 1:Also one thing we forgot they did not have our permission to report in the room.
Speaker 2:In the site meeting.
Speaker 1:Yeah, especially being that she's a minor.
Speaker 2:It's probably on you know.
Speaker 1:No, they have to report it.
Speaker 2:It's probably on a loop.
Speaker 1:But they still have to have permission. What if she was changing in there? She's a minor.
Speaker 2:Could be.
Speaker 1:She is a minor and you know what. The walls were bare. There was not one single iota piece of equipment in there, not anything to detect. There was no pulse ox. There was no blood pressure. There was no, I mean nothing in the room, Nothing. It was like we went into the timeout room.
Speaker 2:It was just ridiculous.
Speaker 1:Continuing and closing tonight Victoria rants.
Speaker 2:Victoria is able to provide y'all with the wills. Y'all reach out to her the DNRs, the CODA seal, the power of attorney, medical power of attorney, all that hoo-ha bargain that I don't like to deal with and be looking for our second book on the subject of narcissism. It's the prequel to it. It's coming out soon. Okay, just hold your taters. I got to go check on my taters. I smell them all the way up here. But Amazon has her first book. Who Kicked First? By Victoria Chiari. Y'all go on there and check it out If you are a healthcare profession if you disagree with.
Speaker 2:You disagree with things that we've said tonight, or you? Agree or you want to try to help us out, reach out to us at containthesmilecom. Contact us and we'll get back to you. If you are a parent of a loved one who has experienced something like this, come on our show and tell us your experience. I think that about wraps it up and, as always, thank you for listening and sharing, liking and following at Contagious Smile and this is Unstoppable, with Victoria and Michael and our two lazy dogs sitting in here.
Speaker 2:The third one is probably in the hallway. Bye y'all.
