Tammy, Good for You Tell the Truth Girl!!!!

Hey girl it's me Nan. I am glad you are over the surgery and sorry for your trouble, but I know what boat you are in. I feel the same way you do about UMC. That place is nothing but a slaughter house. I peed on myself 3 times and them *****es wouldn't even help me change gowns. It took them 2 hours to come change my bed and I sat in P the whole time from vomiting so hard. They had a big garbage can that didn't even have a lid or anything on it. You hear people talking a staph infection they get and don't know how. Well hello, filth that's how. That is the nastiest place I have ever been in. I did regret the surgery at first, but believe me it will get better. I lied to Dr. S so he would let me go home, thats how bad the hospital is. He is a wonderful doctor, but that hospital is for the birds. I would go back if I had to, but only because I don't have a choice. I guess that's what I get for being a poor country girl, but nobody deserves to be treated like those nurses treat people.

Thank you for understanding my point !!! I'm so sorry that you had to endure some of the same things that I did. No, I didn't have a choice in the matter as to where I'd like to have this surgery either. But like you, I did the best I could with what I had to do it with. I have never seen such a horrible place. Pigs are treated better at slaughter houses. Did you have emotional issues with it after you got home ? I am having them. And they are really bad !!! I cry every time I think about the way I was done. You never expect that kind of treatment at a hospital. I'm sure that I will be back to normal health wise very soon, but emotionally, it is going to take a while. Tammy

Maybe you should call Dr. S and tell him what is going on. Are you on any kind of anti-depressant. I didn't have my medicine for 2 days at the hospital and all I did was cried, peed on myself and puked. I told my sister that I thought I was going to die.. She got up in the bed with me and we both just cried. If it hadn't have been for her I believe I would have jumped out the window. Girl, get you some EFFEXOR XR and you will feel all better. At least till you get you nerves situated back together. I love to read these messages but to all these ladies that says this surgery wasn't so bad, just let them go to UMC for a couple of days. Then they will see what hell on earth is like. Yes, your nerves will get better, just don't keep it in. Tell Johnny just to hold on Mamma is on a trip and you forgot your luggage. EFFEXOR XR EFFEXOR XR NAN

We told Dr. S & Sarah his nurse. The were in shock & Dr. S said that he would check into it. I usually take Zoloft, but I've been off of it for about 2-3 months. I may need some more before it is over with. The only problem will be getting it down. I am having such a hard time getting my Actigall (sp?) down for my gallbladder. I'm ready to throw it away, every time I take it, back up it comes. So I know it isn't doing me any good. The only good that I can see me getting out of that RX is, if I liked throwing up, I'm darn sure doing the right thing!!! Johnny has been amazing thru this !!! Bless His Heart. He is a trooper let me tell you. He has been right there with me every step of the way. No wonder I love him so much. He is my Hero !!! You know, if some of these ladies & gents had NO problems, Then Great. But I am sorry to say, that I really find it hard to believe. Simply because of my problems. I'm not saying that they are lying. But I think that their memory needs a little work, or they were on some GREAT drugs thru the whole thing for about a month or so. I figure that their memory may be like the memory of child birth, after a while it fades to point of you will tell anyone that "it wasn't bad at all". Oh & I had my baby (12 yrs old now) natural, nothing for pain. It hurt, nothing like this tho. This almost killed me & I'm not ashamed to admit it. I may have scared the heck out of Sherry Penn Tuesday. She was there for her Pre-Op apt when I went for my 1 week check up. And I told her like it is. From my point of view. Which is fresh from the hospital. I told her if I could rewind time, I'd of never done this. God help her if she still does it !!! Between the surgery & UMC staff, she is taking a big chance with her life. But at least she will have Dr. S on her side. I trust him. The hospital staff, NO WAY !!! I should have ran for the hills & fast. There were signs every where to not do it. The week before we made reservations for a motel in Jackson, then we alomst didn't get it due to the Hurricane in Tx. The day we were to leave, at least 6 things came up making us late leaving. While waiting at the hospital to go to surgery, they told us they would get me in a holding room where I could relax. It happened about 30 minutes before I went to the surgery holding room. I had to be there at 6:00am, surgery was for 12:15, they took me to the OR after 2:20. Johnny was called at 3:30 and was told that surgery had started & my vitals were good. Oh well, we live & learn. Therefore, we should try to tell others what we've learned so they can prepared for it just in case. Tammy

Tammy, I didnt realize it was like that for you at the hospital. I wasnt able to have a shower either and I was there for 5 days. I bent over in the sink (and I was OPEN) to wash my hair on the 4th day. They didnt want my incision to get wet. I did change gowns everyday and I had antibacterial wipes. My mother was very vocal to the cleaning crew to NOT mop my room while I was in there. She works at FG and did not want me to get Staph... So.. my room was not mopped while I was there. My sheets were changed twice but I had the best nurses in the world. Dr. Whitehead raised hell though the first day when I got back to my room because my NG tube was not hooked up yet and he went to the Nurses station and came back and said "Someone is going to WALK and get what we need!" It was very sarcastic. I saw him everyday. I didnt have pain medicine either until I was out of recovery and into my room, but I do remember crying in recovery because I was in pain. I was trying to grab something on my face and my nurse was yelling at me to "Stop touching it"...I dont have warm fuzzies about UMC.. never have. Its over and you are okay and you are home. Do be vocal about what has happened to you and how things were done. Its not acceptable to anyone. Thats not the treatment you deserve. Maybe Dr. Salameh will take care of it.

Honey all I can say is count your lucky stars !!! And lets all try to remember... Anyone that's going thru UMC ~ MUST BE TOLD THE COLD HARD TRUTH ! Even if they don't want to hear it. They need to have the info out their for them to judge all by themselves. If I'd of known bout Nan's problems.. I'd of stopped in my tracks right there !!!

Tammy, I have not been on the board very much because we just got internet service back at home and work has been crazy so I have not been able to keep up with the post very much. I did not realize you had such a horrible time and in so much pain. I am so sorry you have had such a horrible experience. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Makes me feel guilty about my own experience. I had wonderful nurses who changed my sheets and gown and even helped bathe me that first day even though I had my mom with me for that purpose. I had pain while I was in the hospital and they kept me comfortable while there. But after I got home I did not even fill my prescription for my pain medicine. I just took children's tylenol at night for the discomfort. But everyone is different in how they handle pain and the pain that they have with this surgery. I had more pain when they took my gall bladder out in Dec of last year. Man, I hurt after that surgery. I had to use a little pain medicine on that one. But hey, that is what pain meidicine is for. They should have made sure you had some whenever you hurt. I was at Providence Hospital in Alabama. You should definitely report your treatment to someone who can do something about it. You are not the first person I heard complain about UMC. That is terrible they do people that way. It is bad enough having to be in the hospital. The staff should be doing everything they can to make it better for people not adding to the problem. Again, I am sorry you started your journey on such a negative note. I hope from here on out it just gets better and better for you. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. And Johnny too LOL. I really hope you feel better and out of pain really really soon. Love ya, Melissa

Sweetie don't beat yourself up about have a great hospital. I'm happy that you did. Trust me, I wouldn't wish not having one on anyone !!! After I got my pain pump, I was ok at the hospital. Pain wise. But once they took it, It was all down hill from there !!! Pain wise. My pain has went to a dull, but very noticeable soreness. Which is a blessing. The hospital has ruinned my ever being happy about having this surgery. Which is so bad, cause I knew that after the pain went away I'd be happy & ready to get out there & live my life. But honestly for the moment, I wouldn't suggest this surgery to anyone. If anything I'd try to run them the other way. More than anything, I have a big fear of the same thing happenning to someone else & them having not one person to step up & tell them the truth about UMC. Knowing all the dirty little UMC secrets ahead of time, just may change their mind & save their life. Love you too Doll Tammy

Hey Tammy, How are you feeling now ? better I hope.I know you have had a hell of a time.I am so sorry. You did scare me babe but,even though I am scared , I have to go through with it ,I already take 9 medications everyday and some of those 9 ,I take 2 times a day ,I know my (biological) father died of a massive heart attack when he was 39 and my mother has congestive heart failure and diabetes,and I have had high blood pressure since I was 19 ,also diabetes, a lazy ass thyroid and fluid and swelling in my legs to the point that I develop ulcers on my legs that weep and also I have high cholesterol.I am only 33 if I don't do something now I won't be around much longer.I have already proven I can't do it on my own with all the hundreds of diets I have been on. It is a shame that we would risk subjecting ourselves to such a place just to help save our lives.I am very afraid but, what else can I do? I would be very not to be scared.I would rather know what to expect so I am glad you did tell me what you went through,it always helps when you know what to expect.and I love you dearly for that.Tell everyone at my funeral you tried to tell me not to do it ,but I was just too damn ignorant to listen lol .....(hey it won't be a lie lol ).................I love ya girl,huggggggggggggggggs ........Sherry.......

Hey Girl, I do feel a little better (sick wise), but not about having this surgery. I am sorry that I scared you, but you need to hear the truth. You don't need a group of Cheerleaders telling you that its going to be OK when they can't & don't control anything that happens at the hospital or with the surgery. And if it means me telling you the truth then so be it. I don't blame you one bit for doing it, if you go thru with it. But let me say this, with all the hard effort that we have to put into the pre-op diet & the diet afterwards, doing it without surgery may not be any harder if we were to have really really tried. I heard Oprah say one time that diets didn't work because you don't stick to them. Now looking back, boy was she right. I should have kicked myself in the arse & done it. But that is water under the bridge. We live & learn. But just remember that I've already laid the warnning out there for you to see, hear & know. And now, I'm not the only one saying the same things. Even though it's a little late for me to be saved from those D@m^ nurses & staff. At least it is out now !!! Sweetie, I love you and will support your choice to have this surgery. But I'm not going to Cheer you on into having it. Because I don't want you to be beating yourself up like I am for having it. Just pray & pray hard about it. If you see any signs that look like you shouldn't have it, walk away. Better yet.... RUN !!! No, nobody made me have the surgery. But w/all the bad UMC info people were keeping to themselves, had I of known about all of it.... that would've prevented my having it. Love ya Sweetie, Tammy