surgery cancelled..... nurse never told surgeon that I'm on prednisone taper
Hi All,
Got up today at 4:30am and got to the hospital at 5:45as planned. I was surprisingly calm and contained. The staff there were great- really attentive and kind.
So I am totally prepped, saw the anesthesiologist, nurses, etc, was all hooked up on my IV. Next right before surgery the surgeon came in to chat with me. So he notices I'm on prednisone and says "thats not good"- he asked if I informed his office and I told him I called on Thurs evening with no response, then called first thing Friday morning and got a call back from his nurse at 1pm saying that it was fine. I told her that I was on a taper, the dosages, etc. Right when I went on prednisone, I figured it would be rescheduled, but the nurse, Marie, informs me that is fine, "if anything you will be less inflammed and all which is a good thing". Apparently she NEVER informed him of our conversation and 5 minutes before surgery was the first time he heard of it.
The surgeon felt really bad and I was disappointed, but I'd much rather err on the side of safety and wait until I'm off steroids for a week or so prior to the going under the knife. He explained that it is just an unnecessary risk to do the surgery while I"m still fighting this sinus infection and on prednisone and antibiotics.
I cannot believe the nurse was so blatantly irresponsible and inconsiderate and unprofessional as to not even mention my calls to her to the surgeon- un freakin believable!!!
Believe me, I called their director of programming and their office manager and really expressed my frustration with their office staff and with todays events. In addition to wasting my time- think of all the money and resources this nurse wasted- OR, anesthesiologist, nurses, surgeon, etc, etc, etc, etc.
So, I'm about to call work and HR and get the short term disability cancelled until I have a new surgery date (most likely on 5/12/09). On the bright side, I can take longer to recover from the sinus thing, and I'm hear to help my brother who just got home form his Open RNY at HUP yesterday. I work from home, so am around all day :)
Thanks for listening to me vent....... I'm actually okay, but now want to eat, eat, eat, so have to use some major discipline to contain myself. I lost about 10 lbs on the liquid diet, so don't want to gain that back now.....
Got up today at 4:30am and got to the hospital at 5:45as planned. I was surprisingly calm and contained. The staff there were great- really attentive and kind.
So I am totally prepped, saw the anesthesiologist, nurses, etc, was all hooked up on my IV. Next right before surgery the surgeon came in to chat with me. So he notices I'm on prednisone and says "thats not good"- he asked if I informed his office and I told him I called on Thurs evening with no response, then called first thing Friday morning and got a call back from his nurse at 1pm saying that it was fine. I told her that I was on a taper, the dosages, etc. Right when I went on prednisone, I figured it would be rescheduled, but the nurse, Marie, informs me that is fine, "if anything you will be less inflammed and all which is a good thing". Apparently she NEVER informed him of our conversation and 5 minutes before surgery was the first time he heard of it.
The surgeon felt really bad and I was disappointed, but I'd much rather err on the side of safety and wait until I'm off steroids for a week or so prior to the going under the knife. He explained that it is just an unnecessary risk to do the surgery while I"m still fighting this sinus infection and on prednisone and antibiotics.
I cannot believe the nurse was so blatantly irresponsible and inconsiderate and unprofessional as to not even mention my calls to her to the surgeon- un freakin believable!!!
Believe me, I called their director of programming and their office manager and really expressed my frustration with their office staff and with todays events. In addition to wasting my time- think of all the money and resources this nurse wasted- OR, anesthesiologist, nurses, surgeon, etc, etc, etc, etc.
So, I'm about to call work and HR and get the short term disability cancelled until I have a new surgery date (most likely on 5/12/09). On the bright side, I can take longer to recover from the sinus thing, and I'm hear to help my brother who just got home form his Open RNY at HUP yesterday. I work from home, so am around all day :)
Thanks for listening to me vent....... I'm actually okay, but now want to eat, eat, eat, so have to use some major discipline to contain myself. I lost about 10 lbs on the liquid diet, so don't want to gain that back now.....
Kathleen...I'm sooooo sorry!! 
This really sucks...mainly because you are mentally & physically prepared! It is good they are waiting since you have been sick...but to be that close & to have doc cancel...unbelieveable!! Did he say you have to stay on a liquid diet for the next 2 wks until your new surg date? Hang in there! Once your surgery is completely over...you won't even remember this damn event!! Email me if you need to vent more! Stay strong & focused! Hugs,
Diane
This really sucks...mainly because you are mentally & physically prepared! It is good they are waiting since you have been sick...but to be that close & to have doc cancel...unbelieveable!! Did he say you have to stay on a liquid diet for the next 2 wks until your new surg date? Hang in there! Once your surgery is completely over...you won't even remember this damn event!! Email me if you need to vent more! Stay strong & focused! Hugs,Diane
As a nurse...I can't stand ignorant rude nurses. I double check with doctors ALL the time before giving an answer. Even if I know the answer I ask...because sometimes there's something they know that we don't.
You are handling it well and I commend you for it.
Oh - as much as it would suck - stay on the liquid diet. Don't undue everything you have done and chances are you will need to be on 10 days of liquids again before surgery so no use going through all the withdrawl all over again!
Pam
PS: As the "real" nurses answer...the reason they don't want to do surgery or something like that while on or recently on prednisone is that because steroids decrease healing abilities big time. So while you might not be "inflamed" anymore...your tissue won't heal from where they cut, both inside and outside, the way it should.
You are handling it well and I commend you for it.
Oh - as much as it would suck - stay on the liquid diet. Don't undue everything you have done and chances are you will need to be on 10 days of liquids again before surgery so no use going through all the withdrawl all over again!
Pam
PS: As the "real" nurses answer...the reason they don't want to do surgery or something like that while on or recently on prednisone is that because steroids decrease healing abilities big time. So while you might not be "inflamed" anymore...your tissue won't heal from where they cut, both inside and outside, the way it should.
Instead of complaining that the rosebush has thorns, be happy that the thorn bush has roses. 
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