“I am sure that if the mothers of various nations could meet, there would be no more wars.” E.M. Forster
When these elephants got out of the water, the mother faced off with us. Our Tanzania guide had parked our land rover too close, the mother had decided, and was warning us not to harm her babies. — Photo by Pat Bean
Understaffed Weekend Emergency Room
A child in pain is something mothers all over the world dread, regardless the age of their child. But life is not fair, and facing such a situation happens to most mothers at one time or another.
As a reporter covering the medical beat, I’ve watched, without blinking, an open-heart surgery and a brain surgery. Yet, watching a doctor put stitches in one of my sons after an accident had me passing out. I would have fallen on the floor if the doctor hadn’t noticed and told the nurse to catch me.
This past Saturday, I found myself standing by my youngest daughter, who was in the most pain I’ve even seen a human suffer. And the emergency room’s understaffed personnel were dinking around – until finally I turned into a screaming demon.
It was the right time and I have no regrets.
It had been well over three hours, and they still hadn’t given my daughter something to ease the pain, or read her charts (or even listened to her husband) to know that she had been suffering for over three weeks and couldn’t even hold a sip of water down.
After my tantrum, they finally gave her something to ease the pain and admitted her to the hospital where she got the attention she deserved.
While her neurologist is still trying to put all the pieces together to find out the cause of her problem, she is being kept as comfortable as possible.
A blood test showed that one result of her not being able to eat was that her body was starving itself to death – which makes me wish I had screamed even louder at the emergency room doctor, who initially saw her for a couple of minutes, suggested prescribing some pain pills and sending her home – and then disappeared and didn’t’ appear again until I turned into a demon.
Having been to an emergency room a time or two myself, and personally knowing what these doctors charge for seeing a patient for two minutes (a charge which is separate from whatever the hospital charges) infuriates me even more.
While we’ve made tremendous medical advances in the ability to treat patients, doctors seem to have taken backward steps. Even my own personal doctor of 30 years disappointed me a couple of years ago when I went to him with neck and shoulder pain. He said it was just old age creeping up on me, and I would have to live with it.
My oldest daughter suggested I visit her doctor for a second opinion. I did and he prescribed physical therapy, which eliminated 90 percent of the problem within two weeks, and which is now 100 percent better.
So I’m not lumping all doctors in the same box. Some have kept up with the times and some do truly care. It’s just that I’ve come into contact with too many lately who seem to care more about money then people.
I ask myself the question, why was there only one doctor on call in a big city emergency room? Was it because the hospital was cheap or because the doctor wanted all the patients – and money – for himself?
Whichever, I’m perfecting my Demon Mother act in case an encore performance is needed.
Bean’s Pat: Let’s Dance http://tinyurl.com/m3bsp3k I needed a bit of Mother Nature to get my blood pressure back down where it belongs. This helped.
Pat Bean's blog 
When it comes to our children there is nothing we can do that is too harsh. I would still kill for my son, and will always be his protector. Our medical system is an international embarrassment and we are dead last with the rate of infant mortality among industrialized nations. Money, greed, apathy, and a thousand other reasons.
I do hope your daughter is ok and all turns out well. I’ll be thinking about you all.
Thanks for the kind thoughts Mike.
There is nothing like a good old fashioned temper tantrum to get something accomplished. The trick is to know when to use them!! Good for you. Sending you, your daughter and her family lots of light and love and healing energy.
I hate throwing them as I’m an escapee and not a confrontation kind of person. But I agree. Sometimes you have no choice. Thanks for the support Deborah.
“To act as a guardian to somebody during a difficult time is a most beautiful gift of support.” ~ Madisyn Taylor
You might have been feeling helpless, Pat, but you gave a beautiful gift to your daughter and at some level she understand this and is grateful.
Thanks Sam. Now all we need is to find her a good primary physician and a specialist who can help her here in Tucson, where neither of us know where to turn.
Good for you, Pat! I hope all turns out well with your daughter. Having someone to advocate for you is so important when it comes to hospitals and doctors. Greed is the biggest part of the problem, usually that of those who own/run the hospitals. They understaff in order to create more profits.
Go, Team Mom! I’m so glad to hear you got her the attention and care she needs. We shouldn’t have to be squeaky wheels in order to get the care we need, but sometimes we do. HUGS to you and your family.
I would have had a temper tantrum too. The doctors are being paid for a service and should deliver it. It is very annoying to come across someone whose profession is to care for people and they are interested only in the money.
I am hoping that your daughter is on her way to recovery.