Saturday, May 31, 2008

ER Pet Peeve #2 thru #7. We Are Not Stupid

Hey you out there before you come into the Emergency Department I want you to realize that I AM NOT STUPID. I may look it at times but it's intentional. I have perfected that look over the years because it gets me out of a lot of work. My first pet peeve was mentioned in detail in the blog from 10/09/07

Peeve 2: the more you explain in lengthy detail the cause of your back pain, shoulder pain, neck pain etc...... from 20 years ago AND you come in carrying your MRI Scans, CT Scans and previous doctor reports from 10 years ago, the more WE know you are seeking medication of the narcotic variety. We are not stupid and we are very busy. We would really respect you more if you said " hey I am addicted to Lortabs and ran out yesterday can you refill a hundred for me"? You are not going to get them but your chances of getting them with that 30 minute story you have memorized, isn't going to get you pills anyway.

Peeve 3: When you travel all the way from the other side of New Orleans to Houston to see your doctor once a month for your 120 Lortab 10mgms and your 90 Soma 350mgms AND you go with a van full of people to the same doctor you cannot convince us that you are not addicted. You are addicted and probably giving half the prescription to the van driver. You are also hitting doctors in the surrounding states as well, once a month for the same prescriptions. You don't use your state card or insurance card so that it can't be tracked, because these paragons of the medical community only take cash.

Peeve 4: To the above mentioned person in peeve 3: When you get your medication it is not smart to take A LOT of each one for fun because you end up in the ER with breathing problems. Don't tell us that "I only took one of each pill" because it took 3 doses of Narcan(a narcotic antagonist) to get you to even open your eyes. Take note, we WILL drug test you, we will count your medication to see how much is missing AND we are not stupid.

Peeve 5: Again refer to peeve 3.... get a job. I am tired of being responsible for you. You have a medical card that you are using to pay for the ER visit and I help fund that with my taxes. Oh I am sorry I forgot you CAN'T work because when you were 20 you hurt your neck(or back or shoulder) and you have pain that requires taking Lortabs and Somas on a daily basis. Remember though, we know that you are sitting in a crowded vehicle with many others going from state to state to get your medication refills. Surely you could find a job that requires less effort.

Peeve 6: To any of you healthy individuals that present to any ER with a medical card and disability medicare benefits.... do not brag to the nurses about the jobs you are doing "off the books" so that you won't lose your check. I am tired of supporting your lying,cheating, lazy butt. There are people out there who really need help and can't get it.

Peeve 7: (the last for today...my rant is almost over) No, I do not believe, nor will I ever believe that you dropped all 100 of your pain pills in the toilet while you were putting on your false eyelashes. Take note: unless you drag your dead or stoned dog( or cat) in here I will not believe that they consumned all your medication. I AM NOT STUPID!!!!

To my two faithful readers, every once in a while I get irritated when I am confronted with system abuse. I am tired of my money supporting the dead wood, cheating, scum bags of society. I want my money to go to those people who are truly unable to work,for those who work hard but don't make enough for health care, and for the elderly.
Later to you all

3 comments:

Susie said...

Thanks for the laugh. I needed it this morning!!! One of your faithful readers.

Carrie White said...

Aunt Debbie for President!

I didn't laugh at your blog -- I just got PISSED! Now my blood pressue is up and I've gotta get some meds -- where should I go?

Anonymous said...

Jeez, when my cynicism became that strong about my students, I retired. I understand the drug seekers make you want to poke their eyes out. We understand. The flip side is that those of us who have read your rants (and the other doctor/nurse blogs ranting about the same thing) are now hesitating to go to an emergency room.

A couple of months ago, I had a treadmill stress test during which I had slight chest pain. The nurses and the doctors in the testing clinic called an ambulance. Now here's the important part -- I argued and fought those people for fifteen minutes because I did not want to go to any emergency room. And why is that? I have read all these physician/nurse blogs about people coming into the ER with pain and I was completely convinced that I would be treated like a big faker looking for drugs when I got to the ER. Turns out there was a slight blockage but that is not my point.

The issue here is that you have every right to rant and rave but remember your writings can affect how people perceive how may be treated when they truly do need help. Frankly, after reading your blog and other blogs, I won't go into an emergency room unless taken by ambulance. That's a terrible precendent to set. And before you start thinking that most anybody who can walk into an emergency room shouldn't be there anyway, may I just add that I walked into an ER while in the middle of a mild stroke several years ago.

Very rarely do I ever see a posting about when you people were wrong about the person who came in complaining of pain. It just seems like you believe anyone who doesn't have a bone sticking out is faking their pain.

Once again, you are entitled to vent all you want but there are real people reading your blogs and there are those of us who are mortified that we might be treated in such a way. Many more than you realize.

So now you know.