Sunday, December 28, 2008

ER disappointment

Arrgh!!!!
My incision site was sewn up, and then 13 staples were used across the incision to keep it from pulling apart and creating a nasty scar.
The staples around my incision have been driving me CRAZY!!!
They itch like two rows of nasty little mosquito bites.
I've called & called & called the surgeon's office in Anchorage to find out when I could have them removed. And it's Christmas break. And no one's talking... I've left messages with secretaries and nurses, but he's on vacation...

So, I coerced Jake into driving me to the ER so they would pull the *** things...
And they refused!!!!
Said their policy was to wait fourteen days, and it had only been 11.
11 days with these nasty painful itchy staples in my back!!!
I told Jake if they were anywhere but in my back (where I can't see them!) I'd yank them out myself.
He's glad they're in my back. He told me so.
So, I'm a tad bit angry.
Ridiculous policy.

The PA suggested perhaps that I'd misunderstood or not remembered what the surgeon had said about the removal date for the staples. I had the release paperwork with me so they could see for themselves the paperwork didn't say.
The PA suggested perhaps that it was the incision itself that itched so badly. I told them I knew how many staples there were before Jake counted them for me...
The PA suggested perhaps that I should be taking benadryl to counteract the itch. I told them I already was, and that's the only reason all the surrounding skin wasn't red and swollen anymore.
I think I left the PA with the impression that I'm not quite stable.
Perhaps I'm not.

I wish my surgeon was here in town. We'd have visited the office and requested that the nurse pull them out. Nicely requested.
I promise.

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