First Trip to the Emergency Room

Yesterday, mom announced that she had a pain in her left knee.  And there was a red area to the side and behind and it was swollen.  I didn't tell Mom blood clot, but I said that we probably should go to the Duke Urgent Care Clinic.  She did not want to go, and I said OK. Then she came back and said she did want to go and I said OK.

We go to the Urgent Clinic and it was full of people in masks!  Coughing, etc.  Oh dear.  I have managed to avoid people during flu season and we have just walked into flu central. The nurses were very kind and decided that Mom needed to go to the Duke Emergency room because she needed an ultra-sound to check for blood clots.  The nurse said she would call over to the ER and let them know Mom was coming.

So we go to the ER.  They valet parked my car for free.  (Very nice).  We enter thru a metal detector (a bit strange).  Go to the desk and are pointed to the waiting room.  As we move towards the waiting room, a nurse immediately calls for mom.  

We are taken to a cubical and Mom is assisted into a hospital gown and onto a bed/stretcher.  They hook her up to a heart monitor, do all her vitals, take her blood, take her for an x-ray and finally for an ultra-sound.  The nurses, the orderlies, everyone was so kind and nice.  AND, it was so quiet!  And calm!  I asked if it was normally like this and the nurse said "oh no, it is very busy!" And like all ER's on a Saturday night, the police were there ~ I saw several officers as we went to the ultra-sound room.  

There was a tv mounted on the wall so we were able to watch college basketball from 4pm to 9pm.  We were there a long time.

During that time, Mom decided that she really did not want to stay at the hospital, which is good, I guess.  

After 4 hours, all the tests came back fine.  No blood clot.  All good for Mom.

Now there were moments of frustration.  Everyone comes in and asks mom why she is there ~ and she always starts with "the blisters on my head that no one sees, the blisters on my arm........" I have to say "No, she is here for a possible blood clot on her left leg".  I also had to keep reminding the staff to use gauze and no tape for mom's arm after the blood draws.  They had to put a port in becase her veins are so tiny.  And when they removed the port I reminded this nurse (we were now on the second shift) to use gauze and that she was a bleeder.  The nurse said ok and when I looked while I got mom dressed, the clear pressure bandage that they put on her (@#$#####) was actually blowing up like a ballon full of blood.  I went and got the nurse because that thing was going to blow and it was not going to be good.

The nurse comes in and sees the blood and her eyes get big and she says "Oh my you are a bleeder!!!!" 

When she takes off the bandage blood goes all over Mom's lap -luckily (?) it pooled on her black cashmere wrap.  Can't see it so it is not a freaky crime scene.

I actually had to hold gauze and apply pressure while the nurses went and FOUND gauze pads and gauze wrap.  Now I was getting frustrated.

But, they were successful, Mom is happy and we can go home.

Mom did tell me that she was going to listen to me for the next 6 months because obviously I did know what I was talking about.  Ha!

Love, Leslie