A Little Upset!!

Hi All,

I just need to vent my frustration, hope you don't mind.

It all started yesterday as i was having a bad day of Extra beats/PVC's.

I phoned my PM clinic to ask there advice on them as there really getting on my nerves now.

The phone was answered by a lady, and i asked if i could speak to the person ill usually deal with, (bearing in mind this was only my 5th call to them since April) so im not on at them much.

Anyway she said ill go find who i was looking for, i heard in the backgroung her say my name, and then someone go 'OH NO'

I found that very hurtful, arn't they the people to help us???

I can't get it out of my mind, and feel a can't ring them now as they think i'm a pain,.

In the UK if you have a heart attack we have something called Cardio Rehab where you go and get info and excercise after your event.

For PM there is nothing, i just got implanted then sent home not knowing whats going on etc..

What should i do?

Many thanks

Hayley x

6 Comments

I can relate

by janetinak - 2009-11-24 03:11:12

I feel your hurt. I have had a few (T.G. only a few) similiar experiences but it hurts. Lats time it happened it was a young guy I paid to do some work for me & I pay well I believe. Well anyhow, I asked him about it in a non-judgemental way when he came over to do the work. He offered an explaination & even his Mom called & made the same explaination. Anyhow, I felt better & maybe he will be careful about what he says when he can be over heard. I realize that you are having a difficult time but you deserve better than this. If you can, you might tell this person that you heard them. It may not have had anything to do with you (certainly seems as you are obviously not a pest). You may have just caught them at a bad time. You deserve better & I think you should ask for it, no matter where you live.

Lots of luck,

Janet

I Know how you feel

by LoobyLou - 2009-11-24 06:11:39

Hi Hayley,
I really understand how you feel. I had excellent treatment and care while I was in Hospital having my PM, but it seems as though once you walk out of the door you are on your own. I have had my pacemaker for 9 weeks and have had lots of questions I would like to ask but on both times I have phoned the pacemaker clinic I have been made to feel as if I am a nuicence and have been left feeling quite upset and no wiser. Even at my check up I was given very little information, basically "the pacemaker is doing its job so don't worry about it!!!" I rang them a few days later and asked for more details and was told that the reason they had not told me more was that "if we told you, you wouldn't understand it"!!!!!
I could go on, you have really got me started!! I think that the reason why we UK pacers are spending so long on this wonderful site is that it is the only place we can get information and reassurance. I hope others in the UK have had better experiences and we are in the minority. Usually I am really satisfied with the NHS it is a fantastic system, I just think there are some gaps that need sorting. Not sure if this will make you feel better or worse, wishing you well Julie X

I can relate too!!!

by Pookie - 2009-11-24 06:11:42

Hi Hayrm,

So sorry to hear that you are upset. I've read all the other posts and totally agree with all of them. It could have been exactly what you thought (which would be more than rude & unprofessional on the lady who answered the phone's part) OR it could be what Patch said that the "Oh No" could have been an answer to another person or to another matter, but you will never know.

I'm sure you're upset and I'm sure it hurt. However, my only advice to you is: try not to dwell on it. I say that because I ran into a similar situation just this past weekend and I was wild I was so angry. I think steam actually came out of my ears :)

My story: I saw a specialist back in March and it was HIS responsibility to fax the copy of the report to 4 other doctors. It took me 7 months to finally get this jerk to fax the report. He said he did and had the confirmation reports (from his fax machine) to prove that they were sent 3 times. Yeah, right buddy, I was thinking.

I called this "specialist" in April, I called in June, I called in September and all 3 times he said he faxed the report!!! Just this past Friday I called the jerk yet again and said: "Listen bud, NO ONE has received the report, how can all 4 of them have broken faxes?" (He was trying to blame it on their fax machines). I told him I expected him to fax it again first thing Monday morning and I even made him verbally repeat the fax numbers for each doctor just to make sure he was dialing the correct numbers. Oh, how he was pissed at me the longer the conversation went on, but at this point in time I was about to pull his hair out by the roots.

Then after lunch on Monday I called all 4 doctors: funny how all 4 of them JUST received the report that morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Because of this Jerk, the 5 recommendations he made (and that I want because I know the recommendations will help me move forward both physically & mentally) are now 7 months behind and our medical system is slow enough. One of the recommendations being put into Cardiac Rehab; another one being treated for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder because of my dieing twice after having my pacemaker...(my story is in the Pulse Newsletter if you want to read it.) I'm not the luckiest person you'll ever meet :)

Anyways, my point is this: it seems as though every medical system has its flaws. It seems as though every doctor's office is too busy and understaffed. It seems as though things are not dealt with in a professional manner any more as the health care system has many many flaws no matter what country you live in. However: it burns my girdle when we are the ones at home in pain, in stress, have questions, etc and are treated like our problem is no big deal. It is just my opinion that the compassion & bedside manners from years ago has almost disappeared and it lands in our laps which is so unfair to us, the patient.

I spoke with my therapist yesterday about my particular event as I told her I wanted to report this Jerk as he should be held accountable; her advice to me was this: what good would it do?????????? She finally convinced me to let it go...and I will.

So, you have a choice: you can either call back and tell them what you overheard & they will probably give you some song & dance and say that the "OH NO" was not directed at you, or they will apologize.

My guess is that they will try and say it was not directed at you. But in your heart, no matter what they say, you know and I know it was probably directed at you...that's my opinion. Will an apology make you forget the event? I don't think so. That is why I mentioned earlier to try and let it go.

There are rude & unprofessional people everywhere and this will not be the first or last time you encounter it.

Hugs,
Pookie

Professional Patient

by ElectricFrank - 2009-11-24 11:11:12

Please don't take this as a criticism of anyone here. I mean it to be helpful.

Rule number one in dealing with the Professional Medical Staff is to present yourself as a Professional Patient. Know what you want from them and be prepared to stick to it. If you are put off or not taken seriously don't become side tracked by your anger or hurt. Take a few moments to again decide what you want. If it is an apology or someone to vent on, there is no point in contacting them. Then decide what approach to take with them. When you have it together you are ready to call back.

How to handle it depends on the particular office, but stick to your request and don't get bogged down in how you feel about how you were treated. A few things I have found useful:
1. Ask for the name of the person who answers and the name of anyone you are transferred to. Write them down and refer to the person by name during the conversation. You will be amazed at how quickly you are treated seriously.
2. Whatever response you get repeat it back to the person on the other end. I remember once telling the doctors nurse "I understand that the doctor is saying that my hearts having 5 second pauses is not a problem he needs to deal with". That got her attention.
3. If you are told to give a problem time to resolve, ask how long and when you should call back.

These are just a few ideas, but they set the tone of the conversation. If you start feeling hurt by the way they are treating you, try what my wife (who was a therapist) used on me one time when I was in the hospital. She simply told me if I wanted to feel like a baby to be cared for she would gladly hold me, but don't expect the doctors and nurses to do it. Tough, but right on. (In fact she did hold me and I cried for a few minutes. Then was ready to go back at it.) I owe a lot to her for where I am now in my ability to handle things.

enjoy Thanksgiving,

frank

OH NO ?

by pete - 2009-11-25 01:11:42

The "OH NO" could just have been a sympathetic response . Not exactly carefully chosen words for you to hear. Sadly in the UK pacing services are grossly underfunded and all the staff are under great pressure to put it mildly. You are lucky to get a pacemaker at all in the UK. Cheers Peter

I agree to with posts

by walkerd - 2009-11-25 06:11:09

but so what, think, they are there for you, If I worried about being a pain in the you know what I would hesitate to call also, but I dont its my life and if I want to call three or four times a day i will, take care of me and answer my questions and I will quit calling. lol. Try not to dwell on it alot we dont need the extra stress with being mad doesnt do our hearts alot of good.

dave

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