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Jan Graziani - LVN
Chicago, IL USA

This is very good advice (and observations) for all of us - whether we are sick or not at this point in time. I suggest that our inpatients keep pen and paper handy to record their concerns about patient care, questions about their stay or treatment so the physician can answer those questions when he makes rounds. When the answers are written down, then family members also can have their questions answered and aren't obligated to wait around for the physician to make rounds to be barraged with their concerns.

Another helpful tool when we do our workshops has been to have your health history available (see attachment). Most people don't remember any of this information that could be important for either the visit to the physician office, the emergency room etc. Most do not think to mention no transfusion if it does not seem to be an issue at the time, but when they are asked about allergies that this should send up a "red flag" to trigger that they cannot/will not accept transfusion.

Attached Files

	Health History.doc (26.0 KB, 29 views)

The Health History doc is useful. Thank you for putting it up there for us, hansej.

In February I told our new doctor 'no blood' info and he said didn't matter. He would never be doing surgery for me. Then I repeated it the next time to the PA...no problem, it wouldn't concern her. Then I told the cardiologist...didn't matter to him, although referring me for an angiogram, because he wouldn't be doing the procedure. I asked the receptionist when she called to schedule me for pre-op and the angiogram. No problem, she said. Finally, pre-op day I saw the doctor doing the angiogram and once more mentioned my stand on blood. Boy, did he backpeddle. No way did he want to touch me. Nope. I got that far up the chain before it became an issue and halted everything. Now I am starting back at the beginning. I told everyone I dealt with...how in the world do we make sure they are listening so the referral process is directed towards the proper specialist! ! ????

Jonell - so sorry you have had such a frustrating experience. If possible, please look at our Medical Center directory on this site, and hopefully you will find a facility near you with a bloodless medicine and surgery program. The coordinator's name will be obvious, give them a call. We all hope you find respect and good care soon.

This happened to me, I can't believe it. I went to my primary complaining of shortness of breath,heart palpitations. He actually tried to write it off to panic. Do you know I argued with him for over an hour to give me a script for a cardio stress test? I finally said point blank, you can give me the script or I can go somewhere else, but I'm getting a stress test. I got the script, but opted to go to a cardiologist who did a full work-up on me.