Some facilities do know about LE

Rague
Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
in Breast Cancer #1

Friday afternoon I had eye surgery at a private surgical hospital.  (Long story that I won't go into publically now, other than to say my current DR is FANTASTIC.)

Anyway - so many say that they have had issues with staff not knowing correct handling of those with LE (LymphEdema).

I had my sleeve/glove on when I got there and checking in.  I asked if they wanted me to take it off and was told No.  Then they put my arm bands on very loosely on that arm - my pt ID, my allergies band AND a LARGE band stating NO B/P or IV or STICKS.  Pre surgery and surgery (just twilight and a nerve block for eye), my other arm was used for B/P and IV but after surgery I had to lay on that side so when I was in recovery the RN came in with a leg cuff to do my B/Ps!  No questions about it - they knew what they were doing.

Oh for those of you who have 'bad' veins and pain from getting hand/wrist veins - you might ask about numbing before being 'hit'.  I have great veins but the RN who started my IV in the vein above my wrist gave me a very small numbing shot to the area before accessing the vein (which can hurt) and I felt nothing from the access.  Just a thought 'you' might ask about.

Winyan - The Power Within

Susan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9long story

Comments

  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #2
    Don't you love it when

    Don't you love it when everything runs like planned. 

  • sandra4611
    sandra4611 Member Posts: 121
    #3
    How do I know when treatment isn't right?

    1 wk post op from bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction. Home on IV vancomycin before re-admitting to hospital in six days for more surgery due to dying tissue on left side. During 7 day hospitalization, they took BP every two hours on upper arm of left side, which was NOT the cancer side but still had the same trauma of mastectomy & reconstruction. Same number of lymph nodes taken out on both sides.  It was down right painful to get BP the last few days in the hospital. Don't want the same thing to happen when I go back later this week. How do I stand up for myself? None of the doctors or nurses seemed to be concerned and I was too out of it to think straight for the first three or four days.

    They had a "no stick" band on the right "cancer" side only and kept trying to draw blood on left side. After 22 failures, they finally put in PICC line on cancer side. My home health nurses have all been appalled that BP was taken on upper arm of either side and insist it should have been done on wrist.

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