RE: Wayne Hospital Issues

[Guest guest]

I am hospitalized usually twice a year in a medical-surgical ward for

gastrointestinal issues. I start fighting with the resident over my insulin

as soon as I am over whatever crisis put me in there. The resident usually

has little experience with diabetes management, and may not be willing to

listen to me.

The sliding scale used by my hospital does not prescribe an insulin

injection if my blood sugar reading is less than 150, even if that is 1 hour

before lunch. If I am at 145 before lunch and I receive no insulin, what do

you think my blood sugar reading is before dinner? The recommended insulin

dosage for a reading of 150 is 4 r, which is totally inadequate. I would

normally take 11 r in that situation, 10 to cover lunch and 1 for the

reading over 100. I believe that their system is more concerned with

avoiding a patient crashing than it is to provide good blood sugar

management. I have occasionally got them to let me manage my own insulin,

but usually not. While you can refuse medication you don't want, you cannot

demand moreand get it if they don't want to give it to you.

Another issue is dietary. My hospital's kitchen seems to have a problem

delivering me a diabetic meal, even though everyone assures me that I am

properly set up in the computer system. I now ask the nurse if it is a

diabetic meal before I eat it.

Unless you have someone there to do it for you, you have to be your own

agvocate. I am fortunate that the nurses know that my wife will be in every

day after work and they will get the third degree. I also advocate for

myself unless I am too ill.

Your diabetes care is only as good as your individual doctor, resident, and

nurse. Unless you were admitted for a diabetes problem, your medical team

are probably not diabetes specialists.

All I know it that my sugar gets out of wack whenever I go in the hospital

and it will take me a few days afterward to straighten it out. So do I

believe that the hospital lets Wayne's blood sugar skyrocket and may forgets

to give him his shots when they are due. Yes!

Wayne

I spoke with Wayne yesterday afternoon. He was cheerful, but his BGs are

running really high. It was 512 the night before and when I take with him

at noon, it was 392! I hope he is not getting an infection. He thought

they did not give him his insulin, but I can't imagine that happening in a

hospital. I've had to remind them to be more timely with the injections,

but they have never missed. It is nice I have my pump, as I can do it as

needed-and I usually take my machine with me or have my husband bring it in.