near death experience

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

Had knee surgery in 2003, upon release from hospital the nurses forgot to issue me with compression stockings and warfarin to prevent blood clotting.
12 days latter I was watching the Brisbane Lions destroy Collingwood in the AFL GF for the second year straight when I started to feel pain under my right side rib cage, felt like I had trapped wind.
Finished watching the game and went to get up and that's when I noticed I was short of breath.
Being a bloke I just brushed it aside as nothing to worry about.
Went to bed that night and couldn't lay down as it made breathing even harder, at about 5am my wife convinced me to go to hospital.
Thankfully we were visiting the in laws at the time and they lived in a country town with a very good hospital and resident doctor.
Doctor was called in, took one look at my bandaged knee and my breathing difficulties and told the nurse to get the helicopter on its way.
Turns out I had developed a clot which broke free, travelled to my right lung and ledged itself in there.
The rescue helicopter was already transporting a patient at the time so I ended up in a fixed wing plane on my way to Adelaide airport and on to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
By the time I arrived I could barely breath, couldn't move and was in excruciating pain.
My blood pressure was ridiculously high and my heart rate was up around 200bpm.
They gave me shot after shot of Morphine but it did nothing and at one point the DR suggested I spend some time with my wife and kids, I knew then that things weren't good.
If that wasn't bad enough they had to take me away to have a scan done, as they were wheeling me down there my oxygen bottle ran out and there was a frantic commotion as they hooked me back up to the nearest hard line.

In the end I passed out due to the pain and awoke hours later when they crashed my bed into the elevator door on my way up to a ward.

Breathing is something we just take for granted until you cant, then it gets real scary.

6 months on rat poison, weekly INR tests. All because someone overlooked the basics.
I should have sued them, but at the time I was just glad to be alive.
Actually, I wonder if I still can as at the time my lawyer (original knee surgery was a work cover incident) said the surgeon who did my knee was very nervous when he heard of what had happened.
Is there a statute of limitations with that stuff?

I asked my GP how deadly blood clots can be, he said I had a 50/50 chance as they either get trapped in the lung as was my case or go straight to the brain and cause a stroke/death.

I'd certainly be seeking some legal advice on the matter at least. Negligence is something that happens all too often in hospitals.

[Vincenzo]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

I asked my GP how deadly blood clots can be, he said I had a 50/50 chance as they either get trapped in the lung as was my case or go straight to the brain and cause a stroke/death.

Or the Cardiac Muscle and cause an Acute Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)

Cheers Vincenzo

[poppa smurf]

Hey Vincenzo......you being one of them there medical type fellers can you tell me what the chances are of a Grand mal seizure returning.

you see I had me one of them a fair while ago, not much fun, I was installing an aircon for my SIL, hole in the wall type, cut the hole in the brickwork, lined it out, placed, and secured, the outer shell of the aircon and slid the inner workings in.

well when the inner workings slid in it took off unexpectedly and took the tip of my right index finger with it, blood was squirting like a texas oil well with a lump of bone protruding that simply didn't look right.

I didn't feel so hot so i picked up my tip of my finger and stuffed it in my pocket then went outside and sat down for a bit, next thing I know I was wandering through a great open space of green, green everywhere as in wide open paddocks, streams, trees, animals everywhere and a peace I had never felt before.

so anyhoo! I eventually came back, with my wife in tears (probably disappointed that I had returned to the land of the living) she was shaking the crap out of me, blood was absolutely everywhere and there were black skid marks from the soles of my boots where I had obviously convulsed.

also a fair while ago I took my father into the royal Adelaide for a triple bypass, he died halfway through, dangerous op in those days......I asked him what he had seen, he said nothing there, just a heap of blackness and peace with no pain.

now what has concerned me all these years is that while he was dead he retained a memory of that darkness and pain free state.

me, well I know there is "something" on the other side, waiting........I don't fear death, mind you I'm not in too big a hurry to shoot through just yet.

[Vincenzo]

Steve jobs in an address to the Stanford University stated that "every body wants to go to heaven but none is in a rush to die to get there".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causes_of_seizures

This gives some of the reasons for seizures happening. Without knowing your medical history I would guess you fainted from blood loss / shock of cutting off part of your finger and hitting your head on the ground. If you have one seizure does not necessarily mean you will have others. It could also mean you could go 10 years before another seizure happens.

I suggest for peace of mind, get a referral to a Neurologist and get a Professional opinion - I'm sure Mumma Smurf would concur.

Cheers Vincenzo

[ford71V8]

Originally Posted by blueoval

......Negligence is something that happens all too often in hospitals.

You got that right.
I recently had two hospital trips, should have been one and I should have been dealt with first time around.
But at that time you are at your worst, I had no strength to argue, fight or even barely make my points clear. Was just thankful to be on the path to recovery.

Its kinda silly, when we were talking about it a week later and considering making some waves, I realised had it been my car and not my self I'd have been all over the workshop manager demanding an explanation.
My own health/body though?...well just glad to be feeling good again.

[devilcv8]

Originally Posted by ford71V8

Its kinda silly, when we were talking about it a week later and considering making some waves, I realised had it been my car and not my self I'd have been all over the workshop manager demanding an explanation.
My own health/body though?...well just glad to be feeling good again.

27 years ago my 3yo got hold of iron tablets. No one knew she had eaten them and when she started getting unwell we took her to the hospital. Dr's took X-rays and blood tests and hours later she was transferred to another hospital. The X-ray from the first hospital was misplaced and while the medical staff did all they could trying to work out what was wrong. Over 12 hours after the X-ray was taken it was located and checked. 14 opaque items were identified. Despite all their efforts she passed away that night. I pushed for an inquest and the medical staff at the first hospital were ripped into by the coroner. Expert reports stated that correct treatment could have saved her right up until arriving at the second hospital.
Should I have taken legal action, probably yes. However Neither my wife nor i were in any shape to deal with it.
Hell even writing this is hard.

I do know that experience changed me into the arrogant sob who lives every day as if it is my last that I am today.

[blueoval]

wow. I feel for you mate. So sorry to hear. ^^^

[Grunter]

Originally Posted by devilcv8

...Hell even writing this is hard....

Having kids, it was hard to read. Feel for you.

[revcore]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

can you tell me what the chances are of a Grand mal seizure returning.

I was once told by a neurologist in Adelaide that most people may only ever have one grand mal ever. I've had 2 so far and I'm only 38. The worst one was mid 2013 as I mentioned on page 1 of this thread.
I've also been told that in some people low blood pressure or low blood sugar levels can also trigger a seizure.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by revcore

I was once told by a neurologist in Adelaide that most people may only ever have one grand mal ever. I've had 2 so far and I'm only 38. The worst one was mid 2013 as I mentioned on page 1 of this thread.
I've also been told that in some people low blood pressure or low blood sugar levels can also trigger a seizure.

my quack reckons it was brought on by the stress and "non release" of adrenalin that was built up by the trauma.

basically I have to protest and swear like a politician in a sex allegation case in order to release the adrenalin, "fight or flight".

he reckons that I may never have another or the next may kill me, mind you he's fond of that saying, after my stroke he said the same thing.

devilcv8.....Everyone knows my thoughts on kids, I don't know how you got through it, I have bleary eyes just thinking about losing one of my kids/grandkids, to say you have my deepest sympathy is pathetic and nowhere near enough but it's all I can offer, that, and a willing ear if ever you need it.

[ford71V8]

Originally Posted by devilcv8

27 years ago my 3yo got hold of iron tablets. No one knew she had eaten them and when she started getting unwell we took her to the hospital. Dr's took X-rays and blood tests and hours later she was transferred to another hospital. The X-ray from the first hospital was misplaced and while the medical staff did all they could trying to work out what was wrong. Over 12 hours after the X-ray was taken it was located and checked. 14 opaque items were identified. Despite all their efforts she passed away that night. I pushed for an inquest and the medical staff at the first hospital were ripped into by the coroner. Expert reports stated that correct treatment could have saved her right up until arriving at the second hospital.
Should I have taken legal action, probably yes. However Neither my wife nor i were in any shape to deal with it.
Hell even writing this is hard.

I do know that experience changed me into the arrogant sob who lives every day as if it is my last that I am today.

Jesus I am so sorry to hear this.
We lost my wife's first born in 2001, not hospital related but still a result of someone else's actions. Only when it happens to you, do you get a real understanding of blame vs forgiveness.

[Spurious]

A close call.

A cousin of mine in Canberra bought himself an E55 Charger for his 18'th birthday.

With 2 friends (& alcohol) onboard he was ripping through Pine island backroads when he lost it.
It slid sideways up an embankment, flipped & landed on it's lid on the road flattening the roof.
It then slid, upside down, across the bitumen then off the other side, down another bank into a paddock & rolled several more times, landing on it's wheels, headlights still ablaze (his own words).

His female passenger broke an ankle & his mate in the back seat was untouched, the bloke apparently was still holding his beer & hadn't spilt a drop.

My cous on the other hand had the back of his scalp & right shoulder shaved off by the road surface. When the car initially landed on it's roof, the roof folded around him leaving his head exposed.
He was out cold for a while apparently.

He said the only thing that saved him was the fact he was strapped into a Recaro racing seat, which took most of the grinding.

[Electric XY]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

Who has had one?

I did a couple of years ago, just wondering if anyone else did and how do you feel about the whole experience now?

I was given a drug on the operating table which didn't agree with me at the time, a few hits of adrenalin and intubated to keep Trev going, surgeon said he was seconds away from doing CPR, more to the story too

Similar thing happened to me.
I didn't die,but almost went into cardiac arrest.
Are you positive for melignant hypothermia?
Had all the hospital staff tell me the next day we almost lost you.
I never went back for the surgery I was supposed to have,an inherited a cardiac arrithmia out of it.
Not impressed.

[thehammer]

came very close to having a mid-air collision in a light aircraft about 10 years ago, so close we could here the other guys engine, would've been a direct head-on hit, missed by maybe 20 feet, didn't see him coming

[devilcv8]

24 years ago nearly lost my wife. It was a couple of days after the youngest was born and a passing nurse heard my son crying so she checked to see if everything was ok. Wife had just died but with massive intervention they got her back and found she was suffering septicemia from a piece of placenta.

Have I said I hate dr's and hospitals.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by devilcv8

24 years ago nearly lost my wife. It was a couple of days after the youngest was born and a passing nurse heard my son crying so she checked to see if everything was ok. Wife had just died but with massive intervention they got her back and found she was suffering septicemia from a piece of placenta.

Have I said I hate dr's and hospitals.

jeez!! mate you've had a bad trot......

we placed our son in for a Hernia op a few years back, right side, I went in with him during the initial stages until he was under, stayed with him (outside the operating room) during the OP and as much as I could after. (work pressures)

when I finished work, I went to see him in his room I was dumbfounded, he was opened up like a sardine can from one hip to another, blood everywhere, even at the sides of his mouth, and he had urinated himself, the surgeon came in and said that he had some good news, "the left side is fine and we fixed the right side.".......as if he had done a good thing, I took a step forward but Nanna smurf grabbed my arm.

I asked how such a mistake could be made when it was clearly marked on his body and written in the surgery book as the right, he showed me the book and the obvious correction made by someone changing the side, then blamed his secretary.

I stated I was not happy with his condition and pointed out that he had wet himself (urine seeping up to and into the dressings) and he was obviously in a disheveled and emotive state, he could not reach the remote for the tv and the tv was not on, he was alone in the room and left to his own devices, the surgeon stated that he should be able to go to the toilet anytime he wished.

I explained again that my son has severe cerebral palsy, he simply doesn't understand to go to the loo without intervention and a lot of help, in his state he was physically unable to sit up in bed never lone go anywhere.

I said i wanted a wheel chair to get him the hell out of here, I was denied, so I went out and grabbed one at the nurses station, a male orderly tried to actually physically block me, I dropped him, security was called, I ignored them picked my son up and placed him in the wheelchair and took him to the car.

Police were called, I was not aggressive nor abusive, apart from dropping the orderly, I was so angry I was actually very calm, I explained to the police what had happened and was told by an older copper to get my son home and away from here, which I did.

The officers who attended followed me home, helped me get my son inside, and asked if everything was okay and if I needed anything, they were fantastic and stated if there was anything in the future they could help me with then give them a call and ask for them by name.

I apologised for decking the orderly but stated given the same circumstances I would do it again and he said he probably would have done the same.

I then rang a local pharmacy for bandages and dressings, I didn't know what the hell I would need to dress such a wound so I explained what had happened and to my surprise the pharmacist himself came around to see what I needed.

he looked at the wound and said he will be back, good to his word he returned with a great swag of gear, I paid him and thanked him, once again he said he was only a phone call away.

I never heard from the hospital nor the surgeon again, not even a follow up call, the chemist however rang every morning for a week without fail.

The chemist put me on to a quack who made house calls, I asked him to drop in whenever he was in the area, which he did.

I'm not fond of hospitals nor nursing staff.

[Vincenzo]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

I'm not fond of hospitals nor nursing staff.

After working so many years (15) as an Ambulance Officer / Paramedic and several surgeries I am blown away at the ineptitude of some Medical staff shown by other forum members. All I will say Poppa is I wish you were my Dad. I would at least feel safe knowing that all that was / is possible was being done to keep me safe. I don't know how much communication your son has but I would bet he would be very proud of you and Nanna Smurf.


Cheers Vincenzo

[Itsme]

I'm not surprised in hearing what you said poppa smurf, on the flip side there is some excellent hospitals & medical staff, the bit that P***** me off is that governments & hospital management cut back staffing levels to save money which unfortunately puts pressure on existing staff & diminishes the care factor.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by trublu

I'm not surprised in hearing what you said poppa smurf, on the flip side there is some excellent hospitals & medical staff, the bit that P***** me off is that governments & hospital management cut back staffing levels to save money which unfortunately puts pressure on existing staff & diminishes the care factor.

Nanna Smurf had to have corrective surgery on her upper air bags, this procedure was done in the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Adelaide.

I have never seen a more staggering difference in nursing staff in my life, Nanna Smurf was directly opposite the nurses station so all activity was easily observed and a good way for me to pass the time, wheel barrows full of gossip was the order of the day for the majority.

It very quickly became apparent that there were two classes of nurse, the male nurse that looked after Nanna was a terrific young Chinese/Malaysian feller and a better nurse one couldn't wish for, attentive, clean (as in hand washing upon leaving the room, most didn't) and always busy.

I continuously reminded the nurse's to wash their hands before touching Nanna Smurf as I had observed them going from patient to patient without doing so many times, the wounds were large and pretty susceptible to infection.

Then there were the ones who just simply did what they had to do in as slow a time as possible, however all of theses nurses pooped over the ones where my son was operated on.

Overall I would praise those nurses in the queen Elizabeth at that time.

OH! and the quack's she had was absolutely fantastic, couldn't do enough and so caring.

[devilcv8]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

jeez!! mate you've had a bad trot......

that's the 2 worst. Rest includes "stuff" that did rip the family apart and put me on a collision course with anyone who, in my opinion, harmed my family. Family is back together although eggshells are trodden on every week.

we placed our son in for a Hernia op a few years back, right side, I went in with him during the initial stages until he was under, stayed with him (outside the operating room) during the OP and as much as I could after. (work pressures)

when I finished work, I went to see him in his room I was dumbfounded, he was opened up like a sardine can from one hip to another, blood everywhere, even at the sides of his mouth, and he had urinated himself, the surgeon came in and said that he had some good news, "the left side is fine and we fixed the right side.".......as if he had done a good thing, I took a step forward but Nanna smurf grabbed my arm.

I asked how such a mistake could be made when it was clearly marked on his body and written in the surgery book as the right, he showed me the book and the obvious correction made by someone changing the side, then blamed his secretary.

I stated I was not happy with his condition and pointed out that he had wet himself (urine seeping up to and into the dressings) and he was obviously in a disheveled and emotive state, he could not reach the remote for the tv and the tv was not on, he was alone in the room and left to his own devices, the surgeon stated that he should be able to go to the toilet anytime he wished.

I explained again that my son has severe cerebral palsy, he simply doesn't understand to go to the loo without intervention and a lot of help, in his state he was physically unable to sit up in bed never lone go anywhere.

I said i wanted a wheel chair to get him the hell out of here, I was denied, so I went out and grabbed one at the nurses station, a male orderly tried to actually physically block me, I dropped him, security was called, I ignored them picked my son up and placed him in the wheelchair and took him to the car.

Police were called, I was not aggressive nor abusive, apart from dropping the orderly, I was so angry I was actually very calm, I explained to the police what had happened and was told by an older copper to get my son home and away from here, which I did.

The officers who attended followed me home, helped me get my son inside, and asked if everything was okay and if I needed anything, they were fantastic and stated if there was anything in the future they could help me with then give them a call and ask for them by name.

I apologised for decking the orderly but stated given the same circumstances I would do it again and he said he probably would have done the same.

I then rang a local pharmacy for bandages and dressings, I didn't know what the hell I would need to dress such a wound so I explained what had happened and to my surprise the pharmacist himself came around to see what I needed.

he looked at the wound and said he will be back, good to his word he returned with a great swag of gear, I paid him and thanked him, once again he said he was only a phone call away.

I never heard from the hospital nor the surgeon again, not even a follow up call, the chemist however rang every morning for a week without fail.

The chemist put me on to a quack who made house calls, I asked him to drop in whenever he was in the area, which he did.

I'm not fond of hospitals nor nursing staff.

Damn, what a shocking story. Your actions however remind me of myself.

There's an old saying, everyone makes mistakes, but doctors bury theirs.

[snopony]

Many many many moons ago on my P plates, did the normal rite of passage lap around Mt Panorama at night. I was in my first XB, a 302 red Pepper Mock up.... back when p platers were allowed to drive them... I got cocky coming of forrest elbow, as soon as the car was in a straight line I gave her a gut full. She responded as normal, flat strap which is about when the spring on the carby decided that was enough and left me with secondaries jammed open. So here I am, bat out of hell down conrod, brakes were no help, wondering how the hell I am gonna stop this thing as it was an auto... have to remember I am all of 18 and a sheila that dosnt like surprises... put it in neutral, engine is still flat strap so I turned the key off being very careful not to go past acc as off would have meant no steering. I will never forget the backfiring just before I managed to pull up at the chicane turn. pulled over on the grass verge, got out and had a lie down. popped the bonnet, while my poor engine is ticking away from heatstroke... the spring was still stretched out. gave it a poke n a wiggle n it went back to where it was supposed to be. drove home no probs. have NEVER sped around the mount again.

[Ruination]

Three years ago my cousin and I were coming home from a night out on the town (Northbridge) he was driving his near on 450kw BF F6 and we back tracked it through Mundaring Weir road, a windy twisty hillside road with many sheer drops and a 40kph speed limit.
I was texting someone I met earlier that night, when I looked up as he put his foot down to the floor and lost traction.

90kph off the side of a sheer drop. Hitting a tree mid air, did a full 180 degree spin then continued down the slope through bushes until getting to the bottom.
The whole thing felt as though it lasted an eternity, yet I couldn't process anything that was happening. Couldn't say anything, couldn't move, couldn't think. Though at some point I did believe that this was it, "The end"

He just kept saying "Im sorry" whilst everything was going down.

When the car stopped at the bottom we sat still for what seemed like forever. The air bags didn't go off but we seemed intact. I hit my head pretty hard on the B pillar but miraculously I was okay.
I don't remember anything else after that other than walking for a long time.

I won't go into anymore about what happened after the crash, but it wasn't a good ending.
I no longer have anything to do with my Cousin. In fact it rattled me enough to turn me into a social recluse for quite some time.

I'll tell you one thing though when I reflect back on it, it scares the hell out of me when I remember the feeling - of having absolute no control of what was going to happen.
I got extremely lucky, but knowing it could of gone a lot worse is terrifying.