Hello all,

Today's post will be about the experience my wife had the day she had her lap band surgery. Of course this is at the same hospital and surgery performed by the same doctor.

So my wife was supposed to have surgery on September 28th, but a week before the surgery we got a call that they were going to be moving it up to the 27th because the doctor was going on vacation the next day. My wife was pretty excited considering she was only going to have to suffer the pre-op diet one day lesser.

So I get to the hospital right as my wife was going into surgery because unfortunately I had to work and couldn't be with her all day that day. So I meet my mother-in-law in the waiting room expecting to get called when she got out of surgery and told she was in her room. Now this was at 1:00pm. Stay with me! My surgery, took 20 mins. At almost 2:00pm I realized that no one has called to tell us that she is out of surgery, in recovery, or in her room so I go to the nurses station and ask what's going on.

The first nurse tells me she'll be out in her room in 15 mins. I can live with that, I got another hour before I had to go back to work so that's plenty of time. Another 45 mins go by before my mother-in-law goes back to see what the deal is and of course we get the same ol speech. Finally, we ran into the doctor and he said that everything went fine, it took him a little longer than me but everything went well. But when we told him that she hadn't been sent to her room, it left a funny look on his face. But he had to get back to surgery, so we waited some more.

At a little past 3:30pm they finally roll my wife out and into her room grabbing us from the waiting room on the way. Of course I'm pissed, because what the hell took so long? Plus no one was talking. So as I get to talking to my wife, she's crying, screaming in pain, etc... OMG it was awful. She finally tells me that she was thrown in the corner after surgery and not given "NO" pain medication whatsoever, and when she asked, the nurse's told her she couldn't have any!

(Yeah that was my reaction too!)

So I'm going off, yelling at nurses, at administration trying to figure out what the f*#%! they were doing for 3 almost 4 hours that she was back there. When I went back to the nurse's station, of course everyone was standing around shooting the ****, and had their bags packed like they were going home. I exploded. My mother-in-law made me leave before a John Q incident went down and that she will call me and let me know what the deal was.

So I get back to work and I wasn't there a good two hours before my mother-in-law calls and tells me that not one nurse has been in to check in on her nor given her any pain medication. (Wait it gets better) So I called the doctor's office and get their after hours answering service and explain to them the situation. And hour later goes by and I hear from my in-law and you wouldn't believe what she told me next.

(You'll love this!)

So she tells me that all of a sudden, a team of nurse came running into the room to try and get my wife to walk a few laps around the floor so that they can discharge her because they won't let her stay the night! So they force her out of bed and while she's screaming bloody murder, makes her walk and she almost fell and fainted from all the pain. In the midst of all that the on-call doctor orders her an overnight stay along with pain meds. When the night shift nurse came on, she told my mother-in-law that's going to have you all flipping out.

So while the doctor had planned to move all his surgery load to the day before his vacation, hospital administration "FORGOT" to give her info to the surgery department or they hadn't put her in the system. So either way, it was almost like my wife wasn't even there, but she still got hacked on like a science project and thrown in the corner like a lab frog. My wife couldn't drink anything, she could barely walk, she was afraid to use the bathroom and I had to spend all night worried because they wouldn't let me see her after I got off work from making up ALL that time I missed from when I was there before.

So please let this be a heads up to those getting ready to have surgery. Make sure registration has you in the system and your paperwork is there with your orders and medications for pain and infection. It's been two weeks and my wife is still having complications from that event. And the messed up thing is, we can't even sue if we needed to!

Be aware, be safe,

DeShawn Johnson

I am very sorry to hear what your wife endured. First and foremost, I hope she is on the mend and getting over that nightmarish event.

Why do you feel you have no recourse with the hospital or doctor? If the hospital is accredited you can find out by whom and let them know what happened for them to investigate it. You wouldn't get any monetary reward but it may prevent someone else from having to endure that.

Best of luck to you and your wife!!!

Wow! I hope she feels better soon! Thank you for the information, but you should have this incident investigated! All the best!!

Your wife and I were roomies I believe. Memorial Hospital in Tampa? She was in so much pain. I felt so bad for her. I was too and knew I would've been better off at home. I had to go to the ER by my house the following night it was so bad. I met you that night when you went to see her after work. I had a horrible experience there as well. I was MISERABLE!! Please send her my best!!

Your wife and I were roomies I believe. Memorial Hospital in Tampa? She was in so much pain. I felt so bad for her. I was too and knew I would've been better off at home. I had to go to the ER by my house the following night it was so bad. I met you that night when you went to see her after work. I had a horrible experience there as well. I was MISERABLE!! Please send her my best!!

Are you talking about Tampa General?

Sorry about your wife's terrible experience and I hope she is doing better.

No it was Memorial Hospital. I walked into the Preop area and they said, "Oh there you are!" Brought me back. Started admitting me then I saw my bracelet....... Wrong patient. "Oh we thought you were so and so who's running late." Ended up she was sitting in the waiting room the whole time. Just not very organized there AT ALL. Love my surgeon and my OR nurse and nurse anesthetist but other staff and floor nurses couldn't get their act together!!

OMG what a horrible thing to go through. I hope you wife is doing better now. If it was my husband I would be looking for answers. Making phone calls and writing letters to get to the bottom of it .

Keep us updated on your wife's progress with the band. It is done and she can start looking forward to a new healthy life.

Most hospitals have a patient advocate. I would ask to speak with them. Even about wrong arm band incident.

A full investigation should be taken to find out WTF! This is so abnormal and the duration I can understand. It's the communication that bothers me. Why did it take so long for you to be notified? A next of Kin should be called in all surgeries if the spouse/friend is not there with the patient. Your wife should have mentioned to the nurses to contact this person. I did this with my surgery as I was dropped off at the hospital by a dear friend and she left for a few hours. They had a typed paper with my parents, friends cell phone and my sisters cell as well. Specific instructions were spelled out and they called.

Prayers for a speedy recovery to your wife.

No it was Memorial Hospital. I walked into the Preop area and they said, "Oh there you are!" Brought me back. Started admitting me then I saw my bracelet....... Wrong patient. "Oh we thought you were so and so who's running late." Ended up she was sitting in the waiting room the whole time. Just not very organized there AT ALL. Love my surgeon and my OR nurse and nurse anesthetist but other staff and floor nurses couldn't get their act together!!

I had my surgery at memorial in dec 2010 and had a wonderful experience. I am so sorry you did not. In fact one if my nurses was/is on this forum because she is a bandster.

I hope you reported this incident to the chief of staff.

Your poor wife. Lodge a complaint, what they did was so irresponsible and they need to make sure they don't put anyone else through the same thing.

I had amazing care at my hospital.

I hope your wife recovered quickly.

Wow.. So sorry to hear about your wife.. that is just unheard of.I hope she feel better real soon. I'm just thankful that I have an awesome Dr here in ATL..Keep us updated on her progress. Gods Blessing

~MsChoco1

This is heartbreaking news to hear for you and your wife. My doctor after every surgery immediately comes to the waiting room and speaks with the family. I always had a nurse with me the entire two hours after surgery and my husband. I was treated so wonderful and so were all the other patients recovering with me.

OMG. So sorry that you both had to experience this! I hope that your wife is feeling

better now.

This is just horrible and completely inexcusable. I cannot fathom this happening in this day and age, and worse, I can't fathom the pain and fear your poor wife went through. I am truly sorry.

I would be raising holy hell if I were you. I'd be demanding a patient advocate, I'd also filing a formal complaint with the AMA and the hospital board directly. Quite honestly, I wouldn't stop until I had the heads of whoever was responsible for this on a platter. They cannot get away with such gross neglect.