cactus
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7347
posted
I was in and out of the hospital this week, and now that I'm home, can't get this incident out of my mind.
Nurse was putting in an IV, in a hurry, she was filling in for someone else.
My room phone rang while she was doing it and she answered while working on my arm - and things got a bit messy.
She asked me if I had any "blood diseases" and I told her that I have Lyme and Babs, plus other tick-borne illnesses.
She said she was not worried about those.
She did go on to ask if I just have arthritis pain from Lyme, and I tried to tell her that it was much more than that,
that I'd originally been diagnosed with MS but it's Lyme.
Thought that would illustrate the seriousness of Lyme.
Her answer was:
"Thank God it's not MS - that can kill you. Lyme is just an inconvenience."
I was in a lot of pain, or would have been more proactive about education.
At the moment, I was not capable of saying more, although my mouth opened -
and then the pain clamped down again and I closed my mouth to stifle the agony.
Now I find myself concerned that she was exposed to my blood, and is not aware of the dangers.
And yes, I think her statement was ridiculous but she is only parroting what has been the stance of this particular hospital.
This disease stinks.
-------------------- �Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?� - A.A. Milne Posts: 1987 | From No. VA | Registered: May 2005
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Leelee
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19112
posted
Cactus, I just don't know what to say. I am hopeful that now that you are home you will continue to recover.
But, I am also saddened that your nurse hasn't been properly educated.
And, of course, you are right. Lyme is much, much more than an inconvenience.
I once had a psychiatrist tell me that I wasn't so bad off as she knew someone infected with Lyme that was in a wheelchair.
I hope you continue to heal and feel better.
-------------------- The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. Martin Luther King,Jr Posts: 1573 | From Maryland | Registered: Feb 2009
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cactus
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7347
posted
Thanks, LeeLee, for your kind words.
There isn't much to say.
I just needed to share what happened, somehow.
My heart aches a bit right now to think that this nurse could have been exposed to my blood -
I would not wish this on anyone.
Of course, she should be better educated,
she should not have been answering phones while putting in IVs,
or saying insensitive things to people in tremendous pain ...
and still all I can think is that she could have caught this ludicrous disease from me!
-------------------- �Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?� - A.A. Milne Posts: 1987 | From No. VA | Registered: May 2005
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
Dear Cactus, i'm sorry you had such a bad experience. Wasn't the nurse wearing gloves while inserting your IV? She should have been!
I'm not an expert but from what I understand, Lyme cannot be transmitted from one person to another through skin contact with infected blood. If I remember correctly, the ticks saliva helps facilitate the transmission.
So please don't worry about making the nurse sick. She is more at risk of infection while walking in her own back yard. She should be more cautious next time, maybe the fact that you had an infection will make her more aware of her actions in the future.
It always makes me sad to hear how uneducated medical professionals are about Lyme. Remember, it is not their fault. We need to educate the ones we interact with. Then they can help spread the word.
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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Leelee
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19112
posted
quote:Originally posted by sammy: I'm not an expert but from what I understand, Lyme cannot be transmitted from one person to another through skin contact with infected blood. If I remember correctly, the ticks saliva helps facilitate the transmission.
I believe I have read that as well. I do not think that the nurse could have been infected this way.
Please, please try not to worry. I know it is impossible not to as I can tell you are a kind, concerned person.
-------------------- The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. Martin Luther King,Jr Posts: 1573 | From Maryland | Registered: Feb 2009
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posted
My god this nurse is asking for trouble. Like asking someone if they have something is precaution enough! That's like asking a stranger before you have sex, Do you have anything? and then no using a condom...
It isn't too late to educate her. Give her info when you can. Possibly even a copy of "Under our Skin" if you can. Or you can send a letter or a card. If she isn't using gloves like what I gathered she isn't just putting herself at risk but others as well. That alone should be reported!
Sorry you had to go through that. I would have wanted to say it is worse than MS see the movie "Under our Skin" and you will see how much of an inconvience it is!
-------------------- If you keep doing nothing...nothing changes!
posted
Sorry you had to deal with this nurse. Flight attendants are trained to wear gloves when dealing with bodily fluids so I am sure this nurse was. It is not your fault she does not follow simple guidelines made for her own protection.
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
So sorry you've been in the hospital. You are so kind to be concerned about the nurse. I agree with you, she is only saying what she has been told.
I agree with lakes too, it isn't too late to educate her. The problem I assume is that you may not know her name or have enough information to contact her.
This comes from an ILADS LLND who researched this through a reputable source: Yes, you could get lyme from an infected deer's blood. If exposed to the blood you should be treated. Tell any hunter friends to wear gloves when dressing the deer.
Yes, it is safe to eat deer meat , but only if COOKED at 160 degrees.
Cactus, consider going through the ILADS site for info that you can use to educate a medical professional.
Hope you feel better soon.
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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cactus
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7347
posted
Thanks, all of you.
When she asked if I had any "blood diseases" - I was surprised (shocked), and lifted my head to try to look to see if she had gloves on.
But whether she had them on or not escapes me, or maybe I couldn't see.
The pain was pretty bad at that point, and I think I gave up trying to see.
Obviously, she made some mistakes.
She was filling in while my nurse was doing compressions on the guy next door - and I didn't even catch her name.
Maybe I can send a card to thank the nurses that cared for me, and ask that it be passed along to her as well. Along with some Lyme literature?
Shaking my head at this, but very grateful for the support of you all, Cactus
-------------------- �Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?� - A.A. Milne Posts: 1987 | From No. VA | Registered: May 2005
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
cactus, so sorry of your recent hospitalization and you're being an inconvenience to them.... HOG WASH.
i'd write the CEO of hospital and request they buy a ocpy of under our skin and have staff training with it and PUBLIC showings!!
tired, going to bed.... best wishes my dear friend
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If the nurse isnt concerned about lyme... whew... wait till Karma kicks in...
Posts: 514 | From . | Registered: Apr 2008
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WildCondor
Unregistered
posted
Go back there when you feel better and give her the right information. Write out your personal Lyme story and print out others. Show her that MS is a common misdiagnosis for a Lyme patient. Go set her (and the staff) straight. Show them that the "inconvenience" destroys lives and shes wrong.
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