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My empathies with you, Katherine.
Not to be too intrusive and I know it is too late but did you really require your gall bladder removed?
This will all tie together.
I was nearly killed in a night-time car crash (December 1999). The EMTs arrived and extracted me from my car (my classic 1965 Ford Mustang was reduced to a smashed pile of rubble - AGH!). There I was on the stretcher as the medics asked all those quite common questions including LMP and Grava / Para. Being honest I obviously reported my transsexual status so that they knew not to worry about any unknown pregnancy that females can incur.
My disclosure was a big mistake. I was strapped tight in that stretcher and could not move; the EMTs took off my clothing and all came to take a look. I expressed my anger at their misbehaviour, complained about being in pain, and requested the EMTs to help my arm (my shoulder was dislocated). They did blood draws alright - I was a human pin cushion. More than six times they stuck new needles into me rather than connecting me on one needle and drawing blood from that.
I considered my treatment at the ER abusive. The only caring I received was when a nurse finally came to bathe the road dust and dirt off me nearly five hours into my hospital admission. I also experienced follow-up care that more than bordered on mistreatment. I filed complaints that went nowhere. I was injured and disabled; they knew I had no fight in me other than recovery. I would never return to that hospital.
I experienced gall bladder and liver damage from that collision among many other injuries. By the following November (11 months later) I was feeling worse, not better - clutching my abdomen that particular way as I breathed hard. I went to the clinic - I arrived about 5:30 pm after work. The doctors came and went examining me, drawing blood and other fluids, touching me for my abdominal sensitivity. Finally, about 12:30 am, the main physician came to tell me that he had been consulting other physicians and the hospital and that they considered that I should have my gall bladder removed definitely and maybe my liver - they were set to go and admit me right then and there.
NO!! I thought. NO WAY!! This is NOT happening to me. I flatly told that to the physician. I told him there must be an alternative - that I will not agree to any surgery, at least not that morning. The doctor listened to me and excused himself to discuss my sense with his team. I waited alone with my thoughts racing for another 30 minutes or so. The doctor returned and told me that he accepts my reluctance and refusal. He told me that I should at least have my gall bladder removed and can wait to see about my liver if it needs more time to recover. I still said 'NO!' to the doctor. He left for another while - he returned with some papers. We discussed diet; basically if I avoided all fats, salts, and sugars, I could reduce my gall bladder pains. We agreed that I will strictly follow his diet plan and return if I felt worse.
Good news. My pains subsided and have since gone away. I kept my gall bladder and my liver. I did not require surgery after all because my organs still simply needed time to heal.
Which gets back to the hospital and the discharge orders. Not once did the medical people tell me how bad my gall bladder and liver were damaged, nor that I should avoid certain foods so that those organs can heal post-collision damage. My diet was not the best nor was it that bad. Discharge advice would have gone a long way.
Maybe my post here can help someone in this sense. If it is possible to delay a surgical procedure such as I faced, then you might buy time and find that it was not necessary because there was an alternative way to manage the medical crisis.
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