ER, E78, R83, ED, ME, PSO.........
Emergency Room
Engine #78
Rescue #83
Emergency Department
Medical Examiner
Physician Specialty Office
Today we had a whole list of places to run to and things to do. But most of our running around and energy went into the scavenger hunt for Nick's wedding ring that is still missing.
We had Suzy's friend Chelsea talking to the ambulance company. No one remembers seeing a ring or taking a ring off of him and nothing was found in the rig. We talked to the first responders which was the fire station at the corner of the accident. They said they had no reason to take off any of gloves so never saw a ring or took one off. So we thought we would go back to the hospital to see if they would take Suzy back to the lost and found (with an escort) to let her look for the ring; that did not work out the way we wanted.
First let me tell you why this is such a HUGE deal. Aside from it being Nick's wedding ring, the thing that really fires us up is that it is OBVIOUS that protocol and accidents happened when it comes to the handling of Nick's personal affects. According to the Security Managers at the hospital, this is the way it is SUPPOSED to go:
***Trauma comes in
***Security Officer meets the trauma
***Nurses remove personal affects and hand them to Officer right there in the room.
***Officer logs all affects and keeps them in a bag in a room somewhere safe until the family comes to collect them.
***Family goes to hospital to collect them. Things in bag are listed on a piece of paper and family signs off on them.
(as long as protocol is followed properly, this should be the end of it.)
Our problem....
Suzy went to pick up his affects from the hospital. She received a bag and signed off for it. His necklace that he has worn every day of his life since 8th grade was in the bag, but the charms that were ON that chain were missing and the chain was in one piece. Also, one sock was given to Suzy but the other was missing and no sock was listed on the paper that they logged stuff on. Things that they CUT off of Nick and we would not be getting back were also listed and scratched out so we could see what was there in total. (An obvious red flag).
A couple of days later, when the funeral home receives Nick's body from the Medical Examiner, they hand us a bag with a paper attached listing 2 items... the charms that were on Nick's necklace. But that is all. How they got these items, we have no idea. It certainly did not meet protocol as laid out above. And the funeral director knew we were looking for his ring, and there was no ring on Nick's body.
So, after talking to the Fire Departments and the Ambulance people, we decided to try one more time at the hospital. Maybe we could ask the head of security for help. Instead, we were sent on a crazy scavenger hunt. Security has no record and they were very confused about how the chain and the charms got separated and how they ended up with the ME. We told him that we have an eye witness saying that Nick was wearing gloves but those are missing too. He shakes his head very confused. He goes over protocol like 3 times with us. And we keep saying, "Yes, we understand, but obviously something went wrong." So then he says we can find the doctor and/or nurses who worked on Nick. Maybe they will remember seeing a ring on his finger. He sent us to Physicians Specialty Office (where the trauma doctors all have offices). The receptionist very apologetically told us there was nothing she could do, and that we need to go to Medical Records to find out exactly what happened to his body. We started walking towards Medical Records but stopped at the ER to ask for Nursing Supervisor. We explained what we wanted, and the receptionist there went to the security officer to ask about objects they might have. We stopped her mid-sentence. "We have already gone through security. We need to talk to the nurses to see if they even remember a ring." Finally she goes on the hunt and comes back out and tells us they will be right with us.
Then a social worker comes out. Not the Nursing Supervisor. (All we want to know is if ANYONE remembers seeing a ring on Nick's finger) Again we tell the story to the Social Worker. We explain our search and who we have spoken to. "Well you need to call the ME." "Also, you need to talk to the Patient Advocate and file a grievance." *sigh* A letter of complaint? I am all about those at this point in time!
We walk back to our car. I call the Medical Examiner. After a couple of phone tags, the answer is, "According to our paper work, the only thing Nick came into the ME with was his boxers. They didn't even receive the charms. However, upon releasing him to the Funeral Home they DID have paperwork that included the charms." Some how.. some way.. they received the charms from some where. But where and how and by whom??? No one freakin' has a clue!
The next call I make is to the advocate. He asks some "painful" (according to him) questions and apologizes profusely. I tell him the story AGAIN and he promises to get right on it and investigate the situation. *sigh* Great. Just please find the ring!
At this point, we have no idea where to go and how to find the ring. And the more we search, the angrier we get.
I realize that the first responders and the hospitals first priority is the patient's life. But when someone dies, their personal affects are so very important to the survivor. And this is a hard one to let go.. especially as we see some HUGE mistakes happened somewhere and everyone wants to quote policy and point fingers and no one wants to say.. "Hey, ya know, we really fucked up. We are sorry."
Once again, the lady who hit Nick has insurance that covers property damage and our lawyer has sent a letter of demand, which includes the cost of the wedding ring. But money doesn't take place of a person or a sentimental object that signifies something so very important.
When I have the energy, I will be writing very long angry letters to ALL of the people who handled Nick's body and his personal affects detailing out exactly what has happened and how badly they fucked this one up. They need to know and be held accountable. Every single one of them.
I really can't get out of Florida fast enough. Between bagster bandits, crazy drivers, doctors who breach ethical conduct and basically spiritually rape my daughter in law while she is undressed and on their examination table and the way that the people have treated my son's personal affects, I am soooo damned done with this state.
Give me chocolate and promise no one will die... they might be harmed, but they will live to see another day.... maybe. *sigh*
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