Medical Care – a consumer’s perspective-Cleveland Clinic Rehab Hospital

Part One– https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2019/03/22/the-ratings-of-medical-facilities-series-it-begins/

Part Two- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2019/04/09/medical-care-from-a-consumers-perspective-ohio/

Part Three- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2019/04/22/medical-care-a-consumers-prospective-mercy-health-lorain/

Part Four – https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2019/04/29/medical-care-a-consumers-perspective-mercy-health-lorain-2/

 

Cleveland Clinic Rehabilitation Hospital Avon Ohio, was NOT on the list of 34 facilities given to  us by  Mercy Health social workers – Lorain Ohio.  I  did some research  on my  own, went to  the internet and to  my  facebook page and asked local friends if they  had had good or even poor experiences with  facilities in the area. Cleveland Clinic Rehabilitation Hospital came up as being a good facility.  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/locations/rehabilitation-hospital/specialties

My  daughter and I  spent a Thursday  morning touring the facility. It has all the benefits of a hospital doctors  , rehabilitation therapists,  nurses,  aides and the focus is of course on rehabilitation. The facility  is only  a few years old and shiny  , white and extremely  clean. The rooms were large , bright and airy. We were most impressed with  the rehabilitation area and the state of the art equipment .

However, my  husband ( due to  Medicare Insurance  rules) apparently  could only stay  for 19  days.  It is my  belief  he probably  should have been released to  that facility  further along in his recovery. He was paralyzed down one side  and was on a plethora of medications. One which  was given to  him at Mercy  by the “ghost dr.” which  causes confusion etc. Again not being a physician and not knowing at the time he was even on this medication I was also  unaware  that in order to  combat the confusion ( also  he was on pain killers) he was being given another drug for Alzheimers.

I must interject here as to  hospital to  hospital transportation, I  wish  I  had something good to  say , you  really  are at the transporters “mercy”. The time arranged   leaving Mercy to  the Clinic was supposed to  be 11 a.m However, although  I  was supposed to  follow him to  the new facility  I  couldn’t by  6 in the evening after waiting hours and hours I went home and told them to  call me when he was being transported . You  see I  had to  sign the admittance papers and permission to  treat. At 9:00 p.m. I  called the Clinic who  told me that it was so  late he would probably  now be transported the following morning . I went to  bed only  to  be called at 11:15 by  the Cleveland Clinic Nurse that he had been sent to  them a few minutes prior  and could I  give the permissions verbally. ( This was not the only hiccup with transport).

I was, on the whole, extremely  pleased with  this facility  but it was not all good news. Once again the rehab staff were wonderful, and it was so  organized, you  knew exactly what he would be doing and when, I  was very  impressed with  the rehab staff, also  the cleaning staff once again were in the rooms every  day  and sometimes more than once. The nurses were for the most part very  professional and helpful as were 80 percent of the aides.

My  husband needed help  initially from two  and on some occasions three individuals to  see to  his needs. The confusion caused by  the drugs  did not help, that and the weakness and immobility of his left side. He had to  learn to  use his vocal cords  again ( which were stretched due to  the intubation) . It was a few days before I  realized he was still taking the medication for gout  which  should have been stopped at Mercy.  The medication Colchicine, can  and does cause diarrhea  and stomach  upset. The gout symptoms had abated and he really  should not have been still on this drug , especially  since it does also react with  Digoxin  but of course I  was unaware he was on this drug as well.

I  did insist since the diarrhea was an issue  they  stop the Colchicine. I also , once I  found out he was on Digoxin  ( Lanoxin),  they  stop or change that medication    BUT and here is the issue  it seems that doctors at this facility  and other facilities in the chain are loathe to  change another “specialists” diagnosis and treatment.  This was a huge problem  for us. One because we were out of our network and OUR team of physicians and specialists who  knew his history  and his courses of treatment we had to  rely  on basically  strangers to  his situation.

Therefore I  started asking for a daily  list of all his medications

Once he was off the Colchicine he stomach  upset went away. BUT not for long  a woman in the next room came down with  C’diff https://www.cdc.gov/cdiff/what-is.html . Now it was put to  us that my  husband came down with  this due to  the huge amount of antibiotics he was taking and had taken. BUT that is not the whole story:

IF the lady  in the next room and not had the infection first I would not have done more research thinking  it was because of the antibiotics . Although  the staff were for the most part adhering to   handwashing etc protocol not all of them did . Infact  I  would say  20  percent of the aides were lax in that area. I  actually  had to  throw away  his cellphone as it somehow became covered in fecal matter ( C’diff contamination) and was put on the bedside table. My  husband was incapable of having reached the table.  I  will say  that for the most part the aides and nurses did respond to  his call light in a timely  manner.

One aide,  in particular, left a lot to  be desired, from his treatment of my  husband  and his response times were not great, his laxness in this area and lack  of hand washing protocol  was a great concern.

 

Please understand a patient is in pain  and although  they  had been told of the back injury   it took at least a week for them to  address the situation ( it hadn’t been addressed at Mercy so  not on his record) , which  meant sitting in one position or laying ( when you  are partially  paralyzed) can be unbearable and since you  can’t move  the aides had to  do  it for him. This did cause “some ” of the aides  frustration and it showed.

Chris Ritchey Face book icon

 

There was  another aide  who also  needed to  be retrained or let go  in my  opinion.  I came into  find my  husband half in  and half out of the bed, the top  sheet wrapped around him and soaked with  water. Actually  I  had just walked into  the room with  one of the hospital administrators, so  she did witness the situation. She immediately  went to  work taking care of my husbands comfort. The aide , when she was called , said he spilled water on himself… remembering the jug was on a table  out of his reach and he was not able to  move his left arm at all, that scenario was very  unlikely. I looked at this aide and said:

“so  he spills a jug of water all over his bedding and you  leave him laying in it?”  

The aid turned to  me and said:

“SORREEEEEEE”( in a very  sarcastic tone)

I then turned to  the administrator ( names available) and said

“she is done I  don’t want her anywhere near my  husband

The administrators at the Cleveland Clinic Rehabilitation hospital did address my  concerns but as I  told them what stopped them from getting  great review  on the place as a whole in my  opinion  was 20 percent of their “aides”  and it was those 20  percent that  caused situations that should not have happened, but it is those situations you  remember .

HEALTHCARE IS A HUGE BUSINESS AND EVEN THOUGH  WE THE CONSUMERS ARE PRETTY  MUCH  AT THEIR MERCY (NO  PUN INTENDED) WE ARE STILL CONSUMERS PAYING FOR A SERVICE.

We were assigned one doctor for my  husband and he called in others as needed  such  as another cardiologist, ultra sound  etc.  The doctor was quite nice, spoke very  softly but with  a heavy  accent so  I  was once again forever asking him to  repeat what he was saying and every time he was in the room he was costing ( according to  the bills I  received) 350 to  500 dollars for up to  35 minutes. I should go  through  the dates to  see how many  times a day  but considering I received 74 pages of bills each  page having at least 5 charges on them I am honestly  too tired to  do  the homework.

The discharge date  ( the 19 days being almost up) I was given another list of this time 54 “skilled nursing facilities ” for the next part of the journey  and this time I  did have time to do  some homework……….. To  Be continued

 

Cleveland Clinic Rehabilitation Hospital gets a B plus…. it was an A minus  But then that C’diff situation  was made worse…… more on that as we continue….

 

 

 

A rusty old boat and tale of the Lighthouse.

Lorain Lighthouse – Lorain 365 ( L. Miller)

 

Taking a break from the series of “healthcare USA” to  tell the tale of a rusty  old metal  boat, not really  wanted anymore , not much use, holes in the bottom,two  or three paint colors interspersed with  the rust. BUT she has a tale to  tell this old girl , she carried the volunteers out into  the lake and to  the Lorain Lighthouse on many  a day.

Lorain Lighthouse , the history  of the previous and current lighthouses can be found here https://lorainlighthouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Lorain-Lighthouse-History-1917-2017.pdf  on the webpage of http://www.lorainlighthouse.com .

1965 the United States Coast Guard had no  further use for the “Lorain Light “and she was slated for demolition . Fate intervened and people rallied to  Save the Lighthouse.  1966 the Lorain Light was decommissioned and a five year lease was given. Unfortunately , things didn’t go  as planned, the lease expired  and the Coast Guard turned the property  over to  the General Services Administration .

1974  and bids were put out to  purchase the Lorain Lighthouse. A community  rallied around , politicians , businesses , historical societies, local and state government got behind the saving of  what has now become the ICON of ALL THINGS LORAIN. Ironic when you  think just a few decades ago  she was scheduled to  be demolished. Now of course every  where you  look  she is used in advertising, promotions, fodder for the photographers, she is Lorain!

But what of those volunteers mentioned in the “history ”  the ones that took on a huge project to rehab , maintain and make her beautiful once again, they  had to  make the journey  from the shore to  the light.   The history  tells   one such  operation in the many  years of restoration and bring in the “light”  was “Operation Lighthouse”

 “Operation Lighthouse” took about 17 days to complete with multiple delays due to inclement weather that made trips out to the Lighthouse risky.

and there it is our segue from land to  shore and back  again – a rusty  old blue battered boat that has sat in many  places over the years , in wind and weather no-one particularly caring for her. And yet it was this boat that took those volunteers time and time again safely  to  and from the Lighthouse in order to  save her .

This rusty  old tub has a new home , delivered by  volunteers on Lorain Pride Day  to  between 2nd and 1st streets on Oberlin Avenue.

photo Lisa Miller

The area just west of Eric Barnes Heroes Walk, south  of Settlers’ Watch , where a replica carved from a tree stands in the children’s garden

, north  of Lorain Utilities parking lot and positioned pointing to  the Lorain Lighthouse, near the Lighthouse shed

and the Lorain Portside sign.

photo Tracy Isenberg

She has been beached , and soon will be landscaped and loved once again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Her contribution to  the Lorain Lighthouse recognized, a reminder of those volunteers. In weeks to  come she will be tied to  granite pylons, sea grasses and plants will adorn her area , white gravel and blue glass mulch , roping, a lick  of paint here and there  and new lettering  and love will anchor this old lady  of the lake .  The volunteers and people who  saved the Lighthouse deserve such admiration and recognition. I hope they  will remember the old blue boat with  a fondness and smile as she settles in her new home promoting  and recognizing  the Lighthouse .

I often think if everyone who  used the likeness of the Lorain Lighthouse  and actually  make money  from her likeness  would donate a few dollars to  the Lorain Lighthouse Foundation they  would never have to  ask for any  money  again.

Photo Mark Teleha

Such  is the tale of a Lighthouse in Lorain and an old rusty  blue boat, together again …..

Photo courtesy  of http://www.lorainlighthouse.com

The Lorain Lighthouse Foundation, Inc is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1989 by a group of civic leaders wanting to preserve Lorain’s historic lighthouse. The foundation is a volunteer group looking to preserve a unique part of our local history – the Lorain Lighthouse.

Your donation can help the Lorain Lighthouse Foundation, Inc. to maintain “The Jewel of the Port” as one of Lorain’s most famous landmarks. All gifts to preserve and maintain the Lorain Lighthouse are fully tax-deductible.

Lorain Lighthouse
319 Black River Lane
Lorain, OH 44052

 

May3rd – Mothers and sons – Chris Ritchey

1st Mother’s Day card- Christopher Ritchey

I still have your first Mother’s Day  card and  all the little gifts through your childhood years, they  along with  the ones from your sister are still here in bedrooms, living room, den  and kitchen. Chubby  little handprints in clay , adorn walls along with art work and memories of happier Mother’s days.

This coming Mother’s Day is a first  because for the first time in my  life I will not have my  mother your Nana to  help  celebrate. Coincidentally, when Nana retired and came to  live here she arrived on Mother’s Day of that year  and now I  have lost you  and her. Although   little gifts of mine she had kept still wait to  be dusted in her little living room.

And then there is your last Mothers Day  gift to  me , the ghost koi.

https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2010/06/01/ghost-in-the-pond-a-koi-story/

https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/10/17/the-ghost-in-the-pond-continues/

Oh Chris what a few days I  have had protecting him, by  far the largest fish  in the pond  , he is so  big. BUT that damned Heron who  arrived last year is back again bigger than ever and now two  others  come to  call. I  have set up obstacle courses around the perimeter, tried all the “get rid of Heron” tips. Climbed over slippery  moss-covered rocks, wobbled on the edge hoping my  knee will not all of a sudden decide it has had enough. moved shelves for the fish  to  hide, all in vain the “angel of death ” just laughs at me as he circles over head.

Nothing deters him ,  he cruises in on huge blue wings  and lands on a dime.  He and his buddies have depleted my  lovely  fat goldfish by  half , some of which  have lived in that pond for 13 years since you  helped dig the “new one” .

He partially  eats them, or drops them  and others he swallows whole.  It is a bit like living with  grief as it swallows one whole or takes bites out of you  daily. We have lost at least 14 of the big goldfish and  the smaller ones….   well who  knows. The ones that are left huddle at the bottom of the pond close to  your Ghost Koi – protection –

I don’t know but they  don’t stray  far from him. . I will battle on with  this “angel of death” beautiful though  they  are  so  I  can keep  the “ghost” and the memory  of that last  Mother’s Day  as I watched you  slipping him into  the pond.

I am so  proud of you  my  son and love you  through  eternity …..

Breath of Life – Celtic Knot – Chris Ritchey