Last week, Garrett complained of his hand turning purple! One of his teachers sent him to the office because she was concerned. It was the weirdest thing. Lonnie calls me one afternoon when he picked up Garrett from school, we discussed it and thought we'd wait to see if it happened again. Well, it did...many more times.
On Wednesday night, I asked our doctor to take a look at him (I firmly believe against doing that). He evaluated him and decided that Garrett needed to see a cardiologist! Kind of made you take a second breath and then hold...We got an appointment but not until June 1.
On Thursday, Garrett texted me at lunch and said it was all purple and hurt badly. He did the same at 4:15. Lonnie had seen him at 3:15 and said it was purple and he felt like we should probably call the doctor back.
We were waiting for Garrett to get out of Driver's Ed (!) and my cell phone rang. It was our doctor. He suggested we take Garrett on to Amarillo to the ER and get into a cardiologist that night. Well, we picked him up from Driver's Ed and got Guthri situated and headed for Amarillo. Got to the ER about 11:00 and waited until 5:00 a.m. to see a Dr.!!!! By that time Garrett's hand looked completely normal. The doctor basically blew us off and treated us like idiots. I kept telling him over and over there was something wrong, our doctor had sent us to Amarillo. He ordered a doppler and blood work and said he would be laughed at by radiology for the order!
The experience was totally uncalled for. I have never been so upset with a group of professionals in my life. We had waited patiently even though the waiting room was full of filthy language, crude people and to top it off it was dirty!! We even had to experience the police with a gun shot victim and angry family and completely wasted friends!!! There were times we felt like leaving but no, our son had a problem and we wanted to see a doctor.
We waited an hour after the doctor saying "I knew there was nothing wrong. Everything is normal." We were finally released from the business office (had to give them $100 before they would let us go)! We walked out of the ER at 7:45 a.m. It was a horrible night and we knew no more than we did 9 hours earlier.
We are so blessed to live in a small town! Got home and our doctor was very upset with the Amarillo ER and has taken it on himself to help us. Garrett is doing fine and his hand has not done it again since Thursday. So maybe there is nothing wrong, but we just can't take that chance. We will keep our appointment with the cardiologist and do whatever tests our doctor orders.
I guess what I am trying to say is that I was so disappointed in the doctor in Amarillo. He was very condescending and very unconcerned! If you have a good doctor or come across an ER doctor that treats you with respect and concern, please tell them thank you....they deserve it!
September 2026 - Card Swap
3 weeks ago
I can't believe you were treated that way!! That's horrible! Did that Dr. think that you drove all that way and waited all that time just because you had nothing better to do? You wouldn't have been there unless there was something wrong. And another Dr. sent you!! I'm glad it's ok now, but it does sound like it needed to be checked out...you never know about things like that. I hope if it does come back, you'll get a better Dr. I would report him if I were you!
ReplyDeleteWow, Kim. That is terrible! You know, as much as we have been in and out of doctor's offices, the vast majority of them have been very positive. But, we HAVE had that one or two that were absolutely terrible and that's all it takes to get a really bad taste in your mouth for the medical profession. And the worst is when they think you're just a dumb parent who doesn't know what you're talking about because you didn't go to medical school. I'm glad you are still going to see a cardiologist and that Garrett's hand is better. I had no idea!
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry that you had that horrible experience, but even sorrier that Garrett has scary going on with his hand. Iwill keep him in our prayers.
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