Im sorry, I have a RANT today - VA Healthcare related - Durham, NC

[DeepseekerADS]

I'm sorry, I have a RANT today - VA Healthcare related - Durham, NC

My brother has liver cancer, went through radiation about a month ago.

He called me yesterday, was very sick, needed me to drive him to the Durham VA Hospital where he receives his treatment. Durham is about a 3 hour drive one way.

I picked him up at his house at 4:00 yesterday, had to help him to the truck. He called ahead to tell them he was coming.

We arrived there at about 7:00 last night. They put him in a wheel chair and set him out in the waiting area.

He was quite a spectacle, coughing, groaning, bent over his knees, absolutely white as a sheet in a cold sweat...

They finally wheeled him into the triage at 10:00 PM. I had to get him onto the cot myself, and he laid there for over 30 minutes. I had to ask for a blanket to cover him.

Finally a male nurse came in. But that time I was pretty darned irate, but not ranting, just very serious. Of course I mentioned his condition and the 3 hour wait to get on a cot. The nurse said something like "Luck of the draw".

I don't blame the nurse, I blame the hospital.

I finally arrived home at 0106 hours.

I had expected far better out of the Durham Veterans Hospital - PERIOD! My brother could have passed away in the waiting room and no one would have cared but me.

Maybe they'll see a Google search to the link on this. The Salem VA where I go would have never let this happen!

 

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[patiodadio]

I went to visit a friend who was in the VA hospital in WV. I thought the place was about 50 years behind all the other hospitals in the area. We owe our veterans so much more. They should have the best in health care. I have heard dozens of horror stories about VA hospitals.

 

[laradactyl]

I am sorry to hear of your experience, that would never happen at the VA hospital here. I have nothing but praise for the VA hospitals both here in Kerrville and the much larger one in San Antonio. When I was getting cancer treatments they seemed to rush me through everything, no waiting, period. There is a bit of waiting for non life threatening issues, but cancer patients recieve immediate attention in these two facilities.

 

[aa battery]

the VA in Fresno Ca. is old but not that bad

 

[Ammoman]

After being treated for cancer outside the VA system I opted to use the VA at Durham to monitor me for Metastasis. It took them 9 months to get me my first CT scan. If i had waited to have them treat the cancer i'd be 6 feet under. Much deeper than any coin i have ever dug. Now that Obama care is here...i am no longer covered by my insurance company. They dropped me because im "Covered" by the VA. Im so screwed.

 

[laradactyl]

After being treated for cancer outside the VA system I opted to use the VA at Durham to monitor me for Metastasis. It took them 9 months to get me my first CT scan. If i had waited to have them treat the cancer i'd be 6 feet under. Much deeper than any coin i have ever dug. Now that Obama care is here...i am no longer covered by my insurance company. They dropped me because im "Covered" by the VA. Im so screwed.

I showed up for an ENT appointment in San Antonio with a lump on my neck. They did a needle biopsy immediately on the spot. Less than a week later they did the thorough biopsy. Within a week they pulled most of my teeth (for radiation), constructed the mask they used to hold my head and neck still for radiation, and installed my feeding tube and chemo port. Chemo and radiation started approx two weeks after that first ENT appointment.

I felt like I was being rushed through everything. The only real waiting that I recall was waiting for the valet guy to bring the car around after radiation.

I had stage 4 tonsil cancer, 33 radiation treatments 8 chemo. That was just over two years ago now there is supposedly no "evidence of disease". They check me every 3 months.

The VA has been good to me.

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[DeepseekerADS]

I couldn't ask for better treatment than I have with the Salem, Virginia VA. I first signed up in Detroit, but took a drive by and I refused to go in there. I didn't figure I'd ever get past the crowd of derelicts on the front steps. When I came back down here, I transferred to the Durham VA, went several times and had excellent treatment there. I'd heard so much bad about Salem that I refused to go there. Then I took a job about an hour from Salem and transferred there because of the distance to Durham. I haven't looked back.

I really, really expected better treatment from Durham. It was a complete and very frustrating surprise.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

After being treated for cancer outside the VA system I opted to use the VA at Durham to monitor me for Metastasis. It took them 9 months to get me my first CT scan. If i had waited to have them treat the cancer i'd be 6 feet under. Much deeper than any coin i have ever dug. Now that Obama care is here...i am no longer covered by my insurance company. They dropped me because im "Covered" by the VA. Im so screwed.

You could go straight up Rt. 68, onto Rt. 220 and be in the Salem VA on Rt. 419 in about the same time, or in very little more time, than it takes you to hit the Durham VA

Durham is a teaching college related to Duke University. Salem is a teaching college related to the University of Virginia. It's a huge sprawling facility, WITHOUT the parking problems....

 

[Ammoman]

I assume it has something to do with a lack of funding and the influx of new patients. For now, I only have to deal with the lack of parking, crowded lobbies and grumpy old men every 6 months. If i am ever in the Salem area i may check the VA out over there. Thanks for the info.

 

[Unclebuck257]

Deep,

I have been off line for a few days and just read this initial post by you about your brother. While I'll admit that the Dallas VA Hospital has its problems with parking, I have always received very good, and timely, care there. The Dallaas VA has a contract with University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas for much, if not all, of their cancer treatment and surgery. I know from personal experience that when it comes to the treatment of cancers, they don't mess around and both the VA and UT Southwestern are very professional and saw me and treated me very quickly. I'm so sorry that your brother and you, but especially your brother had to deal with that situation, in his condition. If I were you, I'd start screaming and report that to anyone and everyone. That's the only way we're going to get crap like that corrected!! I'd start with his Congressman and go from there!

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Buck, I'm still stewing a bit.

Yesterday evening Jim's doctor called me and gave me their diagnostics. Because he was taking blood thinners for the clot on the "vein" between the liver & small intestines since last Summer with virtually no affect. The capillaries in his esophagus were constantly bleeding into his stomach - too little to detect in his stool, and he began to suffer from severe anemia. As a result, since the blood thinners weren't working on the clot at all, they stopped his blood thinner treatment.

They had him stabilized, and I went to pick him up and in fact brought him home today. And I also met with the doctor to discuss it today = WOW, an absolute beautiful young woman, and brilliant as well. I guess they work the day shift though.

Jim told me that after I left the other night, leaving him with a blanket and male nurse there. The nurse went away and it was another 3 hours before anyone else attended to him.

To give Durham some credit - but not much! - the ER waiting room was pretty full, so yes they had a deluge. However, in the waiting room on a chart on the wall, potentially critical patients are attended to before all others. If I hadn't taken Jim there that night he would have passed away.

So what about that chart weren't they paying attention to?

Today when I brought him home I suggested he transfer to Salem.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

To add some more about Salem, two years ago they gave me a hemi-colonectomy. I had 24/7 treatment. At 0300 hrs after morning surgery, my nurse had me up walking the halls to get me better. And the nurses were continuously present, even when they put me in a room.

And that is why I love my Salem VA medical care.

Quite contrary to what I saw a Durham.

Geez, I hope they see this thread!

 

[kcm]

Deepseeker, first of all, my most sincere prayers go out to you and your brother - not to mention all of the rest who have posted. I hope that you will all understand that, while I agree with and acknowledge every post, I just can't bring myself to click the "Like". The "Like" thing is new to me, so it feels like I'm liking that you're having all of these problems. There were only two posts I clicked on, but my heart and prayers are with each and every one of you!!

Thank you for your service, sirs,
XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX (AKA: kcm)
USAF 1985-1989

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I just can't bring myself to click the "Like".

Thank you for your service!

I go through the same conundrum. Sometimes I "Like" a post just as a notification that I have responded. We forget threads we've posted in sometimes, where a notification of a response might be very benefitial.