Neglect of the black woman

I’m two days post op from getting a hysterectomy. What I’ve experienced the last two day is like ” damn did this really happen to me?”

I dont even know where to start, but I will start with if anyone is going for a major surgery and you are friends or family, never let them go into surgery alone. That has to be one of the worst feelings in the world.

My dad was supposed to take me but he had other things to do.. My mother helped with getting my family off to school so she wasn’t available.

As I wait to get prepped for surgery at Memorial Hospital in Tampa, I’m cracking jokes with the nurses, because I’m nervous..and they keep asking me, “are you here alone?”

Umm ma’am yes.. after 50’11 times of asking.. yes I’m alone. The time is 7:30 am

As I wake up from surgery it’s almost 1 pm. I hear women wailing on both sides of me.

I’m hurting.. the nurses keep darting in and out of my clothe covered space.

My mom shows up.. she’s been waiting on me to get out of surgery since 9 am..

I ask my nurse when will my room be available.. I keep getting stalled, no real answers.

Thank goodness my Doctor friend comes to visit me around 5pm.

After surgery I’m suppose to have massagers on my legs to prevent blood clots.. 6 hours post op.. she had to put them on and change my bed linen that is blood and urine stained.

Maybe the nurses are over worked and forgot.

My friend then ask why haven’t I been moved yet.. the nurse says they are at capacity but working on it.

The women are moaning and yelling again.. I cant sleep.

My friend encourages me to get up to walk.. the shift is about to chance.

The nurse who is leaving hugs my friend who stepped in to assist me and thanks her.

My friend cleans up my space.. there is untouched breakfast, lunch and dinner cramped on the little tray. She get frustrated, but continues to advocate for me and clean the area.

New nurse comes on board.. my friend asks if my room is ready and explained to him how I haven’t been able to rest because of the crying, moans of pain and screaming from the women and men.. he said it’s nothing he could do.. it’s almost 8 pm..

My friend leaves around 10 pm.. I asked the nurse is there something that can be done about me not having a room.. people who came out of surgery after me were leaving and being placed in rooms. he says no..it depends on your if you are a women and age.

Wait.. hold the hell up.. sir you know that discrimination right?

I stated to him.. I know how hospitals and compliance works.

I told him I just got out of a major surgery and I can’t rest.. he then offers me ear plugs.

You have got to be kidding me.

At this point I’m desperate, because I’m going delirious with the woman and husband next to me laughing and crying close to midnight. I take the ear plugs and put them in my ear.

I can’t sleep.. I notice my catheter is full. My nurse button isnt working.. I’m yelling for the nurse.. she says she had to get a few things and she still be back. 30 minutes pass.. I unplugged my meds.. slow walked to the restroom.. emptied my full catheter.. relaxed in the quietness of the restroom.. get a knock on the door after 15 minutes.. “are you ok?

Yes I’m fine just sitting.

I get up and lay back down.. I’m itching like crazy at this point.. I message my friend.. she asked what did they give me.. I look at the pump.. it’s the medicine I told the nurse I was allergic to before the operation.. I asked if she could put it on my allergy band.. she said that all the nurses are to check my charts and its again HIPAA.. .. I doze off.. I wake up to the iv machine falling and hitting me on the head and arm.. the nurse ask is everything ok.. I ask to speak with the director of nursing.. she comes to visit me an notice how the make shift room is not cleaned.. she notice my second iv is sitting on the tray table bloodily and makes the overnight nurse get rid of it.. she is clearly upset.. still no room for me

Its 6am Wednesday.. new rounds of nurses. I have to pee.. my bag is full.. I get up to unhook the machine to go to the restroom… the closest restroom is blocked.. I go to the other end of the hall. the nurse walks pass me and tells my nurse that I need to use that rest room on the other side because that side needs to stay clean for the new post ops.. at this point I have no fight in me left.. he says that the restroom is blocked by a bed.

My mother is trying to call me.. my friends are trying to get in contact with me.. its still show me being in recovery 24 hours later.. the nurse at the station hangs up on my mom when she calls. There ate no phones in the recovery area.

My doctor arrives at 8 am. He is so upset.. he said the hospital did not call him and update him on me not having a room.. at this point I’m ready to go home.. he discharges me at 9 am..

The lead nurse gets wind on how I was treated in the last 24 hours.. my doctor friends comes back out to the hospital..

She has them check me out again.. I’m in pain.. they finally transfer me to a room.. new nurse comes in to try and give me morphine.. my friend ask if she looked at my chart.. the nurse did not.

Nurse continued to ask if I wanted morphine with benadryl..

Like woman.. I’m allergic! Find me something else please.

My friend is upset because they continue to treat me this way.. the hospital admin comes in.. offering no help.. my friend them calls my doctor and have him order the neccessary meds I can take..

Its 2:30 pm. I finally get pain meds after 8 hours.

I get treated much better by the staff on 2 west..

Wednesday morning I get up to go the restroom my discharge papers are like this waiting for me.

Well um damn.. yall want me gone or not?

After all of that I had to ask for a wheel chair.. the nurses asked me if I could walk..

Really ma’am? I’m on the second floor and the hospital is in the middle of contruction.

Why is the black woman the most neglected in the hospital?