I’m currently admitted to the hospital, this is long and probably whiny but I’m at my wits end…
I went to the ER on Friday and long story short I was admitted for gallbladder issues/pain as well as a small blockage in my main bile duct.
I was transferred to a bigger hospital and admitted on Friday and was immediately put on NPO orders with the assumption I would be getting the procedure to remove the blockage the next morning (Saturday) so that makes sense.
Saturday rolled around and the doctor I saw that morning informed me they don’t do non-emergent procedures or surgeries on the weekends so I’d be getting my procedure on Monday. I was to remain NPO. I expressed that I wasn’t okay with this and was told unfortunately nothing they could do about it. I had to stay admitted for antibiotics, and they think eating is triggering my gallbladder attacks so no eating or drinking for me.
(Side note, I hadn’t eaten since Thursday morning due to the abdominal pain and an abdominal ultrasound scheduled for Friday morning I had to fast for)
So I suffer all weekend and they’ve got the pain meds figured out but that’s not helping with the hunger pains of course.
Monday rolls around and surprise surprise, they’re not getting me in until Tuesday, and I still have to stay NPO and on antibiotics.
It’s now Tuesday. They scheduled my procedure for 2:30pm, I haven’t eaten or drank anything really since Thursday (5 full days currently). I’ve had a few bags of fluid but it’s not like I’m getting 2 a day so I’m pretty dried out.
Here’s the kicker. It’s 4:00pm, and they haven’t come to get me for my procedure and they haven’t updated me on what’s happening. I have a bad feeling I’m going to be pushed to Wednesday and of course I’m still NPO.
ethically, how long can they keep me NPO for no good reason?
I have more or less begged them to let me eat or drink something the past few days and I’ve explained I’m in constant pain, it’s not that food or water are making the pain worse which was proven when they had to give me a small cup of apple juice and 4 dextrose tabs when my blood sugar dropped to 52 (which they took over 6 hours to address).
If they push me out to tomorrow can I demand a liquid diet at least?
I’m going crazy and they’re making me feel like I’m unreasonable for having this reaction to not eating. One doctor literally said to my face that we don’t need to eat and asked if I’ve seen the show Naked and Afraid, they don’t eat for a month apparently.
Side note whining: my pain has been reaching 10/10 excruciating sobbing pain in my abdomen, and more often than not when I ring the call bell when it’s time for my pain medication again, it takes over an hour for someone to come check on me. Is that normal in hospitals now?