That's the breaks!

Yesterday, Ma called to tell me that she broke her arm.......last Tuesday! She was fixing a package to send to her sister, Ann, in Texas. The tape she wanted was in the car (?!?) so she went out to get it. She didn't realize that the wheelchair ramp leading to the driveway was icy. When her feet hit the ice, they flew out from under her. Her left hand whacked the rail and she landed on her left arm and shoulders, then kind of crumpled. She said her head sounded like an egg cracking when it hit. A woman just happened to be out for her morning jog and saw Ma fall (God provides angels for us when we least expect them!). She was not able to get Ma back on her feet by herself but Ma's dog, Ginger, was making such a racket at the front door that my oldest brother, Bud, came to see what was up. He and the jogger were able to get Ma back on her feet. Off to the ER they went! At Presbyterian Matthews, a head CT showed no brain bleed or head trauma and x-rays of back and hips revealed no fractures. Her only injury was a fractured left humerus. The ER doc put her arm in a sling and instructed her to call her orthopaedist for an appointment to set the break. Her arm was casted yesterday!! She said that the orthopaedist was furious that(1) she was sent home from the ER without a cast and (2) she had to wait till yesterday for an appointment. But, according to her, all is well. I am thankful to God that she did not break a hip.
Now, for my soapbox: What is going on in EDs these days??? It's not just the one that Ma went to, I've heard stories from other hospitals (and have had experiences where I work) about how patients are simply not being treated. There is no way that an 84 year old woman with severe osteoporosis who takes a daily dose of Coumadin should be sent home from any ED with a fracture that is not immobilized! My daughter was in an ED in Charleston, WV two months ago. The ER doc said she was having a panic attack. Sorry, but passing fist sized blood clots and having hard, shaking chills the day after a D&C is not a panic attack! His recommendation was that she breathe into a paper bag! Hmmm......! I realize that people abuse the ER. Some use it as their doctor's office, some show up looking for drugs, but people who come in with legitimate complaints should be taken seriously and treated appropriately!
The first step in receiving appropriate treatment is to speak up! You are your own best advocate! I'm not suggesting that anyone get ugly with ER staff, I'm suggesting that all of us insist on getting the care that we're paying for. If a steak isn't cooked properly, most of us would not hesitate to send it back. If the car goes in for service and it's not fixed right, we take it back. Why not insist on the same quality when it comes to our health?