diverticulitis? Nobody here understood that. Okay?

What sort of place is that? They should have been concerned as soon as they saw that it had been a few days and was worsening. By the third day, it should have been clear to them that you needed to be seen by a doctor.

I think one doesn't need a medical degree to realize that if someone is that sick for that amount of time, he or she needs to see a doctor..What is wrong with those people? I think YES you should be proactive, especially where your health is concerned..

No matter where you are, you have to speak up for yourself or have a care taker, family member who does. I have seen places like Gold Crest before, they are not overly suited for people with serious medical problems. A word of being the "devil's advocate" though. I have some of the same training that your staff does, and I have read a lot and helped people study for nursing degrees. I have gotten in trouble at jobs for "knowing too much", they do not want you to go beyond your scope. They have probably been told not to think for themselves. In your case, I would have been writing down your symptoms and episodes, and I would have taken your vitals frequently. Have you ever had trouble with diverticula in the past? If so that should have been a clue to the people around you. It is not like you just suddenly decided you WANTED to do this.

If you have diarrhea for that long and they're still treating you like a bratty child who won't use the potty, then YOU call the ambulance yourself, if you can. Report their lousy care to the state, again if you can. That's abuse of the elderly, as far as I can see. Ignoring an obvious medical condition and then chastising the person because of it? Absolutely, it's abuse and mistreatment!!! Write a letter to the editor (you can do that online) and make it public!! They embarrassed you, so it's your turn to embarrass them.

I never have had to go to the ER. I have had diarrhea but it clears up after I take some Imodium D and drink lots of water. I don't understand why you were not sent to the ER right away! At least you were able to go to the ER and they found out what was wrong! Maybe the inadequate medical care has to with the system trying to get more money out of us. I would not be surprised!

hi dear Hatley I am shocked about your post. Of course you should insist on getting to the ER, I would have done so after one day of the runs and not five dayw like you did. Please remember that you are much more in danger of dehydrating than younger folks plus getting weaker sooner than younger folks. I wonder why no one of the staff in your senior citizens house suggested the ER after one day. Cant they think?

Well I think it is disgusting that they did not take action to medical help and it could have gone wrong bad they need to look at that as next time it could be a lot worse I hope that you are feeling much better now Sweetie

Oh Hatley, what an ordeal you went through! Glad you're back though. About 14 or 15 years ago, I was in my late 20s with a young kid. I was in a car accident the year before my daughter was born and I still have some residual back problems, 20 years later! One day, I noticed that my shoulder was hurting me, so I went to the doctor. Sent me for x-rays, which found nothing. Next the MRI-discovered I had severe tendonitis. I was given 800 mg ibuprofen tablets (Advil is 200 mg) and sent to physical therapy. After a few months, I was deemed to be healed. But lo and behold, I managed to hurt the other shoulder! The x-ray was a technicality, so I had the MRI script in hand and got it scheduled. This time, I was diagnosed with tendonitis but turned out I had a bone spur that needed surgery and rehab. What a mess-I had the surgery but was back at work 2 days later (because I was afraid they'd find a reason to fire me). The entire ordeal must have taken 4 years, but my GP doctor had been dealing with me for nearly 6 years at that point and took my complaints seriously. Because of that relationship, I was able to get a second ER visit and an MRI approved after the first ER sent me home with "stress"-turned out, I was diagnosed with MS a week later. So I'm all for being proactive about my health care-everyone should be!

Are they even trained? I mean are they trained in anything other than like CPR? I haven't ever been really impressed with the staff at homes like that. When my grandfather was in one there was a guy who handled physical therapy, and I think one nurse on the floor, but it didn't seem like a lot of people were really attentive.

I would - I am, do it! And I tell you, when I had extreme reaction to a food allergy, and I was just shaking from diarrhea, I was SO glad they had just released Imodium for sale!

my mom had that-they had to remove some of her intestine because the diarrhea wouldn't stop in her case.. before she had the surgery,i had to bring her in the ER,and the nurses there were worthless.the one wouldn't get off her a*s to bring her a bedpan(she was hooked up and couldn't go herself).i told her "fine,i'm gonna tell her to crap the bed then.your choice." and the nurse pretty much snorted at me. some just don't understand how bad diverticulitis can be..

Unfortunately we cannot rely on others to do their job properly. With companies trying to save money on staff and anything else they can it is no wonder that you don't have a real medical staff on duty there. That being said I think you have to speak up when you feel like you have a health problem and insist that they send you to a doctor or the hospital. You know what they say, "The squeaky wheel gets the grease."

Sorry to learn that you fell ill .Happily you were admitted to hospital in time and the runs stopped.I reckon it is not long before you are back to your old self.It is a big problem where the "Gold Crest" is located in is short of doctor and medicine,even you have to travel ten miles to see a doctor.Hope the medical situation there will soon take a favourable turn.

oh Hatley, I feel so bad for you to have gone through such a terrible ordeal...Besides being in so much exhausting feeling, the embarrassemnt was even worst... I am however happy its practically done and you are feeling a bit better...I did PM you the next day but we weren't on each others friend list so it did not go trough so i went back to a post that you had responded and sent you a message I am not sure if you even read it or not... But I am glad you are home and doing better..

Personally Medical care is often getting unreal, and they are not wanting or able or willing to do anything when you really have something wrong. Look at the example I explain here from time to time with the situation happening with my leg, and the chronic wound. Even the wound clinic does not know what to do, and can offer no help and suggestions and it frustrates me for sure. If I had the money to go to the ER since I am still having issues with leg skin draining I would, but I can understand your frustration and wonder what it will ever take for a simple doctor to know what to do when someone has an issue at hand?

Hi Hatley.... I'm sorry for being a wee bit late in responding but I do want you to know that I'm so sorry you've been so sick! I do think one has to be proactive and insist on going to the ER when they're really sick because the others don't know how YOU are feeling and to take a chance like that is, well, chancy. Once our house goes down, it's so hard to get it back up especially with diarreah because you lose a lot of your nutrients that your body needs to live especially fluids. Bless your heart sweetie! Please don't take no for an answer if it happens again! I'd hate to know something happened to you especially over something that can be taken care of so easily!

A retirement/assisted living center has no doctor or nurse on the premises?! Do they at least have one on call that they can contact when they think someone might need attention outside of office hours?! You definitely have to take care of yourself and insist on medical attention when your body says you need it. Those people aren't medically trained and probably have no interest in it. Thank God for Laura and Quon--now, what is a pretend medical person? He or she has some knowledge but no degree? You should write letters of recommendation for them and send a copy to your state's retirement home regulatory board. You'll definitely have to be proactive and if you have to, call the paramedics if you or a friend gets too bad. These people are apparently not too concerned with the health of the residents!

Wow...yes..it sounds like one should be proactive in demanding proper medical care there. I so hate that you had to wait as long as you did for treatment. I looked that up and if it's not treated, it can cause some pretty nasty complications. I am glad that they helped when they did. You take care and if you start to get ill again, you tell them you want proper medical treatment. I know they don't want a crazy southern lady showing there with a chip on her shoulder.

I honestly believe that even if there is not medical staff on the premises, I do think that there should at last be a doctor that is on call for the facility in case there is anything that would go wrong with any of the residents. With that said, I do think that it is important for all of us to be proactive when it comes to our own care. If you know that something is wrong with you, then you need to insist to either see your doctor or to be taken to the emergency room so that you can be taken care of properly.

I have always had the issue of not speaking up for myself hatley and I am finally starting to learn now. Im sorry you were so sick, I am sure that was awful. They should have better ways of handling things there thats for sure! Im glad your feeling better now though! :)