My daughter was taken to the hospital on 12th August 2009, morning around 9.00am with fever, light cough and unusual fluid seen in genitalia. We got an appointment from one of the Paediatricians and consult with her about my daughter’s sickness. Though, there was an interpreter, I explained everything and replied to all the questions asked by the doctor. The doctor asked some very basic questions like, how often nappy changes, and the cleaning procedure when she passed motion and how long it takes to clean her. On behalf of my wife, I replied to the doctor that we used to change the nappy whenever she urinate or find it the nappy is wet. At the end of the consultation, she prescribed some medicines and asked us to go for a urine test in order to make sure that it was due to urine infection. We were back to home around 10:30am and my wife stayed back home and I went back to office.
Around 1215 at noon, I got a call from my wife saying, that my daughter fell down from a chair and suffered head injury. I was rushed back to home and found that her right side of forehead is badly swelled. We really got scared and took her hospital immediately. It was around 1230 at noon and we straight went to accident and emergency and there we had to wait for some 10 to 15 minutes as emergency room was too crowded and doctors and nurses seems too busy attending other patients. After a short while, a nurse came and tested her fever and it was recorded 105 degrees Fahrenheit. And later in the morning it was recorded 103 degree Fahrenheit that we came to know from the prescription given by the doctor. Later a doctor came and checked the swelled area and advised us to go for an x-ray of her skull. While a nurse was treating with icepack and I went to make a slip for x-ray and take appointment from x-ray room.
After a while, my wife came with my daughter and swelled area was very much healed and we went inside to take her skull x-ray. Once the x-ray was done, I asked my wife to go out and stay until we get the x-ray report. At the same time, we were expecting urine report and I went to collect it from the laboratory. I was just able to reach the counter, I got a call from my wife saying “dhiye (we called her at home)” got fits and she is in Emergency room. When I went there, my daughter was attended by a group of doctors and later one of them told me that, they are not sure, whether it was due to fever or her head injury but medically she is now out of danger and she would respond after a while. I was really concerned and confused. Later I brought x-ray report and urine report and given to the doctor and took me away from my wife and told me that he suspects the skull but since she is below 2 years of age, a surgical doctor’s consideration is required. By then, I was too nervous and I informed my brothers and my wife’s family and explained what had happened?
Around 30 minutes from the time of the incident, a group of surgical doctors came and checked x-ray and told me that there was nothing to worry but since she fell down while playing at home, and at her age, they need to go for a CT scan to rule out any further complications and they are going to admit my daughter at Paediatric ward for another 10 or more days for further investigation. At around, 1530, we were asked to go to ADK hospital for CT scan. We reached ADK around 1615 and along with a nurse from IGMH. We went to CT scan room and my daughter was given an injection which makes her sleep for a while. But it didn’t work really well and my daughter didn’t sleep and we couldn’t take a CT scan although they tried several times. Later we were back to IGMH and next day again we went to take CT scan and it was very successful.
Throughout the period of our stay at IGMH, we were quiet happy the way and how they are treating and in fact they explained us things nicely in all the doctor’s visits. Nurses were very caring and kind enough and my daughter was recovered so rapidly.
Why I am not happy though things above gone so nicely?
As a responsible father, I always make sure my kids are in good health.
1- The first thing that I was not happy was that, at first day on 12th August 2009, morning my daughter was having high fever and the doctor who attended her at paediatric department asked us to go back, knowing the children’s under the age of 5 years are likely to suffer seizure due to high fever. ( she could have at least explain us the scare, so that we could have given her extra care and attention)
2- The second thing is that, at the same day noon again I took my daughter IGMH emergency room as she was having swell on her forehead and they check her fever and it was recorded 105 degrees Fahrenheit still they didn’t do anything other than treating her swelled area.
3- During our stay at IGMH, my daughter has suffered loose motion and she had nappy rash and the area were somewhat reddish. We asked doctors to check and asked us to change nappy brand and change nappy regularly. We did that still as she had urine infection, we again asked doctors about it and later the doctor’s given a nappy rash cream and something to apply her genitalia. The funny part was that, when the day of discharge, they suspected for a possible sexual harassment and referred to Family Health Protection Unit (FHPU) at IGMH when there were no clear indications of such harassment as far as medical side is concerned. Because, when they first said my daughter is having a urine infection, I asked doctors to make sure about possible sexual harassment although there is even 0.0001% of possibility. They told me there was no such thing seen, so it’s simply due to urine infection and therefore nothing to worry. So at the last moment, without consulting us why should they referred to Family Health Protection Unit (FHPU)? Rather they could have asked from us.
4- On 10th day morning, I was told that my daughter would be discharged today and at around 11’ o’clock my wife called me said they have given the bill and I went there around 1330hrs and settled the payments and was waiting for my daughters documents. In the evening around 1600hrs, when I made an inquiry they said things were done and waiting for a doctor to come. Later, I asked my wife to go back home and I was waiting at 1635hrs, again I made an inquiry they said expecting for slip to collect urine report from Laboratory. Again at 1715hrs, when I made inquiry they came and asked me whether I know English or not? I said, yes I know English. After sometimes, nurses came and explained to me medicine and I found that one medicine was missing. It was some medicine which requires whenever my daughter gets fever and it is mandatory to give her that medicine to avoid another seizure. Later, I asked them to make things ready, I will be back later. Why such a delay should happen? When there was nothing emergency there?
5- Complaining is still considered as a sin at IGMH. Don’t I deserve to complain when there is a genuine concern? If not why should I got there?
