(Snippets from the frontline)
Housecall pidgin talk
“Whatsa matter you?” was the greeting from my 89 year old Hawaiian patient.
“I no like da bed!”
She had battled bladder cancer with radiation treatment affecting her right hip, resulting in damage needing surgical intervention. A month prior to hip surgery, I requested a hospital bed through a home health agency making it easier to stand, and allowing comfort at night.
“If I get little bit money, I go buy new bed!”
She was right as there was a problem. “Where is the remote to elevate your head?” Slowly and gingerly she got up, limped to the foot of the bed, pulled out a crank, and turned it. “I neva like dat!”
The bed was vintage WWII, and as I lifted the mattress, a rust cloud arose from the springs. Immediately, I called the agency and they switched the bed out.
Durable medical equipment like “da bed” (which also includes wheelchairs, walkers, canes, and other devices) are provided by Medicare. But it is also the main source for Medicare fraud.
The convoluted Medicare-fix now allows elder seniors patients to be ripped off by home health agencies using inferior equipment.
Whatsa matter Medicare?
Gene Uzawa Dorio, M.D.
I really liked that one. I feel very bad for her and that goodness she has you to help her out.
Congrats on reaching 100 posts! I enjoy reading your little snippets from the front line. This one reminded me of a hospital bed I had when was in a Skilled Nursing Facility. It came from the same era as the one you describe here. I didn’t know there still were hand-cranked beds until I was lying in one, in extreme pain unless I was completely flat. I’d have to call someone to hoist me up so I could eat, then call another person to lower my bed once I was finished. Ugh.
I wrote about that particular place in my blog (linked below).
http://viewfromthehandicappedspace.blogspot.com/