Why I avoid hospitals, surgery and constantly wash my hands

[Rianne]

Not intending to frighten anyone, but this condition is rarely talked about. My DM died from this and I have researched it as I did not understand it. Very often, when you see a cause for death being "complications" this is the cause. I'm not OCD, not diagnosed anyway )

I learned to wash my hands from my oncologist. Very important to do it right. Cleaning a scrape or cut properly is so important.

https://www.healthline.com/health/sepsis

 

[ivinsfan]

Washing hands is fine but define avoiding hospitals and surgery.. Sometimes it's do it or die. Practice good hygiene but hand washing isn't really much of a way to prevent sepsis.

If at all possible know the infection rates of hospitals in your area and try to pick one that has an exceptionally low rate. We have one 15 minutes from our home that has been tagged with a F in infection rates and another an hour away that has an A and is nationally recognized for good outcomes. The real question why would anyone willingly go to the F rated one.

 

[kimcdougc]

It is amazing. My brother in law had 2 knee replacements at the same time at a hospital in Houston. They did not do their research before the replacements. I looked (after he had the surgery) and the doctor rated high for knee replacements but the hospital had a terrible infection record.

He got an infection in both knees they couldn't figure out what the infection was. He had been on antibotics for six months at this point. I got on the computer and showed my sister how to search out medical care. I found them an infectious disease doctor who discovered what the infection was. Gave the right antibotics and within 2 months he got rid of the infection.

He had to have two new knee replacements again (after having cement in both knees for over 6 months and not being able to bend his knees). It was really hard on my sister to take care of him as he is not a small man

Doing good now but she is educated on searching medical doctors and facilities before surgery (if you have the time and it isn't an emergency.)

I had an aortic valve replacement 5 years ago and did my research and picked (3) doctors to interview. Picked one and all was successful. Hospital also had good infection report, as in not having many at all.

 

[Walt34]

Washing hands is fine but define avoiding hospitals and surgery.. Sometimes it's do it or die.

Indeed, I'd have died long ago without hospitals and surgery. The first one was at age three weeks and it was a "do it or die" situation.

 

[MRG]

I never knew you could get to hospital's infection rates, thanks.

As far as avoiding hospitals, yes indeed you should. It's risk management. Avoid risky places. Don't hang out where folks get shot. Don't go to coke bars.

I used to love a restaurant in downtown KCMO, a small night time jazz place, next to a hardware store. The last time I ate there I spent three days in the gastrointestinal unit; bad restaurant made mayo. I'll never eat there again, avoid bad food! It may kill you. I didn't eat mayo for years after the event.

The GI unit is a special place, oh the smells.

Edits.

 

[Car-Guy]

I guess I've been lucky since my only hospital trips have been to take a family member to the hospital or to visit others. My visit's have been more frequent in recent years "for some reason".

However, I have learned which ones I'd consider being admitted to myself and which ones I would not even consider.

 

[travelover]

........The first one was at age three weeks and it was a "do it or die" situation.

Did you research their infections rate before you went in?

 

[joeea]

Very often, when you see a cause for death being "complications" this is the cause.

I'm not so sure about the "very often" part.

Sorry about your DM, but avoiding hospitals and surgery is not a viable alternative.

It would be like saying that you walk everywhere because there are lots of automobile fatalities every day.

 

[athena53]

When I was in the insurance business I read plenty of Large Loss Reports, many of them Medical Malpractice claims, that made me jokingly vow to stay out of hospitals. I haven't been in one since I had DS in 1984. DH had a tendency to get bronchitis or pneumonia after a cold when we came back from a major trip but we knew the drill: go to Urgent Care, get antibiotics, go home and rest and take them diligently, follow up with regular doctor. It worked every time.

Thanks for the reminder, though; hospital stays can happen to anyone and I need to research the local places BEFORE I develop problems.

 

[Ronstar]

I constantly wash my hands, but no way would I have avoided my appendectomy.

 

[aja8888]

I constantly wash my hands, but no way would I have avoided my appendectomy.

Latex gloves may help if you decide to operate on yourself again.

 

[Conundrum]

I just had a recent surgical procedure. Spent a night in hospital. I was really surprised at how many antibiotics they pumped into my IV.

 

[Scrapr]

Mrs Scrapr went to the local hospital ER. She had a feeding tube as part of her cancer treatment. It popped loose from the stitch that held it to her skin. It was still attached to the intestine but we didn't know that at the time. After a good wait in the waiting room we get in. ER doc comes in and starts manipulating the tube. This is an open to the inside wound! It took me a second to recognize...hey! You didn't wash your hands. She went out to the work area then came back in while on the phone and did it again! We walked out and drove 3 hours to our Kaiser ER

We were severely unimpressed. I don't think we are going to get any medical care here. To the point I think we will move. That was distressing

 

[ivinsfan]

Mrs Scrapr went to the local hospital ER. She had a feeding tube as part of her cancer treatment. It popped loose from the stitch that held it to her skin. It was still attached to the intestine but we didn't know that at the time. After a good wait in the waiting room we get in. ER doc comes in and starts manipulating the tube. This is an open to the inside wound! It took me a second to recognize...hey! You didn't wash your hands. She went out to the work area then came back in while on the phone and did it again! We walked out and drove 3 hours to our Kaiser ER

We were severely unimpressed. I don't think we are going to get any medical care here. To the point I think we will move. That was distressing

My DH spent a few days in the nearby hospital with the A rating. He's OK now but had to spend 4 days in the ICU....cell phones are filthy and I was told more then once to keep my phone in my pocket or use disinfecting wipes on it when entering the room. I already had a bunch with me as I try to disinfect my phone after public places. The nurses had hospital provided cells with complete plastic covers on them and seemed to be constantly wiping them off.

 

[donheff]

Avoid surgery? How? If you need it, you need it. I flew off my bike a couple of years ago and broke my hip. It's not like I could walk home and self treat. Even elective stuff is a trade off. If I was crippled from loss of knee cartilage and couldn't walk or ride my bike, I would go for a replacement. The risk of a serious infection is a trade off that deserves consideration but isn't a red light stopping all procedures.

I agree with kimcdougc that research is a good idea (if the situation permits). How about sharing the tips you gave to your sister.

 

[John Galt III]

When my girlfriend was in the hospital a lot last year she had a wound from surgery that had to be changed every week. There turned out to be only ONE nurse in the hospital and nursing homes she was in, who knew how to change the bandage and some layers of sealant around the wound. That nurse was never available, of course, after she initially installed the first bandage. The other nurses were supposed to know how to do it, but were always incompetent, to my astonishment. The bandage would start leaking a day after they changed it. Supposed to last up to a week between changing. Eventually my girlfriend's skin around the bandage got infected, and she got readmitted to the hospital, and the original, competent nurse (a wound nurse) put a new bandage on, which lasted a week. I learned how to change the bandage myself, and refused to let anyone else do it, since I knew I would just have to redo it a day later. I noticed some nurses always cleaned their hands with the sterile wipes on entering the room, some never did.

 

[Rianne]

OP here, something you may want to consider. My original statement was "avoid" hospitals and surgery and how important cleanliness is, anywhere! Of course, I'd have surgery if absolutely necessary.

[mod edit to assure copyright compliance] The "Sepsis Fact Sheet" at the www.sepsis.org site provides a lot of information on sepssis and how to avoid it. Portions:

Critical Facts:
• Sepsis is the leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals.1
• 62% of people hospitalized with sepsis are re-hospitalized within 30 days.2
• Mortality from sepsis increases 8% for every hour that treatment is delayed.
As many as 80% of sepsis deaths could be prevented with rapid
diagnosis and treatment.4

Economic Cost:
• Sepsis is the #1 cost of hospitalization in the U.S. consuming more than
$24 billion each year.16

1 http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1873131&resultClick=3
2 https://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports/statbriefs/sb196-Readmissions-Trends-High-Volume-Conditions.jsp
4 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16625125
16 http://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports/statbriefs/sb204-Most-Expensive-Hospital-Conditions.pdf

To find out more please visit Sepsis.org

 

[Teacher Terry]

My insurance only covers one hospital so no point in researching.

 

[ivinsfan]

Nobody wants sepsis, but lead a healthy lifestyle, try to eat and sleep properly, if you have trending high blood sugar or diabetes do everything in your power to keep it in check.

When you get sick stop and take care of yourself properly and give very careful consideration to elective surgery. For elective surgery research your doctor and hospital very carefully beforehand.


My DH had a difficult cardiac surgery and came out with 2 IV ports, a jugular IV, 3 chest tubes and a catheter all of which remained in place for a least 4 days.

Was I concerned he might get an infection, of course I was.But I also knew he would be a goner without these measures in place. I also knew he was in a nationally recognized hospital in regards to good surgical outcomes and he's now a textbook case of a good surgical outcome...





No one said sepsis isn't horrible, but it's kind like the flu season. Some of us get shots, sanitize and wash up constantly, avoid crowds and still get the flu.

 

[ivinsfan]

My insurance only covers one hospital so no point in researching.

That's unfortunate I hope it is a good hospital..

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

FWIW Consumer Reports has a page that lists safety scores for hospitals across the country.
https://www.consumerreports.org/health/hospitals/ratings

 

[REWahoo]

You can find information on hospital safety, infection rates, etc. using this website: Hospital Choices | Leapfrog

 

[Rianne]

FWIW Consumer Reports has a page that lists safety scores for hospitals across the country.
https://www.consumerreports.org/health/hospitals/ratings

Wow, that's interesting. The hospitals I would consider the best in the country did not get very good ratings...Northwestern in Chicago, University of Chicago, Rush.

 

[ivinsfan]

Wow, that's interesting. The hospitals I would consider the best in the country did not get very good ratings...Northwestern in Chicago, University of Chicago, Rush.

Not sure about the info used in this article it has my local hospital which has been penalized by medicare and given the worst possible rating by my state two years in a row rated at 60.


It's rated at the bottom in my state because of too many hospital infections.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Wow, that's interesting. The hospitals I would consider the best in the country did not get very good ratings...Northwestern in Chicago, University of Chicago, Rush.

If you click on the hospital name in the table, the site goes into specifics on each rating, citing how the hospital performed vs. the national average and linking to the information source.

The data is only for 2016, so it's more of a snapshot than a long-term trend.