Where were you a year ago?

This is normally only a 15-20 minute procedure, where they remove the old medication with a syringe, once they know it’s totally empty they take the syringe an amount that will fill the pump 100%. Once done they take a hand held diagnostic device, places the want over the area where my pump is located to gather data on the pump. It even tells the doctors, doctors assistance, nurse, etc. battery levels, bolus device use, time left to empty pump all while putting Fentynal into my spine 24/7 and even holidays. This little device about the size of a hockey puck, has made a major change in my life by providing me much needed pain relief without the side affects “Headaches, Grogginess, Nausea, Vomiting, Constipation, Dizziness, Drowsiness may occur. On the other side of things, today it had part to do with almost taking my life.

Everything was fine during my appointment, until when the “Doctor” went to refill the pump. I noticed she was taking her time and talking to herself as she was going through the steps or checklist, “OK, there are bubbles showing we”re in the space. We have flush back that right? Maybe I should have used a longer needle? This went on for several minutes. She then apologized and said I need to go get Dr. _ _ _, for a minute. They both came back in and began the same script. The next thing I remember is waking up groggy and seeing a bunch of EMT’s and firemen all around me and one saying, “OK on 3,” As I was then slid onto a gurney. I started asking the question out loud, “What Happened? What Happened?” To which no one was answering. I then began saying, “Someone needs to call my wife,” over and over. I remember about half of the ride down to the ambulance, then telling the EMT that their clock had stopped working. After that my next memory was three days later when I woke up in the ICU, with tubes coming from every which where.

It was explained to me that what happened was when the doctor removed the remaining medication in the pump and disconnected it from the needle going into my pump which is located in my stomach he accidentally pulled back on the needle pulling it out of the pumps fill port, which left the tip of the needle in my stomach and not in the pump. When they went to re-fill the pump with the Fentynal, “which is 100x more potent than Morphine” it was accidentally injected directly into my stomach causing an immediate drug overdose. Which over the three days, stopped my heart several time to which I had to incubated (Bagged). Four bags of the drug used to counteract Fentynal was put into my system, later we were told for a normal overdose they only use 1/2 a bag max. I did find out that all the screaming I did regarding “Call My Wife” fell on deaf ears, no one from the Pain Management Specialists (PMS) office called and I’ve been going there for 17 years, was one of his first patients, one of the first 300 to test the device with them and you don’t call my wife? I thought we had a relationship? No one from the ambulance service and not until almost 3:30 pm did someone from the ICU contact her and explain what happened. The PMS office when they were called on it said that “It wasn’t their responsibility.” GO FIGURE.

Doctor Patient

I do not know how this story could have been made easier other than the PMS’s getting their end right. My lessons to you would include, keep in touch with your family, let them know where your going, who your seeing and about how long it should take. Any changes in medication (especially pain related meds) let someone know and ask them to watch for side effects, because as the patient you may not notice the changes over time, they will. My wife and boss both said they knew something wasn’t right because I would never have gone an entire day without calling, texting or email them. I would say wear an emergency alert necklace or bracelet with the diagnosis, doctors and emergency contacts phone numbers. Mine didn’t work but yours may.

Med Alert Bracelet with USB