Image via WikipediaThat last bite of turkey pesto sandwich tasted like metal, John thought. He had quickly swallowed before realizing that something was seriously wrong. Food should not taste metallic. Sure enough, hours later, it started with a bloated, gassy feeling, then nausea, and finally a furious diarrhea that wouldn't quit. As weakness set in, John contemplated his options. Unable to get an appointment with his doctor John found a ride to a nearby ER to be more than just unpleasant. The bloated belly made it uncomfortable to sit. Each turn and bump wrecked havoc with his Innards. Fear of impending explosive diarrhea added further stress to the already miserable situation. Upon arrival in the ER, after sitting still uncomfortably at the registration desk to complete paperwork, he was then required to sit a wait to be triaged since there was already a line up of patients ahead of him. He sat in the corner of the waiting room nearest the restroom, just in case. At the
triage desk, his vital signs were checked and he answered a myriad of questions, some of which seemed to him to have no sense or purpose.
These questions are a product of federal bureaucratic mandates. Each question further delayed his care and prolonged his misery. At triage, his vital signs were found to be stable, so he would have to wait more while sicker patients were cared for. After a seemingly long wait and multiple quick trips to the restroom, he was eventually brought to the patient care area where he could finally receive treatment. Many hours later, rehydrated, but exhausted, he was released from the Emergency Department. On his way home, he spent another 30 minutes standing and waiting for a prescription to be filled at a pharmacy.
Liz, on the hand, had also become ill after eating a turkey pesto sandwich from the same fast food restaurant. However she thought the better of enduring a trip to and through the ER, and quickly located the services of
Urgent Med Housecalls. After a phone call to the service, an emergency physician was quickly located and able to speak with her and triage her directly by phone.
Once a house call was determined to be safe and appropriate, the physician was enroute to see her at her home. Upon arrival, after seeing her misery, the doctor instituted IV fluid hydration while, at the same time,taking her medical history. Medicine for nausea was given, and within minutes Liz seemed to have forgotten why she had requested the doctor's visit in the first place. After about 50 minutes treatment was complete and the doctor then left her further medication to take, just in case symptoms recurred, and he bid farewell.
Patients who are mild to moderately dehydrated from food poisoning or stomach flu may now be rehydrated rapidly and safely with IV fluid infusion during a doctor house call. Urgent Med Housecalls brings board certified emergency physicians to patients wherever they are, whether in home, hotel room, workplace or elsewhere. These ER doctors bring easy convenient urgent care directly to patients. Patients traditionally requiring emergency room care for dehydration are typically offered rapid intravenous fluid hydration when appropriate.
House call emergency physicians will place the IV, then infuse fluids rapidly when appropriate so that a typical IV fluid hydration session will be complete within 1-2 hours. Similarly ill patients will commonly still be sitting in the Waiting room in the busy ER.
Image via WikipediaIs there a flu vaccine that pregnant women should not get? The seasonal and other H1N1 flu vaccines could be taken either by injection or through nasal spray. During pregnancy, women must take the "flu shot"- an immunization made with killed influenza. This immunization is given with a needle, often in the arm. One other type of flu vaccination (a nasal aerosol) -is not advisable during pregnancy.
