Catavenger
New member
Recently I was told by my neurologist that since he seems to have run out of medications to treat my epilepsy (seizures,) and since my insurance would pay for it I would have to go in the "EMU" (Epilepsy Monitoring Unit ) at my local hospital. I was very reluctant to go there however was told by his staff that if I refused to go there he would no longer have me as a patient. My sister and her husband had also been pushing me to go there. Once there I had to pay a hefty copay and my anti-seizure medications were stopped.
There after I had already been wired up to an EEG to my head and had various medical devices attached to my hands I found out that I would be strapped into the bed "for my own safety." That did not seem so bad but I also found out that this strap would be LOCKED. Yes I was locked into the bed. I also found out at this time that my sister had previously been aware that I would be locked to the bed. I was very unhappy about this.
I was also watched by a camera and my brainwaves were monitored. I was supposed to push a button if I felt odd or felt that I was having a seizure. I frequently have what are know as partial onset or simple partial seizures. I do not lose conciousness with these and most people do not even notice that I have them. In order to be cooperative I pushed the button when I had these. I had one after I had been let loose to use the bathroom and was just finishing there. After that I had to not only get permission to be let loose of my locked restraints but also be followed into the bathroom.
The food as well as the treatment I was given there in my opinion was substandard.
I had also been told that I could bring my laptop computer and that there was internet access. Once there I found out that the laptop would not connect. I found out that the so called "internet access" was just a very few websites such as news and G-mail hooked to the the room's TV.
I felt humiliated being locked to the bed and basically watched in the bathroom. I was not given much of any chance to brush my teeth wash up or use deodorant.
I had told them at least three times that the IV tube that was not hooked to a line but was shoved into my left arm was painful however nothing was done about this.
I was supposed to be there for 72 hours however after being there one night I slipped out of the restraints and grabbed my pants and put them on over my pajamas. Fortunately there was a phone (9 to get an outside line.) I called and left a message at my sister's house for her to please come and get me. After that the epileptologist who looked to be around thirty came into the room and started telling me how bad my brainwaves looked. I told him that I did not care but to unhook me from the various wires and let me loose. I would sign whatever it took to absolve them from any responsibility for my safety. He continued to yack at me. I had to pick up the phone and bluff that I was going to call a lawyer if they did not let me leave. The epileptologist wanted to know how I was going to get home I told him I would walk if I had to. Fortunately I had found a card that had my brother-in-law's cell phone number I called that and my sister answered. She did agree to come and get me. The boy wonder epileptologist kept popping in and out of the room; he would not shut up or leave me alone. He even sent three security guards into the room. I told them that I had at one time been a security guard for a number of years and that I was obviously no threat to anyone. They seemed very sheepish about the whole thing. Around this time the epileptologist also called my bluff about calling a lawyer. Unfortunately I could not remember the number of one.
Only after agreeing to be heavily sedated was I allowed to leave and unhooked from all my wires when my sister and brother-in-law showed up.
Now I am pretty upset with my sister; she knows my charactor well enough to know that I never would have agreed to be locked into the bed.
Having seizures is NOT a crime it is a disease like having a heart attack or a stroke.
I am very unhappy about my family and my treatment in general. It just seems to me to be barbaric for this "enlightened" century.
There after I had already been wired up to an EEG to my head and had various medical devices attached to my hands I found out that I would be strapped into the bed "for my own safety." That did not seem so bad but I also found out that this strap would be LOCKED. Yes I was locked into the bed. I also found out at this time that my sister had previously been aware that I would be locked to the bed. I was very unhappy about this.
I was also watched by a camera and my brainwaves were monitored. I was supposed to push a button if I felt odd or felt that I was having a seizure. I frequently have what are know as partial onset or simple partial seizures. I do not lose conciousness with these and most people do not even notice that I have them. In order to be cooperative I pushed the button when I had these. I had one after I had been let loose to use the bathroom and was just finishing there. After that I had to not only get permission to be let loose of my locked restraints but also be followed into the bathroom.
The food as well as the treatment I was given there in my opinion was substandard.
I had also been told that I could bring my laptop computer and that there was internet access. Once there I found out that the laptop would not connect. I found out that the so called "internet access" was just a very few websites such as news and G-mail hooked to the the room's TV.
I felt humiliated being locked to the bed and basically watched in the bathroom. I was not given much of any chance to brush my teeth wash up or use deodorant.
I had told them at least three times that the IV tube that was not hooked to a line but was shoved into my left arm was painful however nothing was done about this.
I was supposed to be there for 72 hours however after being there one night I slipped out of the restraints and grabbed my pants and put them on over my pajamas. Fortunately there was a phone (9 to get an outside line.) I called and left a message at my sister's house for her to please come and get me. After that the epileptologist who looked to be around thirty came into the room and started telling me how bad my brainwaves looked. I told him that I did not care but to unhook me from the various wires and let me loose. I would sign whatever it took to absolve them from any responsibility for my safety. He continued to yack at me. I had to pick up the phone and bluff that I was going to call a lawyer if they did not let me leave. The epileptologist wanted to know how I was going to get home I told him I would walk if I had to. Fortunately I had found a card that had my brother-in-law's cell phone number I called that and my sister answered. She did agree to come and get me. The boy wonder epileptologist kept popping in and out of the room; he would not shut up or leave me alone. He even sent three security guards into the room. I told them that I had at one time been a security guard for a number of years and that I was obviously no threat to anyone. They seemed very sheepish about the whole thing. Around this time the epileptologist also called my bluff about calling a lawyer. Unfortunately I could not remember the number of one.
Only after agreeing to be heavily sedated was I allowed to leave and unhooked from all my wires when my sister and brother-in-law showed up.
Now I am pretty upset with my sister; she knows my charactor well enough to know that I never would have agreed to be locked into the bed.
Having seizures is NOT a crime it is a disease like having a heart attack or a stroke.
I am very unhappy about my family and my treatment in general. It just seems to me to be barbaric for this "enlightened" century.
