Two questions for the ladies

LasMa
Sun, 29 Jan 2012 04:26:26 +0000

Two years ago my mom went to the hospital while visiting my sister. She went in because she felt miserable. Turns out she had a UTinfection, and she should have gone home after getting a prescription. But they kept her there for an extra 2-3 days conducting every possible test just because she has Medicare and because she’s elderly. They didn’t “discover” anything besides the UTI.



My mom was hospitalized for a UTI just yesterday. The doctor told me that they wanted to be sure that the antibiotics would knock it down quickly, so being in the hospital means they can check frequently and adjust the medication immediately if indicated. He also said that her white cell count was “off the charts” and wanted to be sure that the infection doesn’t spread. He said they’d be watching for sepsis.

If you and I have a UTI, being sent home with some pills would probably be appropriate. But the elderly have weakened immune systems and a run-of-the-mill infection can get out of control very quickly. I was satisfied that the doctor had valid medical reasons for admitting her.