Disgusted

premedtim

premedtim

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Well, I learned tonight why becoming an ER doc is probably not something I ever want to pursue if I want to actually help people (warning, I'm aware this is a generalization and there are exceptions, as with everything)....alright so for reasons I won't go into, there's a BB in my hand. Started to lose feeling and have had tingling in my ring and small finger since three hours ago. ER basically said piss off and go see my family doctor for a referral, despite having a doc in front of me, he said he can't give me a referral to a hand surgeon so I have to waste time/money just to go get one from my family doc.

So my question is, if circulation gets even crappier and I lose circulation in my hand entirely, how long do I have before I lose said hand? Granted I'm going to go to my family doc asap and get the stupid referral but I'm wondering how screwed I am if circulation gets even crappier in my left hand?
 
Got a knife handy? Save yourself the aggravation. Just kidding. the reason an ER doc doesn't want to get involved with that is; a) it's not an emergency and b) the hand is a very complicated and sensitive appendage to play with. A specialist should be the only one going near it, contrary to my jesting earlier. And insurance usually requires your primary to give the referral, not the ER Doc.
 
I agree.. I would had turfed you as well. Doubtful a BB is causing an arterial obstruction, and more likely causing you pressure on your nerve. ( You have capillary refill or blanching ? Cold, pale ?)

Due to the complications and complexity of hand injuries, most are referred to a "hand " specialist. As well NO ER Physician will make referrals to a specialist for non-life threatening emergencies. One has to be referred by your PCP and then as mentioned cleared by insurance company, if you want it to get paid for.

An non-emergent clinic would had been more appropriate.

R/r 911
 
I hope you let us know how your hand is doing! Don't be shy when talking to PCP office to get seen asap. It's your hand not theirs.
 
Hey guys, figured I'd drop in and give an update...well, the reason I didn't wait to go to my PCP is because I started to lose feeling in my hand and I haven't learned nearly enough about medicine to be making judgements on my health so wasn't about to assume that it wasn't anything to be concerned with since usually if ya lose feeling in an extremity there's a problem. :P

Anywho, Rid's right on the money as usual, PCP said the tingling and loss of feeling was from the BB pushing against a nerve because it's lodged right up against one. Wasn't shy about explaining it at all cause yeah, my hand not theirs, and I want the stupid thing out so I can get on with my life, lol. I'll be glad to not have to say I have a BB in my hand anyway because I'm kind of tired of the odd looks I get from people.

So I guess I shouldn't have disgust toward ER docs then, it should be toward insurance companies...I suppose I'm not really surprised by that since I used to work for one and yeah they use every excuse possible to deny a claim.

So yeah, PCP referred me to a orthopedic medical group in town which I'm assuming will have either an orthopedic surgeon, or hopefully, a hand surgeon get the stupid thing out. Ya know, if the price tag on BB guns read $3,000 or whatever the surgery's gonna cost instead of $19.99 I probably wouldn't have gone near the damn thing. Well, at least around trigger happy ex-friends anyway.
 
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glad to hear you got things going in the right direction.... so now what in the world happened?
 
Ex-friend...but yeah more or less. I won't make accusations because I'll never know for sure but one of the ways you check to see how much carbon dioxide is left in the BB gun (well for gas-operated ones anyhow) is by shooting some air into your hand. Now, while that may sound idiotic or counter productive, obviously you make sure the clip isn't in the gun before you do that. So I was taking my BB gun out of my car after me and my friend got back to his house and I set it on the top of my trunk, popped the clip out while I was thinking of it, and then went to get the milk carton of BBs out of my gun (we went sharpshooting up in the woods a lot) and lo' and behold when I checked the air in my BB gun it somehow mysteriously had a round in there (and a clip).

So like I said, I'll never know for sure so I won't make accusations since nothing on the internet is private and that's slander without proof, but considering he's now an ex-friend and it's been proven numerous times that his character is very shady and he's a habitual liar, well you can guess what my suspicion is. Why he would do that I have no idea but whatever, as long as it comes out soon I don't care.

And since I'm sure the questions will be asked, no it didn't hurt, yes there was a hell of a lot of blood (towels make great pressure dressings btw if you have nothing else), no I didn't have insurance so the ER didn't even cross my mind, and no I had no idea the BB was still in there, and if I did, I probably wouldn't have tried to squeeze it out even when the wound was open for the same reasons as Rid and Jm mentioned for it needing to be taken care of by a hand surgeon.
 
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From the voice of the RIDRYDER BB Gun.. "Don't play with B B gun's, you will put your eye out !...." LOL

Glad you got that corrected.. I too would have been concerned. It is a whole different thing when it is you....

Amazing, how much little things will cost you in the end...

Again, good luck, glad everything is okay..

Ridryder 911
 
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