My mother had a routine colonoscopy. She did everything she was supposed to do prior to the procedure, including having it scheduled in a HOSPITAL not a surgical center due to severe sleep apnea. The day before surgery she told the nurse that called for her history that she had sleep apnea, she told the lady that admitted her the day of the procedure. She thought she was done telling people and no one else asked.
I talked to her pre-op nurse and asked if she was informed about the apnea and that mom had been experiencing some extra coughing lately. She said she did NOT know about either but would make sure it was noted on the chart. I expressed concern that the anesthesiologist know and was reassured that YES he would be informed.
Upon my meeting her again in post op my first comment to her nurse was, "I don't like her sat rate (oxygen saturation rate) and her color is off." The nurse reassured me that she was fine and that she was on oxygen for the low numbers. I again expressed that the numbers should be higher SINCE she is already using the oxygen. She kind of ignored me. I was with my mom for about 10 minutes encouraging her to take deep slow breaths trying to see if I could get her sat rates up. She was never over 92% even with nice deep breaths. I again expressed concern.
The next thing that happened is that we (my mom and I) could hear gurgling coming from her lungs. I called the nurse over and she listened to her lungs and said they were clear and then asked me to leave (a new patient was coming in). On the way out I saw that there were actually 2 more patients coming to post op and NO bays to put them in. Less than 5 minutes later my mom is standing next to the nurse and is discharged from the hospital.
We drive home and I get her settled and make sure she has lunch. She felt pretty good but was worn out (that colonoscopy prep is rough). I go home and call an hour later she is unable to talk and her breathing was labored.
I call 911 while racing over there, she is admitted to a local hospital (not same one for procedure) with acute aspiration pneumonia. I learned that she was never intubated during her procedure and they believe she aspirated vomit during the procedure.
Sorry for the LONG POST but PLEASE, NEVER let yourself be put to sleep unless YOU tell the anesthesiologist know you have sleep apnea. I cannot stress enough how very important this is. NEVER trust that the message will be given to him/her by your own doctor, the or nurse or the pre-op nurse. We are all human and mistakes happen but this is one that NEVER has to. NEVER assume the doc knows.
This has been a scary and on-going ordeal. She will need oxygen now for a while and there may even be some more permanent damage. We now have many more test to follow but feel we are out of the woods as far as the critical period.
Thanks for listening and PLEASE spread the word.
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~ElleMarie~ One day at a time, ARE YOU KIDDING ME! Sometimes it's just a minute at a time.
AHI 100 -Diagnosis June 2007-
