Devastated (long)

[JennyMominRI]

I was not looking at getting into a pissing match w/anybody that was not my intent---When I started in 1986 AIDS was still being referred to as the Gay Cancer as Jen put it I just said cancer because of its effects on the body's T cells and as I said when I first started it was full universal precautions which we know today is not a necessity
My posts as I stated many times before was not to scare the OP but in reference to a lot of the ppl who were saying she was fine and had no worries about what was happening THIS WAS PRIOR TO HER COMING CLEAN WITH THE ENTIRE STORY
Which we now know is she lent him a cell phone---As for her comments about my scaring her because I posted the link is crazy because in later posts she said she has done extensive research on what happened

AIDS has not been called the gay cancer since August of 82...Dr robert Gallo isolated HIV in the lab in 1984 and there has been a test for HIV since 1985.. I'm 35 and I was 16 in 1986..
From the history of AIDS
1982 History
The disease still did not have a name, with different groups referring to it in different ways. The CDC generally referred to it by reference to the diseases that were occurring, for example lymphadenopathy (swollen glands), although on some occasions they referred to it as KSOI, the name already given to the CDC task force.14 15

In contrast some still linked the disease to it's initial occurrence in gay men, with the Lancet calling it the 'gay compromise syndrome', whilst at least one newspaper referred to it as GRID (gay-related immune deficiency),16 17 and another newspaper described it as 'gay cancer'.18 The disease was also called 'community-acquired immune dysfunction'.19

In June a report of a group of cases amongst gay men in Southern California suggested that the disease might be caused by an infectious agent that was sexually transmitted.20

By the beginning of July a total of 452 cases, from 23 states, had been reported to the CDC.21

Later in July the first reports appeared that the disease was occurring in Haitians, as well as haemophiliacs.22 23

By August the disease was being referred to by its new name of AIDS.24 The word AIDS was an abbreviation of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.25 An anagram of AIDS, SIDA, was created for use in French and Spanish.26 The doctors thought 'AIDS' suitable because people acquired the condition rather than inherited it; because it resulted in a deficiency within the immune system; and because it was a syndrome, with a number of manifestations, rather than a single disease

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

Jenny - there is still some ignorant people out there...the fact that in 1986, someone still referred to it as such, doesn't surprise me

 

[LukenDC]

Nurses do not have the time to hand hold or coddle everyone they happen to meet or there would be complaints that the nurse took too long etc. Sometimes health care professionals be it doctors, nurses, aides, therapists can't ever win in the eyes of the public. Damned if you do Damned if you don't.

WHAT??? Nurses are health care professionals who are supposed to be compassionate and understanding of all of their patients' needs. Hand holding, understanding, and yes occasionally coddling should all be part of a health care professional's bedside manner when needed. If that it too much to ask then they need to find a new profession, preferably one that does not put them into contact with vulnerable and anxious populations.

Thankfully most of the nurses I have encountered in my lifetime have been consummate professionals who have administered care with compassion and concern.

 

[DawnCt1]

Just a little info for the people who dont feel that contact w/ someone who may or may not be infected would be something to worry about--This study deals with health care workers in a state but seeing as that the OP was in contact w/someone while offering aid it fits notice it says that non intact skin was found to be the source for transmission in 22.7% of the cases while transmission thru droplets to the eyes nose and mouth came in at 11.2% last was cuts not sure how they differentiated a cut from non intact skin though unless non intact skin dealt with cuts in mouth/kanker sores and kissing or anal tears and such as that


" most exposures (67%) occurred in nurses, followed by physicians and surgeons (17.5%). Needlesticks were the most common source of exposure (58.4%), followed by nonintact-skin and mucous-membrane contamination (22.7% and 11.2%, respectively) and cuts (7.7%). At the time of exposure, 77.5% of the HCWs knew or suspected that the source patient was HIV infected."

"The study demonstrates a small but real risk of HIV infection after percutaneous and mucous-membrane exposure to blood of HIV-infected patients and that transmission can occur during the "window period" of infection. Furthermore, exposures to HIV are not infrequent, and many exposures could be prevented with the use of barrier precautions, appropriate behaviors, and safer devices and techniques."


Hiv virus can be found in blood,semen,******l fluid,breast milk,saliva and tears.AND it can take several hours to reduce the amount of infectious virus by 90 to 99% once the virus has left the hosts body

This study doesn't even weigh the frequency or number of occurances of those infected, and doesn't take into consideration that PEOPLE LIE about their risks and exposure. A health care worker with risky behavior or who is HIV positive in the first place will likely keep that information to themselves due to fear of losing their jobs. You also haven't addressed the number of health care workers involved in this study. I think you are actually talking about extremely small numbers here.

 

[mickeyfan2]

It was not like a first responder (which my DH is )...A first responder would have been gloved and may have had eye protection (depending on protocol)..she DID come into contact with blood...MINIMAL, but contact

ITA. If there was no contact then why the need for the Hep-B shots? I too think the chance are extremely low, but not 0% that you caught anything.



OP DO NOT READ ANY FARTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!






BTW he just got out of jail, now that raises the stakes some. Depending on what prision and how long he was there, he had some chances to come in contact with both HIV and Hep-B.

 

[Magickndm]

Do I have grounds to complain about her handling of this situation?

Can anyone offer any advice for me?

It doesn't seem to me that the OP is concerned with whether or not they actually contracted anything, and has said they have done a lot of research on their own. Whatever info Irishbosox put out there to read couldn't have been new information, reguardless of Irish's schooling or history.

The OP has asked if they should complain about the nurse. I feel very bad that the OP has been hurt by this nurse, but unfortunately some people are just less sensitive than others. I agree with whatever poster who said the best thing would be to ask for another nurse if you have to go back in. If questioned as to why, then you can say she was pretty tactless with you.

Again, best of luck to you.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

Luken - there is a difference between being comapssionate and concerned and looking out for a patients health and coddling. Do you know how many patients nurses have everyday?
The nurse wasn't mean..she wasn't rude..she was matter of fact or just plain indifferent to the OP anxiety...not that she was right, but how many patients do you think she was taking care of that day? It is a sad state of our heathcare today

 

[ilovepcot]

Wow! I don't have an anxiety disorder nor have I been at risk for contracting a deadly disease but just from reading the comments and bickering here, I have a knot in my stomach. Can't begin to imagine how mispatatas must feel! So mispatatas....what do you say to turning away from further reading and posting on this thread and begin a new, happier thread to avoid dwelling on this issue? Couldn't hurt. (Hope you don't take offense to my post. Merely trying to help, especially in light of how these posts were making me feel "agitated".)

 

[mickeyfan2]

Actually AIDS is a disease that has been around longer than most think. I watched a show about a Dr. who was doing research on AIDS. He stumbled upon cell tissue from a man who was treated for an unknown illness that killed him. The symptoms sound much like the AIDS symtoms. The man's Dr. had never seen anything like it so he kept some samples for future reference. The Dr. doing the research tested the tissue and it tested positive for AIDS. The man died in the 1930s.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

Irish - you were in High school in 1986? I was a freshman in 85-86 and our CNA's classes weren't offered until later..like junior year when you could leave campus

Our nursing classes started freshman year we learned medical terminology,the systems of the body and how they functioned,nutrition,taking vitals,control of infection so on

We started our clinicals junior year and I received my certification 6/19/89

 

[grlpwrd]

Ok, I will give the full story, so that people understand why I managed to STOP worrying before I saw this nurse, and why I am worrying again now.

A month ago I was stopped by a guy in the street who was bleeding profusely from a fight. He asked to use my phone.

I didn't touch him directly but the phone was passed between us. There were (near invisible) traces of blood on my phone when I looked at it later.

I had a scab on my knuckle and a paper cut on the hand I DIDNT handle my phone with. Both were about 3 days old and not deep at all. I know rationally there is no way the blood could have touched them.

I had a total panic attack over this - I went to ER the following day WITH the guy (who I then found out had just got out of jail) he had a blood test and I had a hep b shot - but was told I had nothing to worry about at all.
I spoke to several other doctors who told me the same thing - but nothing would placate me.
His blood test came back negative.

I had a lot of support from my family and friends and with their help managed to recover from the panic 100% and believe what the doctors had told me- until today!

Today the nurse made me go through the whole situation again and her reaction was to negate what the doctors had told me. So of course it is her comments that stand out in my head, not all of the other things that helped me get over it in the first place.

I'm sorry, I don't understand how if you know you have anxiety disorder how could you be so willing to lend a total stranger a cell phone and accompany him to the emergency room. If I saw a bleeding dude I wouldn't be so quick to lend him my phone - I would call for him (9-1-1?) and I certainly wouldn't go with him anywhere, not even to the hospital.

I just don't understand how you could place yourself in a position like that knowing you have anxiety.

No offense, but are you a hypochondriac?

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

no...but she tends to "put her life out there"...
I have said it before to you...if you post this stuff and then get upset at the responses, STOP

 

[Christine]

I'm sorry, I don't understand how if you know you have anxiety disorder how could you be so willing to lend a total stranger a cell phone and accompany him to the emergency room. If I saw a bleeding dude I wouldn't be so quick to lend him my phone - I would call for him (9-1-1?) and I certainly wouldn't go with him anywhere, not even to the hospital.

I just don't understand how you could place yourself in a position like that knowing you have anxiety.

No offense, but are you a hypochondriac?

I'd like to answer for the OP.

First of all--hypochondriasis IS an anxiety disorder. It is one manifestation of anxiety and is now often called "health anxiety" because so many people *snicker* about hypochondria.

Secondly, anxiety disorders have no *reasoning* to them. I have pretty bad anxiety, horrible in fact, but I have not problem getting into an MRI machine, nor do I have problems flying. Yet, ask me to go to a restaurant and I'm like the cowardly lion on the Wizard of Oz.

Edited to add: the second example given above often lets people with anxiety do all sorts of things and not others. In other words, anxiety makes no sense. Also, even though I have anxiety, I often do VERY WELL in situations where a lot of adrenaline is called for (such as the OPs situation). It is the *little* things that send me over the edge.

 

[DawnCt1]

AIDS has not been called the gay cancer since August of 82...Dr robert Gallo isolated HIV in the lab in 1984 and there has been a test for HIV since 1985.. I'm 35 and I was 16 in 1986..

Hi Jenny, I can't remember the year but it had to be sometime between 1977 and 1980 or so. DH was an intern and they had the first patient in Ct. and perhaps the northeast, who presented with severe immune deficiency and Karposi's Sarcoma. It was an odd collection of symptoms and he was sent to Sloan Kettering. Similar patients were presenting with similar symptoms in San Francisco around that time. .

 

[DawnCt1]

Our nursing classes started freshman year we learned medical terminology,the systems of the body and how they functioned,nutrition,taking vitals,control of infection so on

We started our clinicals junior year and I received my certification 6/19/89

Are you familiar with the saying; "A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing?"

 

[JennyMominRI]

Hi Jenny, I can't remember the year but it had to be sometime between 1977 and 1980 or so. DH was an intern and they had the first patient in Ct. and perhaps the northeast, who presented with severe immune deficiency and Karposi's Sarcoma. It was an odd collection of symptoms and he was sent to Sloan Kettering. Similar patients were presenting with similar symptoms in San Francisco around that time. .

Yes,and like the other poster has said they have gine back and tested other cases and later found out it was AIDS . I remember one was the blood/tissue sample of a European women that died in the 1950's...I had not heard about any cases as far back as the 30's..Clearly this has been around for a while..There were also the large number of Haitians presenting with symptoms in 80 or so..Certainly people on the street may have continued to call it GRID or Gay Cancer,but the medical profession clealry called it AIDS..In 1986/87 Rock Hudsons AIDS diagnos was front page news. We in High School certainly new it as AIDS

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

Jenny/ you and I are the same age and we all called it AIDS (not even HIV) when I was in high school...but I could see some high school "health teacher" being alittle backa**ed

 

[mickeyfan2]

Yes,and like the other poster has said they have gine back and tested other cases and later found out it was AIDS . I remember one was the blood/tissue sample of a European women that died in the 1950's...I had not heard about any cases as far back as the 30's..Clearly this has been around for a while..There were also the large number of Haitians presenting with symptoms in 80 or so..Certainly people on the street may have continued to call it GRID or Gay Cancer,but the medical profession clealry called it AIDS..In 1986/87 Rock Hudsons AIDS diagnos was front page news. We in High School certainly new it as AIDS

From what you know and I think I know, AIDS has been around for 50 - 70 years. I remember when Herpes (not the chick pox) was suppose to so prevelent that anybody over the age of 5 was going to have it. Then they said the same for AIDS. Many people go to extremes with any disease like these. Well neither came to pass. I am 44 and I knew about HIV/AIDS for most of my adult life. Can't even remember calling it anything else. The only time I ever heard it called Gay Cancer was as a bigotted comment.

Just an aside. Another show that I watched was about a Gay man from San Fran who had many friends and lovers die from AIDS, yet he was HIV free. The Drs took some of his blood and put the virus into it and his immune system attached and killed it. They have found that 10% of the Caucasian (and only the Caucasian) community that are desendents of places that were decimated with the Bubonic Plague carry this immunity. They are doing research to find out what gene made their decendents immune to AIDS and them to the Bubonic Plague. This immunity is only in the Caucasian communities that were hard hit by the "Black Death". BTW the man in the study is Italian, and Italians, French and English (maybe others) are the most likely carrier of this immunity.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

WHat about the Irish??

*goes off to read about the Bubonic Plague*

 

[irishbosoxfan]

i just wanted to clear up a few things again--First is back in 1986 not all known was widespread knowledge--As Jen stated in one post her sister became an RN just as AIDS was becoming recognized-The first case was diagnosed in 1981 and there's not much of a time difference between 81 and 86--In 1986 you could refuse to work with an AIDS patient and though the disease WAS well known(Rock Hudson and others) it was NOT well understood.
If you have a hard time believing this think of Ryan White and many others who were barred from school because ppl didnt understand the disease.
When I said it was known as cancer((I never referred to it as gay cancer-Jenny did))that is because of how it was taught to us to be better able to understand it and its effects on the body because of its likeness to cancer and its effect on T CELLS and viral load.
As for "a little knowledge being dangerous" we were discussing 1986 not today.
I posted the link so all could read because at the time the OP hadn't yet told exactly what happened and didn't feel comfortable with ppl telling her that she had no reason to worry.
Then she told us of having to go for the shots which made not only me but others believe that she had indeed come into contact w/the gentlemans blood only to find out from her in later posts that it was only her cell phone which ahd been exchanged