UPMC Altoona

Well, everything started out well but then it all just went to hell. I’ve never been here before in my life but somehow they had a 5 year old address on file for me!!! But no phone number. I had a heart attack this morning after having a few arterial studies done on my left leg. The staff at the vascular lab a few blocks away got me stabilized while we waited for the ambulance. Came here, straight up to a room. An observation room (but more on that later) where they decide if you really need to be admitted. The labs came back indicating that I had some cardiac event. Now since I’m allergic to the dye used for the vascular studies, I have to marinate in steroids for 24 hours beforehand. That stuff is like Crack. I haven’t slept all night and being diabetic it shoots my sugar up to levels that are incompatible with life. I haven’t had any of my usual meds yet today either. I can’t eat until I do my sugar. But they won’t let me. I have all my meds with me but they won’t let me take them. They confiscated all of it because! WHATEVER! The doctor hasn’t returned any calls to order meds so the pharmacy can’t dispense them and the nurse can’t give them to me. But they took the ones I have with me. I can’t eat because I don’t have insulin. Haven’t had my heart meds either. Fought with 2, count’em, 2 nurses who threatened me with police action if necessary. (They moonlight here as security.) So, had a heart attack, my sugar is high, I’m stressed out fighting with nurses. Oh, yes. An «observation bed». That means that the insurance probably won’t pay for, or pay as much for the room. But you’ve signed a paper stating YOU will be responsible for what the insurance won’t pay. And they’re more likely to make more money off of you than fighting with the insurance company.
Welcome to modern medicine.
It’s now 5pm.
I’ve been here 5 hours and just got to take my MORNING meds.
I hope to god, if I get out of here alive, that I never have to come back here again.
They are only getting 1 star because I’m being forced to give them one.
And take notice on the map. Just across the street is a HUGE cemetery.