"Bowel Obstruction Treatment"

To whom it may concern, 

In addition to what I have written in my previous feedback, I would like to mention the following. 

I have been admitted to hospital several times with bowel obstructions. For the initiated they create excruciating pain. 

Apparently, the standard procedure is to aspirate the patient to relieve the pressure in the stomach. 

The first time the procedure was attempted on me it resulted in choking, blood and vomit. At my age (in my 70s now) I simply couldn't bear the suffering of the procedure now and would rather die. If that sounds fanciful, the head surgeon at Kalgoorlie at the time, I felt, demanded in front of a host of staff that I sign a waiver releasing the hospital of any responsibility for my death. I asked them to provide the form and I would sign, "Because you're going to kill me anyway."

The procedure is a traumatic experience for me and the fact that the surgeon didn't offer any alternative and the patient is prepared to accept death, suggests that it must be the only procedure. 

One of the eight peers in my room that day returned to see me, unbeknown to the head surgeon, and pleaded with me for one attempt at an NG(?). I finally relented and this staff member was able to perform the procedure effortlessly and quick with no pain. 

My take from was that some may know how to perform the procedure, but as time proved to me, they were the only one. 

I was admitted to the Broome Hospital in December with the familiar bowel obstruction and of course aspirating was the only thing that was suggested as the definitive treatment. 

I resisted but the doctor persisted until I relented (mistake) one again. It didn't take long for the familiar choking sensation to occur with the tube getting curled up and messy before I could sense it wasn't being performed correctly. As a result, I refused any more attempts even though my limited knowledge of the possible outcome suggested another waiver being offered to me to sign. 

My questions is, why can't something be provided orally to induce vomiting. I know my body and I have enough experience of the events to know once that occurs, everything begins to settle down and I recover in about 24-48 hours. 

I'm very analytical these days when I got to ED. The conclusions I've drawn (very small sample I know) is that nursing staff are incredibly dedicated and seemingly run off their feet from about 7:30 till 19:30. 

But my view of doctors is mixed. I've had melanomas diagnosed incorrectly and only picked up because I flew to a clinic for a total skin check for a second opinion, only to find two dangerous melanomas had to be removed immediately. 

Interestingly. when I finally did find a doctor in Broome that actually knew how to correctly diagnose skin cancers, they were too busy to perform the removal. So, they wrote out a detailed report to give to the surgeon at the Broome Hospital for them to perform the procedure. 

When I attended the hospital, the surgeon read the report and then asked me for my mobile phone with the camera on. You trust doctors, so I provided it to them. The surgeon photographed my back and then asked me to tell them what it was that they had to cut out.

How can anyone be confident with an approach where the patient has to select a mark on their back they can't see?

There's a saying up here which is unfair but I can understand it: "If you're in pain, get on a plane."

My only request is that if anyone does read this letter could someone advise me if there is any other way to relieve stomach pressure for a bowel obstruction that doesn't involve aspirating with its tubes, vomit, blood, trauma and stress.

Kind regards

zebramy57.