This hospital failed me -- not just clinically, but systemically. And unless you are prepared to…read moreadvocate HARD for yourself every step of the way, you may find yourself gaslit, dismissed, and unsafe.
1. Unsafe Discharge Pressure & Gaslighting
Multiple staff attempted to discharge me while I still had necrotic tissue in my leg. I was in severe pain, had not yet met with infectious disease, and had not been cleared by physical therapy. Yet I was pressured, told I was "medically cleared," and even cornered by staff when I was alone -- no nurse, no attending doctor, just case managers and social workers trying to get me out.
My care was being dictated not by medical needs, but by financial convenience. I overheard conversations about me being "here too long," and was told directly that insurance wasn't going to cover anything past a certain point.
2. Disorganized Care Teams, Contradicting Info
Every person I spoke to had a different answer. Nurses said I wasn't cleared. PT said I couldn't go home safely. The doctor would say "tomorrow or the next day," while social work insisted I had to leave immediately.
I was not medically cleared. My wound vac was still in, I was still a fall risk (bed alarm active), and I had no mobility training or plan in place. I repeatedly expressed that I did not feel safe going home and was told things like:
"You don't need your dad here, you're 32 years old."
"You're getting upset, that's not helpful."
"Just think positive."
Every attempt I made to speak up was spun as me being "difficult," when I was simply asking for a consistent, safe, medically sound discharge plan.
3. Neglect of Patient Autonomy & Emotional Manipulation
One case manager in particular was unprofessional, condescending, and dismissive. I eventually had to say, "I don't want her assigned to my case anymore." I was no longer willing to speak with her due to the sheer emotional manipulation I experienced. Thankfully, she was replaced -- a silent admission that I wasn't overreacting.
Also -- they tried to go around me and call my father behind my back. I'm an adult, fully lucid, and medically sound enough to make my own decisions. And yet, they thought involving my family without consent was acceptable.
4. Minimizing Real Trauma
I was in this hospital because of a traumatic dog attack. I was bitten badly, required surgery, wound vac treatment, and narcotics for pain management. I expressed legitimate fears about being discharged into a home alone, medicated, and vulnerable to potential abuse from visiting aides (an experience many people have endured). Instead of validating these concerns, I was told:
"Everyone is vetted."
"You just need to think positively."
"There's nothing to worry about."
That is gaslighting. I know what trauma-informed care looks like -- and this was not it.
5. What Helped (Slightly)
The only reason I agreed to discharge was:
* My entire medical team -- including surgeon, hospitalist, nurse, and attending -- finally came into alignment and confirmed, in unison, that I was safe to go home.
* My best friend called the hospital on my behalf to advocate when I was too exhausted to keep fighting.
* I was told I could discontinue home care at any time and would be followed up by a doctor.
Still -- this was not a safe or dignified process. It was a coerced exit, not a compassionate transition.
Final Thoughts:
This hospital does not center patient safety.
It centers discharge quotas, insurance deadlines, and damage control.
I was not asking for luxury care. I was asking for a basic, safe plan, consistent communication, and to not be treated like an obstacle for wanting both. If I had not fought tooth and nail to stay one more day, I would have been discharged with necrotic tissue in my leg. That alone should say everything.
I do not feel safe recommending this hospital to anyone. And I sincerely hope someone inside this system takes accountability -- before another patient is sent home in pain, confusion, or worse.
