Improved English Version by Perplexity AI
More known as “AMBULATORIO SANTA CASA DE CAMBE,“where you can read several bad reviews.
Everything began when a general practitioner recommended that we see a surgeon at “Santa Casa de Cambé.” This surgeon apparently gave an incorrect diagnosis. My wife and I showed him the results of an ultrasound of her gallbladder and, according to the most important Artificial Intelligence platforms, it was not necessary to remove it at that time. The AI recommendation was to have check-ups every six months.
I sensed that the doctor was in a hurry to operate and, right away, they scheduled tests so that my wife could undergo surgery.
Since the government in Brazil covers these services, at first, I was not too worried. However, I thought: this doctor does not operate for free, someone is paying him; so, the more surgeries he does, the more money he makes. Despite my negative point of view (which was not shared at the time), we decided to follow the suggested procedure and continue with the surgery process.
The Day Before and the Day of the Surgery
The day before and the day of the surgery, the hospital asked us to confirm the hospital admission via WhatsApp at eight o’clock at night. We confirmed, and they informed us that I, as her husband, could not stay overnight with my wife because she was not under 16 or over 60 years old. She was nervous because she speaks very little Portuguese and, on top of that, it would be her first surgical procedure.
We had to hire a private taxi service, as it was the only way to arrive on time. We arrived at 7:30 p.m., but my wife was admitted only after 11:00 p.m. because there were no available beds, which surprised me a lot. =>> Red Alert 1.
While we waited, the taxi driver suggested that my wife remove her watch, rings, and jewelry because “they could disappear.” This also struck me as odd. => Red Alert 2.
We were taken to the first floor, to the “Nursing 2” section.
There, the nurse at reception asked if I was going to stay as a companion. I explained that I was not prepared, since they had told me I could not stay. However, the nurse informed me that, as her husband and considering that my wife did not speak Portuguese well, I had the right to stay. => Red Alert 3. Since I am diabetic and had not brought insulin or clothes, I decided to return home.
It is important to mention that the nurse/receptionist said that in the morning my wife could have breakfast but should not have lunch.
I admit that, out of ignorance, I did not know how many hours of fasting are required before this type of operation.
According to recommendations for gallbladder surgery:
Solid food: Avoid eating for at least 6 to 12 hours before surgery. Some hospitals may recommend fasting from midnight before the procedure.
That night, I returned home after midnight and woke up around 6 a.m. Fortunately, at the bus terminal, I found another private taxi (“Cidney”) who took me to the hospital.
I arrived around 9 a.m. and my wife had already had breakfast (a piece of bread with a bit of coffee).
Before noon, someone brought lunch (rice with vegetables) and told me they had not seen me in the morning for breakfast, so they had not brought me lunch. They offered me soup, but I declined.
My wife suggested I ask if she could eat, but I, trusting, told her, “It’s not necessary; if they brought you food, it’s because you can eat.” I also thought that, since they took so long to admit her the previous night, the surgery would most likely be in the afternoon. My wife ate very little, just about three spoonfuls.
Around 2 p.m., I went to reception to ask if everything was normal, since the surgery was supposed to be at 1:30 p.m. The nurse said that she would be operated on within the next hour.
Shortly after, the same person who distributes the food brought tea and a kind of pudding for my wife and me. So I asked:
—Can she eat now? Her surgery will be in less than an hour.
—No, she replied. Did she have breakfast? Did she have lunch? Yes and yes. Then she cannot be operated on.
A few minutes later, another nurse came and said that the operation had been canceled because my wife should have been fasting and should not have even had breakfast.
My question, among others, was: Why do they bring her food if she cannot eat? =>> Red Alert 4.
This nurse tried to blame us, saying that my wife should not even have had breakfast, even though the night before another nurse had told us she could have breakfast.
I take responsibility for my ignorance about the fasting required before surgery, but I believe that hospital staff should know who can and cannot eat.
To end the story, we had to return home again using a private service (Uber), spending money that we could not really spare.
Thank you for reading our personal story.
~ JCG
