My husband has reached the magical age of 50 when routine colonoscopy procedures are recommended by your family doctor.  Our family doctor referred my husband for this procedure and gave us a personalized recommendation to a Gastroenterologist.  We were told a consultation with the Gastroenterologist would occur then a time would be scheduled for the colonoscopy.

We went to the GI doctor's office that same week and asked to make an appointment.  We were asked to fill some routine papers out then an office scheduler called us back.  We found this unusual for scheduling an appointment.  She said no consultation was required for a routine colonoscopy screening if no other digestive health issues existed.  To make matters short, she scheduled my husband for a colonoscopy the next week and gave him preparation directions and a prescription for NuLyTely, the liquid purgative prep.

We had the prescription filled at our local pharmacy and my husband dutifully followed the dietary prep the day before the colonoscopy.  No solid foods are allowed, only clear liquid ones, followed by the drinking of 4 liters of NuLyTely.  My husband did all of this to the letter, as directed.

We went in at 7:00 AM the next morning to the outpatient surgery center.  My husband goes here too for pain management shots for lower back pain.  We had always had good experiences there and thought they were a state of the art center.  We felt comfortable going there.  The procedure was scheduled for 8:00.

My husband paid the expected copays and filled out the necessary paperwork and consent forms.  We waited five minutes or so then my husband was called back.  I got up expecting to go with him and the nurse said I was not allowed back.  I asked what they were going to do in the hour prior to the procedure.  She stated that ‘they were going to do a blood pressure reading, get him changed, tucked into bed with a warm towel and get an IV started.  I would then be asked to come be with him.'  I stated that I wanted to be with him for the prep prior to the procedure.  She said I was not allowed to ‘because there was no chair and not enough room .I said that I was really nervous and wanted to be with my husband.  I could stand if necessary.  She still would not allow it and my husband had to insist too stating that his wife would just sit in the waiting room and worry.  The nurse relented and allowed me back.  They did exactly what they stated but the waiting area did have a chair and was large enough to accommodate me.  The nurse had lied to me.  This was not a good start to a major procedure.  The patient waiting area held approximately 20 gurneys and resembled an assembly line.

A phlebotomist was called in to start my husband's IV.  It is necessary as conscious sedation is given during a colonoscopy to relieve pain and minimize anxiety.  She missed the vein in my husband's arm then had to use the hand.  His nurse came back and my husband went in the restroom for a moment.  I asked her if I would be allowed to be with my husband during the procedure and she stated no.  I asked why and was told that there is not enough room (same lie again) and that it was facility policy.  I accepted this but with anxiety.  I am the spouse and why was I being lied to?  The doctor makes those decisions.  I have been allowed to be with my husband for prior medical exams and procedures and he with me.  It is at the doctor's discretion not that of the facility. She further stated that no one else is allowed, even other doctors.  So is this to say our family doctor would not have been allowed to be there either?  This is not right. 

I am my husband's partner and advocate.  I also was helping him with medical history and paperwork as he was really hungry and tired from the prep.  I also asked the same nurse if Fentanyl and Versed would be used for the procedure.  She looked stunned that I knew this information and had asked this question.  She stated yes, they would be used.  I had a prior upper GI procedure and had the same drugs.  I also am a trained medical transcriptionist with a fluent knowledge of medical terminology.  I work as a health insurance claims appeals analyst.  Medical knowledge is essential for my job.  I have a good grasp of what occurs at provider offices, surgical centers and in hospitals.  I am not an outsider to surgical centers and the colonoscopy procedure in this case.  I felt I was being talked down to with no respect, particularly because I am female.  Patient and spouse medical knowledge seemed foreign to this particular nurse.  I found her to be incredibly rude and uncaring.

I also insisted on asking if I could meet the doctor prior to the procedure as this had not been mentioned.  The nurse stated that he was working on procedure reports for prior procedures but would be glad to meet with us.  He did so and stated the procedure in relative detail.  My husband was taken back to the procedure room.  I saw the same doctor on the way out and he reassured me that my husband was in good hands.  How could he be when I could not be there for him?  My husband is also substantially overweight and the doctor asked me how long this has been the case and how dangerous it is.  How is this related to a diagnostic colonoscopy?  Why was not having the doctor meet with the patient and family prior to the procedure standard routine?  He met with us only because I requested it.

I was allowed to be with my husband after the procedure.  He stated that he felt a lot of pressure and discomfort during the procedure.  This happens when the colonoscope makes the bends over the sigmoid and descending colon to the transverse colon then down to the ascending colon.  This was not explained in detail to either of us.  I had to do research on it the next day to determine why this was.  Air is also used during the procedure to make visualization easier.  My husband could not voice his discomfort adequately under the influence of sedation even though he was conscious during most of the procedure.  There were three other people there and none seemed to notice.

The explanation was that his pulse oximetry was low and higher dosages of drugs could be dangerous.  I understand this but why was no further effort made to make him comfortable?  If I had been there I could have vocalized this effectively to them.  There is not supposed to be pain during this procedure.  Why did not three nurses and one doctor respond to this?  The doctor told me why this was the case.  I was immediately angry that my husband had been uncomfortable and I had not been allowed to be with him.

My husband also was given one final consent form immediately before the procedure and he did not have his glasses with him and could not see well in the dimly lit procedure room.  He was also hungry and tired.  He did not have me there to advocate for him by reviewing it and telling him what was on it or to simply give him his glasses, which he had left with me.  This is wrong and manipulative.  This should have been signed with the other consents.  This was more assembly line bullying tactics of the patient and his spouse.  By the time I heard about it what could I do?

The doctor also recommended that my husband have weight loss surgery.  I explained to him that there have been many complications and deaths stated in the local news from Gastric Bypass and Lapband surgery.  He totally disregarded me and gave a referral to another doctor, presumably his golfing buddy.  My husband also had two polyps and they were removed.  I am grateful those were found and dealt with accordingly.  He is to have another colonoscopy in five years.  I highly respect the effectiveness of colonoscopy and its use in early cancer detection and prevention but I do not respect disrespectful doctors, nurses and medical facilities.

I would like to see the law changed to allow patients to have their spouse or other family member of his/her choosing present before, during and after any office or outpatient procedure that doesn't call for sterile operating room procedure or that has radiation present as in the case of CT scans.  Parents are allowed in most cases to be with their child patients.  This needs to be the case of spouses and family members too.  A detailed Patient Bill of Rights in Colorado is needed.

Before we schedule the five year colonoscopy we are going to find a different surgical center and doctor.  We will consult the doctor first and ask that I be present.  If this is not the case we will find a doctor who will consent to this.  My husband will not undergo a voluntary screening procedure again without me being present if he is not in a health or life threatening situation.  I hope the law has been changed due in part to my plea letter to make it possible for spouses to be present during medical procedures.

These are scary procedures for the patient and spouse.  We would like to be treated with dignity and respect to our feelings and wishes.  If I could have been with my husband this would have been so much easier for both of us.  I love my husband very much and want to be there for him always even during scary medical procedures.  I do not want for us to be run through an assembly line but want individual and personalized care without rude, uncaring attitudes in those who are supposed to be treating us or our loved ones.

Cynthia Southern, Denver, CO