or

The non-existent health care system in Norway

and probably everywhere else too.

Introduction:
On my own behalf

and actually not just "my own behalf"

because many other people feel the same way as me.

September, sometime towards the end of the month

My heart was acting up and as with so many things I didn't really notice it at first.

But it was stumbling more and more often, and extreme sleep problems and shortness of breath were added to that.

So I made an appointment with the doctor. Rather reluctantly, as I've never been a doctor-goer. In the 11 years that I've lived on my farm, I've been to the doctor 4 or 5 times and only because it really couldn't be avoided.

The oxygen level in my blood was measured, as was my blood pressure and pulse, and an ECG was done.

After that, I was given another appointment for a blood test a few days later and I felt like I'd been ripped off. (Forgive the crude expression, but that's how it was).

An ECG means nothing, absolutely nothing, a snapshot so to speak, especially when the whole thing only takes about a minute.

Two days later, my heart was finally going crazy, I panicked, my son called the emergency doctor and was told that we should go to the hospital, or more precisely to the emergency room.

We live in the Larvik municipality and so ONLY the hospital in Larvik is responsible for us and ONLY that is where we have to go.

A taxi was ordered for us, as we had neither a car nor any possibility of getting to Larvik. The journey time by the way was just about an hour by car.

My friend, who had also been informed in the meantime, had left at the same time, arrived here almost on the minute as the taxi, sent the taxi away and drove me and my son to the clinic.

Blood pressure, pulse, ECG, the usual procedure and I was sent home. Arrhythmia, no reason to worry. Only when I mentioned my breathing problems again did they become suspicious for a moment, felt my ankles for water retention, found nothing and that was it. More about this hospital later!

I had already made an appointment at a private clinic in Drammen, specializing in heart problems, and was there the next day. A new clinic that you have to pay for yourself, because it is private, but this was about my heart.

It was October 1st, 2024.

A short medical history, I was given the latest ECG measuring device for 24 hours and was able to return it the next day.

Diagnosis: cardiac arrhythmia, but no reason to worry. Otherwise my heart was perfectly healthy!

A misdiagnosis that could have cost me my life!

Main part:

Then came October 15, 2024 and everything was to change forever

A sunny autumn day, in all its splendor and variety of colors.

I went out with my dog to rake the leaves from the trees.

A thought flashed through my mind: such a beautiful day to die

and just over 30 minutes later, the paramedics were trying to save my life.

As I later found out from my son, the ambulance was on its way to Tønsberg, but something happened to me and the car stopped, the doctor from the second ambulance came in briefly, said I should go to Oslo, blue lights, sirens, I had a faint feeling that this must be something serious. In Oslo, in the Rikshospital, the best there is for the heart, I was immediately given 2 stents.

The pain was so bad, maybe even worse than the pain of the heart attack itself. The next morning the third stent was inserted.

On October 16th I was transferred to Tønsberg and discharged from there on October 17th.

On October 20th I was back in the emergency room, again in Larvik, because, as already mentioned, I was in a community hospital and although my son had mentioned the heart attack and the stents on the phone, I had to go to Larvik!

I told the doctor, that I have the feeling, as if there's an iron ring around my chest and that I can't breath.

And all he did was asking again and again about my pain. Totally ignoring what I was saying: NO pain, but the feeling of the pressure of an iron ring.

And then he used his hands, putting pressure on my chest, aksing if it hurts.

DAMN of course, I just had a heart attack and 3 stents inserted

I was observed there for 1.5 hours, blood pressure, ECG, the procedure, except for the blood test. And after a whopping 90, in words NINETY minutes, I was told that I had to go to the hospital for a blood test.

My son wanted to calm me down, but I had understood the doctor correctly.

I was supposed to go to Tønsberg, another hour's drive away. Because:

In Larvik they wouldn't be able to do the necessary blood test!

And you should read through this again very carefully, because I have already been to this so-called hospital! On the one hand, they didn't take me seriously and on the other hand, they didn't tell me that in the event of an emergency, they wouldn't be able to determine anything at all! And they told me that after NINETY MINUTES, time that was important, but the idiotic doctor there apparently didn't care!

So to Tønsberg, blood tests, ECG, blood pressure measurement and after 2 or 3 hours, I had lost all sense of time by now, they said they wanted to keep me there for observation and x-ray my lungs.

I sent my son home, was x-rayed shortly afterwards and put in a 10-bed room, it was around 4 a.m.

Sleep? No chance. After only 2 or 3 hours I was woken up again, blood drawn etc.

The doctor came and said that unfortunately they couldn't tell me what had caused the feeling of tightness and shortness of breath. And I was allowed to go home again.

I got the letter, which was also sent to my family doctor by computer at the same time.

X-ray results: Clear, congestion-free lungs, marked by hyperinflation!

But they could NOT tell me where the shortness of breath came from!

Sorry, but once again:

I felt like I was being taken for a ride!

Today, October 25, 2024, I received a letter from the hospital with an appointment for November 12, in TWO weeks, to talk to a doctor, nurse and/or physiotherapist to find out about cardiac rehabilitation services.

Yesterday I was just crying, I couldn't say a single sentence without bursting into tears. I have post-traumatic stress syndrome, I don't dare go outside when the sun is shining and I feel let down by this SHITTY health system.

And in 2 weeks I have an appointment, in TWO weeks!

On Monday I'm going to see the doctor here in town, not my family doctor, another idiot who thought he didn't have to take me seriously. I could write more about him when it comes to misdiagnoses, but that's not what's going on here. I am grateful for everyone who had such kind words for me, grateful for the nurses who did everything they could to help me despite being overworked, grateful for everyone who thinks of me ♥

For everyone who is perhaps curious and wondering why my family doctor and no one else took me seriously.

62 years old, around 50 kg with the constant effort to gain weight, maybe 2 or 3 glasses of red wine a year and, since I had decided long ago to say goodbye to cigarettes for good, only 6 hand-rolled, fairly thin cigarettes a day.

On October 15th at around 5 p.m. I had just smoked my third "match", kept a record of every single cigarette in a little note book, to be aware of the amount and was getting closer to my goal of finally being able to beat the addiction.

My consumption had been pretty low before, around 10 cigarettes a day, for years, and honestly, I was proud to be down to 6.

I had no idea that on October 15th I would actually smoke my very last cigarette.

As everyone can see, I'm not a typical high-risk patient, very active outdoors, long tours through nature, always in the garden, also likes to go canoeing with my son. Healthy diet, hardly ever red meat, occasionally poultry, mainly fish. And I can't do anything without fruit and vegetables anyway.

Well, I'm definitely not the typical high-risk patient and yet I expected the doctors to take me seriously.

I was sorely mistaken!

On a side note, because I almost can see the question sign in many faces.

No, I'm UNVAXXED, so I'm not the usual "suddenly and unexpected", even though the whole experience for me was suddenly and unexpected.

Ok, let's move on, it's Monday October 28th, 2024 and I've just returned from the doctor's visit, because of my panic attacks.

He was nice, really, and was listening most of the time, but unfortunately he didn't always let me finish. A modern bad habit that has been around for a long time, but damn it, doctors should still be able to listen!

With the help of my son, to whom he was more willing to listen, or so it seemed to me... (what am I, stupid little one?) he was willing to call the psychological service, but to do so he asked us to leave the room first !

WHY?

Then we were asked back into the room, I was given three telephone numbers and told to send an SMS to the first one for a call back.

And then the doc said:

I'm sorry, but your time is up, I've already used up more time than I should, for everything else you have to make a new appointment.

My breathing difficulties were noted, but he couldn't and wouldn't prescribe me an asthma spray because of the side effects.

Unless a new appointement!

Well, an anticholinergic is used not only for asthma, but also in my case with hyperinflation of the lungs.

But no, I don't get it because I'm not an asthmatic.

UPDATE ABOUT THE ASTHMA MEDICATION

There is in fact one that would be dangerous after a heart attack!

This miserable shitty “healthcare” system in Norway!

Yes, I was waiting, for a call from a psychologist, at least I think he is one.

Screenshot sms It reads: Got your telefonumber from my doc, regarding help with my panic.

Hei!

I will call you when I have the possibility bla bla bla .....

Is it ok for you on, if I call you on Wednesday.

Greetings bla bla bla

Hei and thanks, that's fine/works for me.

No one called me today!

November 1, 2024

Do I need to mention that no one called here yesterday or today?

Well, the day isn't over yet, but it's Friday and here, too, the coffee spoon is put down early, the weekend is calling.

It's the 06. of November, no call, no help so far.

But a pain in my chest, that can't be normal. And with this panic comes up again, trying to calm myself down, so my heart don't get into panic-mode as well.

For heaven sake, how about believing me for once! Or do I really have to post all medical papers here with my full name, that people don't think, this all is a lie.

I DON'T JOKE ABOUT SOMETHING SERIOUS LIKE THIS!

07.11.

That was a horrible night, impossible for me to lay down, so I slept, as far as it was possible, sitting in my bed.

And this fear, it could happen every moment.

The pain in my chest, that should be long gone by now.

Please, at least not today, so Tjorven's birthday won't be overshadowed with grief.

08.11.

What the psyche can, came clear to me in relation to yesterday. Yesterday I was in an extreme state again, but I wasn't really aware of it.

But signs and wonders still happen.

After a not so good night (I had to fall asleep sitting up again) and woke up twice because I was thirsty, I woke up this morning somehow feeling well rested.

I wasn't quite conscious yet, but conscious enough to register that my nose was clear, I could breathe without any problems and my heart was beating completely calmly.

And then I was really awake, my consciousness was like a PC booted up to 100%, my nose shut down, air only went halfway in and my heart started racing.

FUCK Psyche!

After breakfast, going out, do cardio-pulmonary training as I call it, just walk consciously for 10 minutes and breathe.

And then the text message came from the man who was supposed to call me last Wednesday for psychological help. He wrote that he was very sorry and would call today.

More here today late afternoon, after the call.

He called, he took his time, he listened and he will call me Monday again, for an appointment.

Just this talk, almost 30 minutes, helped me a lot.

Feeling much better, just because he was willing to listen to me.

My night was not so good, woke up several times, no reason at all, but my heart felt like racing.

Got some sleep somehow, woke up, just wanted to stay in bed but didn't.

Got some coffee and ate breakfast and without a warning sign the panick kicked in, I was crying and with the help from Henrik and Tjorven I slowly managed to calm down.

Luckily Tjorven thought about the little bottle we still have, a plant in liquid form. Really should have thought about that much earlier, but better now than never.

We took a walk with the dogs (having a guest with dog in the house) not very long, but almost too much at once for me.

But after all, felling better again.