"Finding 811 Help Line to Be Unhelpful"

In the last few years, I have resorted to the 811 line for help and advice a number of times. All with what I feel were terrible results.

The first time, my spouse was ill with symptoms that worried me but they adamantly refused to go to the hospital. I needed advice as to how far to push the issue.

I waited an hour to talk to the triage nurse. I told her what I was observing and asked what I should do. She asked to talk to my spouse. I put them on.

They talked and then hung up. I never got my advice; no call back, nothing.

A few days later I took my spouse unwilling and begrudgingly to their doctor. After a very brief examination they called an ambulance. A week in ICU with septic pneumonia. My spouse almost died of their first exacerbation! I now think the symptoms I was seeing were the result of hypoxia.

My next call was made in an extreme state, suicide high on my mind. I never got through. Didn't get through to the next two suicide help lines either. I feel that I'm lucky to be alive.

As I write this I am on the 811 line again. Soon to be into hour two. Hung up on once but still trying to avoid a possible 12 hour wait at emergency. I am a few days post op for a resetting of a mispositioned pacemaker lead. My steristrips (which are supposed to be on for two weeks) came off with the gauze bandaging. Do I need to replace them? Being post op, I can't drive for a week. It's now very early in the morning and I am calling uber to take me to ER for possibly the rest of the day. For a bandaid that I might have been able to apply myself.

I have been to the hospital multiple times this year for many different reasons including a cancer diagnosis, radiation, and a heart block diagnosis. It's been a tough few years. I now routinely tell the doctors I see, that I feel directing people to 811 is a dis-service. Uber here.

Bye