I took Katie out for lunch on Sunday.  When I arrived she was agitated but then calmed down as we made our plans.  We go to the dog park and see the dogs, then to the mall to eat lunch and hopefully see babies.  There will be chips with lunch, maybe some shopping, and then home.

We saw the dogs and drove to the mall where I bought us lunch.  She wouldn't eat, not even the chips which is extremely unusual for her.  There was a drug addict there who security was trying to move.  The drug addict got up, started yelling and running, throwing chairs around as she ran off.  This didn't set Katie off, didn't really register.  

She was agitated though, so I gave her some ibuprofen before we left the food court.  On the way out of the food court she grabbed a stranger's hair and glasses, and started screaming and crying.  I got Katie's hands out of the person's hair, apologized profusely and started towards the door.

I started crying because I was rattled and then Katie started scratching me and pulling my hair.  All the while she was screaming and crying.  We made it to a safe place, where she couldn't attack anyone but there was no way I could drive with her like that.

I tried calling my husband but he didn't answer.  Tried another friend, no answer, and then got through to my husband.  Katie is still screaming and crying and I'm still crying.  I asked her if she was having pain and she signed yes and pointed to her right abdomen.  It took him half an hour to get there and Katie stopped screaming but she was still crying.  She let me near her and I stroked her hair.

When my husband arrived I told him we were taking Katie to emerg again and he agreed.  I was told in January that if there were any changes in her pain, to bring her back, so we did.  

With Katie screaming and crying, they let us go to the front of the triage line, told the nurse the story, she apologized because there were no beds, we would need to wait.

Katie continued to scratch, bite, scream, cry, kick, and head butt.  We finally found a spot away from everyone where we could wait without Katie hurting anyone but us.  At one point when Katie was pulling my hair and I needed help (my husband had gone back to the mall to get my car), a nurse and security had to intervene.  The nurse was very stern and pointed her finger at Katie and told her that she can't do that.  I told the nurse that the only reason she was attacking me is because Katie was in pain.  

It goes on and on for 3.5 hours until we get a bed for her.  Doctor sees her, orders another CT scan, something for pain and to calm her down.

More waiting.  At 8pm the doc tells us everything is normal, we can go home.  I asked him about her pain and he said she could take tylenol.  I did not rip his head off or shit down his neck, or tell him to fuck the fuck off, so points for me. I did tell him that Katie had 600 mg of ibuprofen and he had given her morphine for the pain but he just shrugged his shoulders. He dismissed Katie's pain and that was unacceptable to me.   I was too tired and upset.  I did tell the nurse who discharged us though that I was sick and tired of doctors dismissing women's pain, especially a non verbal, disabled woman's pain.

Took Katie home, got her settled and then I went home, crying.  On Monday I made a complaint with the patient relations board.  I talked to the nurse who called me and told her the story.  She asked me if I wanted to submit my complaint for further consideration and I agreed.  I did tell her that I didn't know if the doc was tired, or stressed, or anything else but he needs some training in dealing with disabled people and their caregivers. 

Yesterday I took Katie to see our family doctor.  She let me read the CT report and everything was normal.  The cyst in her right ovary no longer showed up, so I'm guessing it burst.  I now have prescriptions for pain meds and ativan.  If and when this happens again, I can just take care of her at her house instead of dealing with emergency room mayhem and people who don't understand autism or mental disabilities.

While I was talking to our family doctor yesterday, I realized that Katie's meltdown on Christmas day was exactly four weeks before her meltdown in January, and this meltdown was five weeks after her January meltdown.  There is a pattern now.  

We have a consult for a gynecologist as well and I'll take her for another US scan in four weeks to see if there are more cysts to watch out for.

By the time I got home yesterday I was exhausted and so was my husband.  Jack was home sick yesterday and I am so thankful he stayed home to take care of Jack so that I could take Katie to see the doctor by myself.  

Anyway, that's my long story.  I'm still feeling worn out but a few more good nights sleep should do the trick.

Katie is fine now, happy to be home and not in pain.  

I've had this song stuck in my head all week.