Cleveland Clinic Florida Delay of treatment almost killed me Weston Florida

I initially contacted Cleveland Clinic to schedule a consult with one of their vascular surgeons because of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.  I had two previous surgeries to correct former aneuryms and my original surgeon was referring me out for this one.

                                                                                                                                                                                                        My consult appointment was scheduled in April at which time I was told to get them all past records which I did.  I waited for what seemed to me a reasonable time to be get a call back but received none.  I finally called them and was informed they were waiting for additional reports.  I found out what they were and facilitated in getting them.                                                                                                                     

Once more,  I waited and heard nothing.  By now, it is November.  I called again and asked if the doctor would rather not do the surgery - maybe I should look elsewhere.  They told me the doctor would perform the surgery but he would not be back in the office until after the holidays.  I scheduled a pre-op appointment for the beginning of January.    

                                                                                                                                                                                                        On the day of my appointment, I woke with abdominal pain that continued to increase as the day progressed.  I told the doctor's nurse practitioner, the anesthesiologist, the cardiologist.....all of the various departments I had to visit for my pre-op.  It didn't seem to phase anyone.                                                                                                                                                                                            

By the time I left the hospital, I was in agony.  On our two hour trip home, my wife kept asking me if we should stop at whichever hospital was in the vicinity we were passing. At this point, I just wanted to get home thinking if I laid down I might feel better.  This definitely wasn't the case.  My wife called the ambulance and I went to my local hospital.  When my wife finally got to talk to a doctor, she was informed that there was a very good probability I would die as my aneurysm had ruptured.  Fortunately, for me, the surgery succeeded that night.  Unfortunately, I ruptered again three weeks later and had to have another surgery.    

                                                                                                                                                                                                          I sincerely feel it was the fault of Dr. Terry King and Cleveland Clinic's delay in treatment that made the situation so dire.  I also find it unbelievable that while I was actually physically in the hospital, nobody bothered to check why I was having such acute abdominal pain - after all, wasn't I there for an abdominal aneurysm?!