Bit late - but figured it was Bank Holiday and you wouldn't mind - and wasn't in the right frame of mind to write anything on Friday - so anyway here goes...
On Monday mom felt 'strange' on the way to the shops with dad and took herself into the GP's who '999'd' her into her local Acute Trust - the 'Centre of Excellence' her oxygen levels were low and blood sugar was high - and they thought she might have had a pulmonary embolus - so admitted her overnight to the Medical Assessment Unit. Now this is where the fun started - mom is surrounded by male patients - yes, according to the Department of Health 97% of Trusts meet the single sex accommodation standard - Smelly Poke isn't one of them it seems - to add insult to injury a student nurse was continually tying the curtains back between the beds so there was no privavcy or dignity for mom - sort of robotic style - something to do I guess? Little Brother came down and listened with his stethoscope and talked to me in Doctor gobbledegook speak - talking about gradients and such like - hadn't a bloody clue what he was on about!
On Tuesday, I discovered that mom had been moved round the corner and was effectively in the passage way of a DVT clinic - with a row of men sitting opposite her - all waiting for routine blood tests - no chair to sit in - and her jug of water and cup across the 'route' that these out patients were using! She begged me not to say anything because she felt safer h
ere than round the corner with the junkies and drunks! After several tests were proving negative they still seemed determined to find a clot - I did point out that if they were desperate they could opt for the clots who had been sat at the end of her bed every day - me and dad. She was evicted from her bed at 12pm and promised a bed on the ward - which she waited and waited for - but hey, a bit of comfort - the evening meal arrived - so mom was served some soup - on a dressing trolley - which was doubli
ng up as a linen trolley - yes - see the pictures - the blurry one is because I was shaking so much with anger!! Better still, because she was in the 'clinic' area, she wasn't 'allowed' a plated meal - so just the soup - to help the healing process.....yup folks - something else which was promised - protected meal times - what we're not told is that if the patient is in the 'wrong part of the ward' they don't get ANY meal!! She finally got moved to a 'proper' ward at 7pm.By Wednesday I had gone down with a rip roaring cold - and was in a vile mood - and poor mom was snapping and I was snapping back - and in a nutshell she discharged herself on Thursday night - I'm glad she did though because I really do believe she is safer at home.
That is why you didn't get your TGIF - and believe me this is a snapshot of the things we experienced - you really wouldn't believe half the stuff we experienced. There have been a few tears this end I can tell you!
Anyway suffice to say - don't feel like being very funny and ending with a joke - or maybe I should - here it is: The NHS ;-/
On a happier note - last week's TGIf now has a photo of Alex on it... plus Peter has been a darling and put up with my moods - mind you that's probably because he hasn't been anywhere near!.....so that's been a good show - thanks Peter!! :-/
Stay safe - ie 'Go Private'!!!
Kimmie x
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