Entrance to Cromer Pier
I had a phone call just after nine this morning. It was Julia, using a borrowed phone. The good news is that she has been allowed to eat and it was a success. The bad news was that it was only porridge, which is not much of a test of swallowing ability. In my experience you put porridge in your mouth and gravity does the rest.
The even worse news is that she is not being allowed out. She escaped the camera up the nose exam but had a CT scan which revealed a small hole in her jugular vein. It hasn’t closed and is still seeping. They are monitoring progress but if it doesn’t close soon they may have to operate.
Julia as Lifeguard – Britannia Pier, Great Yarmouth
In the end, she slept part of the night in a chair in A&E before being found a bed at 5am. It is in a corner of a crowded ward which features a lot of deaf old people, all with TVs up at full blast. They also all seem to have telephones with annoying ringtones and have to shout their conversations down the phone as the TVs are so loud. I spent about seven hours there today and at times thought my head was going to burst.
At least she now has a phone, a change of clothes and a puzzle book – the necessities of modern hospital life.
The medical staff have all been lovely. Can you sense a “but” coming on? The systems are badly designed and would benefit from somebody posing as a mystery patient and checking the experience from that point of view.
Felixstowe Pier
Today, for instance, I looked on the map at reception and tried to find Ward A15. There is no Ward A15, they stop at A10. The next ward is B11. The Bs end at B14. I don’t know how much they spent on those maps, but it seems not to have been spent wisely. There is, I was told on asking, a Ward A15. I was given directions to it and found it. This was fortunate, because at one point the A15 sign on the wall is covered by a discarded cage trolley. When I left, the sign was still covered, and the same abandoned trolley was still parked in front of it.
Then there is the matter of the visitor toilets . . .
I needed the toilet. I’m not allowed to use the one on the ward so I had to ask the way to the nearest toilets for the public. I had to ask twice because they were not well signed, and they were 150 paces away from the ward round several corners and through several sets of doors. That’s a long way for a man with two sticks and bad knees.
The good news is that although it isn’t perfect, we can still get good quality care without having to run up huge debts. If only it was quieter . . .
Bangor Pier – that woman seems to be following me
Modified good news then. I hope that she is back home before the hospital drives you mad.
Yes, everything is getting back to normal now. She says it is much nicer when you can select Tv instead of having it forced on you. 😉
It is better that Julia stay as long as needed to ensure the outcome is good, and not tossed out prematurely to make room for the next patient generating $.
I assume you have someone checking in on you to make sure you are alright during this time?
Our patients don’t bring money in, so the only pressure is for space rather than cash. It will be better for her to sleep at home in peaceful surroundings and w are only ten minutes from A&E if we ned it.
My sister has been organising me, even though I am happy with my bachelor lifestyle. 🙂 I spent most of yesterday by Julia’s bedside so didn’t need a lot of looking after. 🙂
We are much better served down here, but the difference between terrible systems and good quality care is similar. I do hope the hole will close quickly. My love to you both.
Thank you Derrick, I will do that. I fear the NHS is in a no-win situation – the better it is, the more work it does, the more pressure it creates for itself. We can’t complain about the medical care. The toilets, the parking and the sandwiches are all secondary to that. 🙂
And then there is the system over here we are struggling with… 🙂
Yes. At least our government, struggle as it does, wants to treat us all. Number Two son in Canada is expecting his first child in 6 weeks. There have been a lot of advances in the years since we had the kids – more tests and all that. It makes you realise the system will never catch up.
Oh how often one little trip and a fall and the consequences are out of all proportion.
Yes. At 3.30 pm everything was going well and the day was unfolding as planned. 3.45 and the whole world changed. 🙂
I know. It’s happened here. More than once.
All fixed now. She is back and all seems to be going well. 🙂
For this relief much thanks, Horatio.
🙂 She is sleeping a lot and her neck is sore but nothing that rest won’t cure.