This is out of hours part 2… as I said I would, I’m finishing my story about my previous adventure at the Vic a fortnight ago… and of course I’ve been back in since then! (Jane: Apologies, she wrote this blog on 3 March and I’m just getting around to publishing it, sorry!)
My lot keep asking me if my nine lives have been used up yet as I am pushing it. Joking of course, at least I hope they are. Now that I’m back home, apart from when I’m boomeranging backwards and forwards to the Vic, I must admit I’ve been nagging a little bit. I keep seeing things that make me want to nag, like things not done and things piling up in places. But they know that I’m so glad to be back in the middle of the family again. It’s lovely after being in hospital for so long. The trouble is, I can’t get the strength to do things that I used to do, or I’d do them myself. That’s another of my goals to aim for. I’ve managed all the other goals I’ve set for myself, so watch this space!
Out of Hours Part 2…
Anyway, part two after the first time I went onto the urgent care ward to get my potassium levels down. Before he left, Kevin had kept nagging at the staff as to when they’d start treatment as he was really worried about me, bless him. ‘Soon’ was the reply and not a lot longer after that he went home, lucky thing. Then a nurse turned up with a chair.
Now being of curious nature I did wonder what the significance of the chair was. Maybe she was reading the last rights or something, but I’m not Catholic so it wasn’t that. Apparently it was a calcium injection and had to be put into the cannula in my arm very slowly. Which she did, hence the chair. Then a drip went in with glucose and insulin which seemed a bit odd as I’m not diabetic. But anyway, there I was, fastened to a heart monitor on one side of the bed and a drip on the other so I definitely wasn’t running away!
A bit later, I glanced at the heart monitor and saw my pulse rising and rising. I kept looking at it because I was interested in the dancing fountains that was my heart beat. It looked far from normal, I might add, so when it got to 144 beats a minute and was still rising I shouted a nurse who said it was ok and the treatment made this happen. By this time I was starting to feel really odd and I mean really odd. My heart was very uncomfortable because it was banging away like mad and I was drenched in sweat. My hair felt like I’d had a bucket of water thrown over me – and that was all I remembered thankfully – as it was horrible.
Back on Terra Firma
The next thing I knew I was awake although how long I was out for the count I don’t know. But I landed back on terra firma with my hair still wet through around my face. This was in the early hours of course but at least I didn’t feel as bad as I had earlier.
Life on the urgent ward carried on, we were in cubicles with no front on them, just solid dividing walls at either side. You could hear everything the doctors were saying, and my were they busy. They didn’t seem to pause for breath, both nurses and doctors.
Security guards were fetched to an old man who was screaming all sorts of colourful language at the top of his voice. It turned out that he was from a care home, heaven help them if he was like that there! Another man, also very very ill, was doing his share of yelling, the poor thing. I won’t tell you about it but it was awful to hear what was wrong with the poor thing. I can’t stop thinking about him but anyway. Meals came and went, along with the famous commode which I had to use just with a screen across the front. I tell you, your dignity stays at the door in a hospital.
Me and my cupboard
Eventually when my readings were stable and my kidneys had started to behave I was sent to a ‘room’ that was more like a cupboard. But was I glad, it was so quiet in there after the urgent ward. The nurse who came with me was glad I liked it as some didn’t want to be alone in there, but I did. I love my privacy and quiet, so a single room is heaven for me.
Later on, after more food, I had to use the commode again as I couldn’t walk far enough to the toilet. To give you an idea of how small it was, there I was sitting in all my glory on the loo when somebody came in and nearly knocked me off the blooming thing! Apologies to the left and right then I was left alone. Two minutes later, it happened again and I was once more nearly sent skittling to the other side of the room with a massive bang hitting the commode. They went again after apologising profusely as they got a glimpse of me in all my glory. I can tell you this, it speeded me up and back to bed very quickly in case I ended up on the floor!
Out of Hours Part 2 comes to an end…
After my food, later on that night a man came to see me. Going by his age, the look of him and his confidence, I would say he was a consultant. He had his stethoscope on me, felt all over my stomach and did other checks and declared that I was stable and did I want to go home. As he said, I might as well sit in a bed at home as sit in my cupboard with its dark green walls.
I was flabbergasted that I was to part from my single room as I do like a room on my own. So like an idiot, I was saying, ‘me, to go home’ to which he said ‘yes’ but I needed another ecg, tests etc and if they were still ok I could go.
The thing that got me was, when he twice, once during examination and once when he left, turned round and said ‘God bless’ and he really meant it. I did hope it wasn’t because I was clapping my clogs but it was so poignant it nearly brought me to tears. That’s also odd because some years ago, I went from someone who cried easily to someone whose tears have dried up and now I feel like I’ve no tears left in me.
Home James!
However, I got a nurse to ring home and tell them to come for me. It was late on (again) and frightened them to death when they said it was the Vic calling. I think they must have thought I had pegged out as you don’t expect calls like that late in the evening.
Eventually my results came back, with good blood sugar numbers and all the rest. Eventually, after what seemed a long wait, Kevin came and rescued me back to freedom. Well at least I managed a few days at home before I ended up going in again this weekend just gone… the next visit to be continued!
Other blogs you might be interested in –
- Out of Hours
- We are not amused
- Weather, weight and washing
- Tinkle Time
- If you didn’t see the funny side
- Chrissie’s Back after trying to cheat death!
- Chrissie Update
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