Month: October 2023

After my X-ray I was taken to a waiting area. It was about 7 am 🕖. I asked if it was possible to lie down somewhere, anywhere, but they told me there were no beds and they were trying to find one. They set up an IV line of fluids in the waiting area and checked my vital signs. I was beyond tired. Gordon phoned the kids to let them know what was happening.

I mentioned a lady who came in with the police earlier. She arrived in the waiting area cursing and swearing and sat opposite. Every so often she would call for a nurse and tell her to call her a taxi.
“What newspaper do you read ” she asked. Do you read the Sunday Life ? Cause I’m going to tell them how some bastard on Sandy Row jumped me and gave me this head injury. It’ll be all over the papers”

We tried to ignore her but the fact that she sounded like a female version of Billy Connolly made the whole situation funny.

She eventually said she had had enough and refused to wait for treatment and went off to find a taxi.

A few minutes later a young man came into the area. Threw himself on the floor, rolled into the foetal position and started crying. Numerous staff passed by and ignored him. Being a mother I asked him what was wrong. Apparently a muscle in his side kept popping out and he was in agony. About 20 minutes later he was called in and came back with an IV drip with painkillers. When I left he was fast asleep on the floor. 😪

Gordon went home to get me some necessities and shortly after Paul arrived.

About 9am the nurse came and said they had found me a chair. Wasn’t sure what that was but followed her through what seemed like a lot of patients into a room where there were reclining chairs, so one step up from an ordinary chair.
I dozed on and off and Paul sat beside me. A suicide patient was being sick and it was upsetting to listen to.

A lovely young doctor arrived. I was in considerable pain so she put up a paracetamol drip. She also said they would have to empty my stomach by putting a tube down my nose to my stomach. ‘Don’t like the sound of that.‘I thought . I won’t go into details but it wasn’t pleasant and I should have guessed when the doctor and the nurse arrived with aprons on. Lol Reader it didn’t work my gag reflex was so strong. Result ugh!
They tried three times and then said they would leave it until after my CT scan.

Scan was done and I was taken to a ward with a bed and I couldn’t have been happier. I was out of A&E. I’ll finish there as the next couple of days weren’t great but the staff, the new wards and the food

( although I was only allowed to eat on the last day there ) were excellent. They don’t pay them enough for what they do.

I’m home now and making a good recovery and they did get the tube in eventually. 😮‍💨

I walked up to the reception desk and when asked what was the problem, I uttered the words that I had hoped never to say ‘I think I’m having a heart attack’
Mind you that could have just been the result of trying to find the new A&E department at the Ulster Hospital at 12-30 on a dark Sunday morning.
Took my details asked me to take a seat. Where were all the consultants and equipment that usually dash out on Greys Anatomy, count to three and lift you on to a gurney?
Had a quick look round at my fellow patients. Some were trying to sleep, someone nearby was complaining that they had been waiting 8 hours for blood results. My fate wasn’t looking good.
Within a few minutes however, I was called into triage and my vital signs checked. Asked to go back out and sit in the waiting room but was almost immediately called into a cubicle. After an ECG it was established I wasn’t having a heart attack. Phew. However something was wrong. I was given anti-sickness medication and lots of blood tests were taken. I have really deep veins and it’s really hard to get blood. I’m like a human pin cushion. They put a cannula in and I was warned it could be a long wait. Not because of the blood tests but because I’d have to wait until a Doctor was available to see me.

Back to the waiting room were Gordon was patiently ( see what I did there) waiting.
The drinks machine wasn’t working and neither was the water cooler. I had to ask the receptionist for some water from behind the desk.
We sat there for the next four hours or more.
Now if you’ve ever wondered why there is a shortage of police in Belfast on a Saturday night, check the casualty department of the local hospitals. A revolving door ( well actually automatic doors, but you get the picture ) of two constables with their arrestees seemed to appear on a constant basis.
They were mostly women, high on drink or drugs and appeared to have minor injuries. In one sad case a young women had been beaten up by a partner.
They were mostly loud and in some cases disruptive. One lady ( who we encountered later on that morning) swore at the nurse calling her into triage because she thought she was berating her. Funny if it wasn’t so sad.
A baby was crying and coughing possibly with seasonal bronchiolitis. The parents were distracted trying to pacify it. Eventually a nurse came out with blankets and a bed was made so that the baby could sleep.
Another baby slept quietly in his young mother’s arms while her husband paced the floor unable to settle.
At one stage I was so tired and feeling so awful that I went into the treatment area and asked them to remove the cannula put in when I arrived told them I would go home and if I was still unwell I would return in the morning. It was pointed out it WAS the morning and they were concerned about my potassium levels and I would need an X-ray.
The X-ray was quick. I remember thinking how cold it was and noted that the radiographer was sitting with a blanket round her.
Shortly after the Doctor called me back in to say blood tests were back and there were some indications that all was not well. My small intestine was blocked and my stomach was full of bile. This would have to be removed and I would need a CT scan. I would also need to be admitted. ( To be continued)