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. 😮💨
CHATTER 