One of the biggest challenges in life is to keep a sense of humour when all around you there seems to be difficulties, stresses and strains.
I was readmitted to hospital on Monday. The main reason for this is because I am not maintaining my weight despite my best efforts. I also have this hot spot that showed on the PET scan in my stomach that needs to be biopsied.
Luckily for me a bed became available for me on my old ward and even more strangely I’m back in the side room where I spent so many weeks when I had my transplant.
The team looking after me have decided I need fattening up. They want me to have over night feeds. This means having an NG tube put in place. Yuck! It was too late by the time I was settled on Monday to achieve this. The day staff were then very busy on Tues and then I had to go with patient transport to Guys Cancer Centre for my ECP.
When the driver arrived to pick me up he was asking the nurses what department between them all they were saying it’s the 8th floor at Guys. I kept trying to say they were wrong. In the end I had to really assertively say to the driver “I know where I’m going I’ve done it every 2 weeks for the last 8 months.” My tip to professionals in this situation is please don’t treat patients like imbeciles. We do have minds of our own and I usually juggle my various hospital appointments very well and turn up at the right place at the right time. The driver asked me if I wanted to sit in the chair he had brought. I explained we would be faster that way as I walk very slowly. He snapped open the chair without saying a word. Between the time we set off from Kings and when we arrived at Guys the driver was silent apart from once to apologise to me for hitting a big bump and then it was only “sorry” I was glad to get out of the ambulance. He was a right misery and not a shining example of his profession.
All the patient transport services have been privatised. Privatisation doesn’t necessarily mean better though. It does mean share holders will want their cut so profit margins become the main priority.
I had my ECP treatment and it was one of those weeks where the machine kept alarming and it was frustrating. It’s all probably connected to me not being that well. I was finally done by 6.45pm and asked to wait in the downstairs lobby for the return transport. After 40 mins I tried to chase it up but nobody answered the patient transport number. I eventually rang the ward. They said they had been chasing and were assured someone was on the way. Well to cut a long story short. The cancer centre was meant to shut at 8pm. Just before 9pm I had had enough and walked to Borough High St and hailed a taxi. I had to pay £18 to get back to Kings. By now I was tired, hungry, cold and in pain. To rub salt in the wound I also missed the football semifinal between France and Belgium.
Once back in my room the staff were lovely and very apologetic. They got the guy that works in kitchen to get me something to eat. The only thing he could offer was steamed fish fingers, chips, and broccoli. It was gross. The nurse looking after me told me that she wanted to place the NG tube as I was written up for an overnight feed.
At midnight they came to give it a go. One nurse who was being supervised, tried both nostrils. Then a more senior nurse gave it a go. I ended up being sick all over the bed and on myself too. It’s embarrassing. I always hit the loo with my vomit and haven’t puked down myself since I was a child. I bet the nurses wished they’d remembered the sick bowls.
At 1 am the bed and me were stripped and washed and I finally settled down for the night. At 6.30am the same nurse that didn’t succeed wanted to try again. I said no and I wasn’t a morning person.
The tray with the equipment on it is still in my room ominously staring at me from the corner. They say they want to try again this afternoon. I’m not sure I can tolerate it. Any suggestions people?
Most of the staff on this ward are lovely. They work above and beyond the call of duty. I’ve been here since Monday afternoon and every shift they have been short staffed. They do their best but there are only so many hours in the day. I really feel for them. People are quick to complain and slow to compliment. As much as I am complaining about the awful situation with the patient transport fiasco, I am also bigging up the nurses, drs and support staff who are dedicated to their patients and make the system work. Everyone on the ward from the person making the tea to the bed manager was aware of my plight last night and apologised for it. It wasn’t for them to say sorry but I appreciated it and this post is in testament to their dedication, kindness and compassion.
So the next few days are going to be a challenge. I need to dig deep and find some inner resources. For those of you who have been worrying, I’m in a side room and have a TV to watch the football tonight. C’mon England.
Where ever you are and whatever stage you are at, I hope you find some light in the darkness and a rainbow in every storm.
No comments:
Post a Comment