You
may have noticed this blog has been a little quiet for the last couple of weeks. I’d been taking time to focus on PhD work for
a week or so and then the events dealt with in this entry happened – hence my absence.
I’d
been in pain for hours, unable to stay in one position for more than a minute. I knew something was wrong. The pain was between my chest and my abdomen
on the right side. It was second worst
pain I had ever been in, rating higher than a lot of more serious
injuries. I checked my symptoms on the
NHS 111 App which confirmed my suspicions – I needed to get myself to the
hospital.
Within an hour I was admitted on the ‘Cool’ side of the A&E marked with blue signage and was lying on a bench as a nurse found a vein and cannulated me – before I was given a reasonable dose of morphine. The pain was still there but I didn’t care about it one the opioid began to have its usual effects. Blood was taken and a junior doctor examined me finding the centre of the pain. I was taken for x-rays and then taken to the Surgical Assessment Unit to wait for the results. I was given paracetamol via an IV. The results came back and more tests were needed. When they were done they confirmed the junior doctor’s original suspicions that I have a problem with a gall bladder. I was given a number of additional medications and discharged home to await an appointment for an MRI and a clinic follow up to discuss options including surgery. As I was being moved through the hospital I witnessed what I already knew was going on – a clear effort to maintain some degree of bio-security between the blue labelled cool side and red labelled ‘hot’ side – the distinction between those without and those battling Covid-19. The staff were as always professional and caring, despite the clear stress everyone was under. I was given exactly the care that was needed. It fitted with the reported I’d heard both in the media and from friends in the NHS that things were still running with adaptions – because people were keeping to the recommendations and rules from the government. As always, I can’t thank the NHS enough. The concern some have expressed is important though – yes the NHS is battling Covid-19 every day – but that is no reason for anyone with serious health issues not to seek treatment. There has been a concern about a spike in people presenting late with heart and brain problems – heart attacks and strokes particularly – because of a fear of contracting Covid-19 in hospital. The key thing I want to say here is simple – the NHS is taking every step possible to keep people safe and avoid cross contamination between areas. This is what they do, despite the problems with PPE and the problems of having to divide hospitals in two to establish this. If you need urgent medical care – the NHS is there, and will do what you need.
Within an hour I was admitted on the ‘Cool’ side of the A&E marked with blue signage and was lying on a bench as a nurse found a vein and cannulated me – before I was given a reasonable dose of morphine. The pain was still there but I didn’t care about it one the opioid began to have its usual effects. Blood was taken and a junior doctor examined me finding the centre of the pain. I was taken for x-rays and then taken to the Surgical Assessment Unit to wait for the results. I was given paracetamol via an IV. The results came back and more tests were needed. When they were done they confirmed the junior doctor’s original suspicions that I have a problem with a gall bladder. I was given a number of additional medications and discharged home to await an appointment for an MRI and a clinic follow up to discuss options including surgery. As I was being moved through the hospital I witnessed what I already knew was going on – a clear effort to maintain some degree of bio-security between the blue labelled cool side and red labelled ‘hot’ side – the distinction between those without and those battling Covid-19. The staff were as always professional and caring, despite the clear stress everyone was under. I was given exactly the care that was needed. It fitted with the reported I’d heard both in the media and from friends in the NHS that things were still running with adaptions – because people were keeping to the recommendations and rules from the government. As always, I can’t thank the NHS enough. The concern some have expressed is important though – yes the NHS is battling Covid-19 every day – but that is no reason for anyone with serious health issues not to seek treatment. There has been a concern about a spike in people presenting late with heart and brain problems – heart attacks and strokes particularly – because of a fear of contracting Covid-19 in hospital. The key thing I want to say here is simple – the NHS is taking every step possible to keep people safe and avoid cross contamination between areas. This is what they do, despite the problems with PPE and the problems of having to divide hospitals in two to establish this. If you need urgent medical care – the NHS is there, and will do what you need.
