Another Day Gone.

[Longboarder]

Mum in Law woke yesterday with chest pain, sweaty, nauseated and complained it was difficult to breath. Quick call to the Doctor and the ex missus was told to bring her in to the GP centre. As MIL was unable to get out of bed ex-wife called me over to help. After chatting to MIL it was obvious she was going nowhere under her own steam or in the Golf so I rang back to the Doctor and as MIL was feeling a bit better, asked if a home visit could be arranged. Nope was the answer, dial 999 and get the ambulance. 'Not really an emergency at this time' I told him but this made no difference. So i dialed 999 explained the situation, told them the Duty Doc was not prepared to visit, MIL had now had the pain for 3 hours and was feeling a bit better and apologised as it was not really an emergency. They were there in 4 minutes and good as gold. Sensibly assessed, even with ECG in the ambulance before they took her off to casualty. We joined her there. Again no significant wait, examined, bloods, another ECG, chest xray, then we sat. And sat. And sat. For 8 hours.

No answers to the usual questions of what's the pain, is it her heart, is it serious, what treatment is she to have. The only question they did answer was 'What are you going to do with her?' which was admit her to the Medical Assesment unit, but there aren't any beds so she will wait in Casualty till a bed comes free.

So we sat some more, went off and found sandwiches and a coke and a paper and a book and sat some more. 1pm to 10.30pm. Still no beds on the assessment ward and by this time MIL has had a day in bed and the pain has pretty much gone.

'You go off home' says MIL. 'I'll be fine here waiting till a bed can be found.' Last chat with the casualty sister to check where she will be going, phone number of ward etc and off we go. No problem. Went home. Half an hour later phone rings. 'Can you come in to hospital?'

'*bleep*, what's happened?' said I, heart shifting quickly through the gears, zero to burst out of the chest in four seconds.

'She's fine and can come home. Can you come in to pick her up.'

No answers to questions such as 'What's causing her chest pain?' 'Does this angina spray you have given her mean you think it's angina?' 'As you have answered No to the last question about angina did you think about taking out the appendix or putting her legs in plaster in case that might help?' 'Why didn't you tell me she could go home one hour ago when I last talked to you just before I left A&E and drove home?' and finally 'Have you ever though of getting a job at the DVLA? I think you may have just the qualities and organisational skills they are looking for.' Casualty Sister! Put in a proper administrator and put Sister back on nursing duties.

 

Nigel

[Guest salty_monk]

Try the medical system over here.... you'll see ours in a different light, I can guarantee it

[Big Jim]

As someone who knows the procedure (been through it a few times!)

Any chest pain, get the person into hospital (I got *bleep*ed recently for wakening Mutley up at 3-30am to take me in last time, told in no uncertain terms that I should have called 999)

Once Ambo arrives, they'll put on ECG, give Aspirin ( to thin blood) and possibly another tab for cholesterol. Once Ambo confirm that no immediate risk of Heart attack, then transport to hospital.

At hospital, straight into A&E, no waiting. Back onto ECG m/c. If pain still persisting, possibly a jab with a BIG needle job into stomach with something that thins the blood, and morphine for the pain (I love that stuff! )

Now blood taken for test, this goes to path lab for testing, depending on where the path lab is, and how busy etc. usually 4 - 8 hour wait for results. At our hospital, it has to go to Preston Hospital.

Meanwhile, pain & ECG are monitored.

When the results of the blood test come back from path lab, these will show if it's been a heart attack or not (depending on what they do can obviously show other results as well)

If it's not been a heart attack, then it's something else. It could be anything from trapped wind, to Angina, sometimes they can hear Angina with their stethoscopes.

OK, so now we are 8 hours down the line, it's not been a heart attack, all pain has gone, ECG is normal = patient can go home.

Within the next few weeks, patient to expect an appointment to attend the hospital sometime for an exercise test.

This is done on one of those treadmill things, whilst wired up to an ECG. Maximum time on this is 15 mins, (I managed 2½mins before had to stop.)

 

Failed, exercise test = then possibly the next step is an Angiogram.

1 day in hospital whilst they inject a die into the blood vessels around the heart (through the main artery in the thigh)whilst under an x-ray type m/c, this shows up where the problems are if any, and the decides the next course of action to take.

This can range from just medication, or stents (blown up wire cages to open up the blood vessels) or major surgery for a by-pass.

 

I would say that your MIL is in the early stages of finding out what's wrong, they obviously called you back to take her home as soon as they got the all-clear from the blood tests, mainly because there were no beds available, otherwise they would have waited until the following day, trust me, you've not been messed around, and they don't have a magic ball that will confirm what the problem is. If it is Angina, it could be caused by any 1 or 2 (or more) blood vessels being narrowed, putting a strain on the heart. It could be serrious, it could also not be.

 

Just next time,(and there will probably be a next time!) 999 and get the Ambo there, don't think that "you don't want to bother them"

 

Best regards to your MIL (& yourself)

[Longboarder]

Fair enough Jim. I know the processes involved, just that they are irritating. GP service was completely idle and useless. Ambos were top notch. Casualty were excellent too for a couple of hours but we then got stuck in limbo. We didn't know what we were waiting for. Would have been nice if sister at 10.30 had said don't go home just yet, Doctor is going to re-assess her in a moment and in view of the bed crisis she might be able to come home with you.

We did learn not to bother with the GP in anything remotely resembling an emergency. Those doing the real work were great. Administration/organisation/communication/management was sadly lacking.

Maybe they should reduce the efficiency and numbers of the frontline staff as patients are being processed faster than they can be accommodated in the hospital and this presents a picture of an unbalanced system.

MIL is fine today thankfully.

 

Nigel

[Guest MarkB]

angina is, excuse the pun, a bloody pain, been a sufferer for a few years now. It has took a long time to get my medication right, one statin gave me upper body muscle seizures, one beta blocker put my blood pressure so low i would pass out... but.. with a bit of swapping and changing everything is fine....ish.

[miikae]

I went to see our practice nurse for my two monthly B12 injection last friday of which i was already a week overdue, got my times wrong as miss read time 1430 read it as 4.30 , so 2 hours late then oops , sorry cant fit you in today next appointment the 5 JAN , so i take it that they arnt bothered at all about patients or specialists advice for that matter , as to a patients well being ah well its only Pernisious Anemia so what , have a crap Christmas .

Glad i have plenty of Nitro for my angina , beta blockers , all the other pills .

 

Mike

[Big Jim]

Oh mikikae, get off those beta blockers ASAP if you can, they are awful, well they were with me!

 

On another note, I recently had to pay a visit to our local A&E dept with my knee. Rusted up in the bent position, hurt like hell, and wouldn't straighten. You should have seen me trying to get into the Landrover with a brush for a crutch etc.

Anyway, I digress......... After booking in at A&E, I was only waiting about 5 mins before being called into a cubicle to see the vet (sorry..... doctor ) then straight down to x-ray, (that wasn't fun! bloody leg just woudn't straighten) back to the Doc, told nothing aparent on x-ray, so to come back to hospital to fracture clinic in the morning, given pain killers and something else, then went home.

Back to fracture clinic the morning after, again less than 5 min wait, before seeing the doc, more x-rays, still no waiting.

 

I was highly impressed, both times I'd never waited more than 5 mins for anything. Years ago, a visit to A&E would need a packed lunch and a sleeping bag, minimum wait was 2½ hours, and that was with no-one else in there!

 

Nigel, your hospital must be having a crisis with bed availabilty due to the flue epidemic etc

[Guest outtolunch]

Nigel, your hospital must be having a crisis with bed availabilty due to the flue epidemic etc

 

I think I have seen recently a survey report that the health service in the South West is now the most overburdened area and the North has now reversed the position from a few years ago and is now the best, just over the pennines in County Durham I have just had the same excellent service as Jim when two weekends ago I was taken into A&E with pneumonia.

 

 

edit to add that we even get good TV ads from the NHS here

 

 

[Guest salty_monk]

 

I tell you it's no better when you get ripped off for it either...

 

Jim - I used to get something similar with my knee, it was the tendons twisting together at the back of the knee cap. Mind you it was meant to be something to do with growing as a lad.. I reckon you're probably past that Went from there to full dislocation of the kneecap a few times - look after it!

 

A glass of wine a day is supposed to be great for angina

[Big Jim]

 

I tell you it's no better when you get ripped off for it either...

 

Jim - I used to get something similar with my knee, it was the tendons twisting together at the back of the knee cap. Mind you it was meant to be something to do with growing as a lad.. I reckon you're probably past that Went from there to full dislocation of the kneecap a few times - look after it!

 

A glass of wine a day is supposed to be great for angina

I didn't do it a world of good in 1995 when I tried to fly off my motorbike and through a mini (put a lovely dint in the roof/door line) The hospital said that I'd knackered the ligament in the back of the knee, but if I could manage, they weren't going to operate, as it would be 50/50 if they made it better or worse!

Needless to say, up to now I've managed!

Over the last few days of doing nothing except watching daytime TV, it's got somewhat less painful, but there's now that much "slack" in the knee, it certainly wouldn't pass MOT, just waiting for another hospital appointment for a MRI scan on it.

 

Whilst I'm impressed with the speed for being attended to now-a-days, I still don't trust them much when it comes to the repair job!

[Guest salty_monk]

Just do your checks on the mechanic!!

 

I know how painful it is so sympathise!