It is now half way through the evening, and I have only just accessed my blog having spent the majority of today in the car park at the A&E department some 42 miles away.
Hubby woke me up in the very early hours in horrendous pain and we immediately got on to the 111 emergency service.
As our UTC is no longer open 24/7, it was suggested getting to A&E either 45 or 35 miles away, a journey Hubby could not possibly make in the condition he was in. It was therefore suggested he take painkillers and apply a cold or hot compress, and attend the UTC 17 miles away at 8.20 this morning.
Neither of us slept much and were up early.
Having been prescribed some antibiotics, he was told that should it get worse to go straight to A&E. We stopped for coffee so that he could take one and some painkillers, but less than five miles down the road he was not at all well, so I drove 42 miles to the hospital A&E. We arrived around 10.15 and got home just after 6pm. I had to cancel his emergency blood test at the GP surgery, pushing the point for an alternative and pointing out that had the ’emergency’ blood test been done two weeks ago as it should have been, we would not be at A&E now!
He has been prodded, scanned, blood tested, wee tested and dosed with morphine, and prescribed some more antibiotics which he’s had before for a UTI some years ago. This could have been really serious had we not acted quickly, and as you can imagine, I am a bit of a wreck just now.
No walks or diet watching today, and hopefully we can have an early night to catch up on our sleep. I’ve got a thumping headache so need to unwind before even thinking about retiring.
Take care everyone.
Take care Di, hope you both feel better tomorrow.
Thanks Michael. Been a bit of a horrible day, but he’s ok and that’s the main thing.
Oh wow di! that is awful! I’m sorry your hubby was so ill! I am glad you had the good sense to go to A and E! Hopefully he’ll be ok soon! Xx
Thanks. Makes me so glad I can drive!
Oh no!! Darn, so stressful 😦 Self-care for you today!!
thanks.
Glad it turned out that he’s ok. I can’t imagine having to drive that far to an emergency room; the one we use is about 12 minutes away and that’s a long enough drive when we’re trying to get there before someone dies. Take it easy today, Di.
Our health care in this area is abysmal. The doctor’s surgery is terrible, and it took me over 20 minutes to get through to them to cancel the ’emergency’ blood test which should have been done a fortnight ago. It has always been like this, even before Covid hit.
Ugh.
You could put it like that!!
I hope your hubby is well! Thinking of you both!
Thanks. He’s good.
May you both catch up on sleep and take it easy too. Both if you.
As another reader commented on, I couldn’t bear the thought of that many miles driving either.
Take care. X
Sadly we don’t have a choice.
Its awful to have to travel that far. X
At least we both drive and don’t have to rely on public transport or taxis.
Yes.
Glad to hear he is doing better. It is a shame when the people we count on to take of us, don’t.
Our healthcare here is a disgrace. It’s not just us, but every resident does not get the care and attention they need.
That is sad that a basic need is below par.
I had one of those days too. My husband gashed his head and we spent hours at our Emergency Center. He is on anticoagulants so he bleeds a lot. Exhausting. Hugs to you and hubby and I hope they have addressed his issue properly.
Hubby’s on blood thinners too, so I can appreciate the worry. He’s good today and the meds are working. He has an INR blood check on Thursday and the cancelled ’emergency’ blood test on Friday now.
Hope your Hubby is OK now.
He is. He is getting his covid shot right now. Hugs to your hubby.
Yay on the shot!! Thanks
My heart goes out to you both!
Thanks Pam. We’re good today though.
So sorry Di. I hope you both get some good night’s sleep. I hope he feels better soon.
Thanks
🙏
hope all is well – thinking of you. xxxx
We’re good thanks. Everything is settling down.
Love to everyone! XXX
That is a ridiculous distance in an emergency. Hope things look better this morning, Di!
Hi Sue, things are definitely better today thanks.
Sadly having to travel some considerable distance is the norm here and had we known the local medical practice and healthcare was so dire, we would never have bought our house. The Covid situation does not help.
I can imagine, Di. I’m on fifty to sixty mile round trips for my scans every time…and that is bad enough.
Take care Sue.
I will 🙂
Di that’s another horror story. Something really needs to be done in your area.. I know it’s on going but that doesn’t make it right! I am so sorry you have both had such an awful time. I reckon you next time ring 999. Hope you are both better today 💜💜💜💜
Ringing 999 does not help us actually, and it is far quicker to get in the car and drive to A&E. In a way it’s quite funny because they are getting to know Hubby and have a file on him, especially as they are aware of our appalling GP surgery! We almost have our personal parking space LOL!!!
We’re good today though, and that’s the main thing.
I am so glad to hear you are both okay, I really get so angry on your behalf.💜
Bless you, watch your BP!! We’re used to it and think outside the box. It’s a bummer that the UTC 17 miles away closes at 10pm now. Still, we could get to the A&E in about 40 minutes, which is less time than waiting for an ambulance to come.
Okay, well A&E next time , but I hope all will be good now 💜💜💜💜🤞🤞
❤ ❤ ❤
I didn’t see you around yesterday but didn’t worry. Now I’m shocked!! My God. Don’t ‘they’ (the people in the NHS) give a toss about the small communities in your country? I have no fingers to point as ours over here isn’t that much better, but at least if someone’s taken suddenly ill there’s an ER (our alternative to your A&E) ten minutes from my house. I do have to drive 50 miles for decent eye care and my orthopedic surgeon was in Salt Lake City too (he’s retired now and I’ll have to use one here if/when my knee finally gives out). Healthcare all over the globe is in very poor shape, and the costs keep on rising, don’t they? Grrrrr indeed. My sympathies and I’m very glad to read things worked out as well as possible. Geez.
Thanks Melanie. Healthcare where we are is dreadful, but we can usually work round that. It was a long day yesterday, but all is good and the antibiotics are doing their job. Hurrah!! Makes me glad I can drive.
🙂