HOSPITAL NIGHTMARE BY FIONA CUMMINGS

Good day Bloggets. So, are you sitting comfortably? My story shall begin. I should be sleeping now, but I can’t. at least I have had something to eat my third attempt to eat since Wednesday.

 

As I wrote yesterday, my Husband was rushed to hospital with me driven by our Son. We went to accident and emergency. Going along the car park, weaving in and out of tightly parked cars, I was angrily shocked just how many cars there were at that time of morning.

 

Our Son is great at describing how to go in between for example mirrors of parked cars. Steps and so on.

 

All three of us got in those rotating doors. Into the hospital. Remember the days when hospitals smelled like, well, hospitals?

 

Pure coffee fragrance hit us.  Along with the warmth from the heating, though it’s not winter yet.

 

So, I remembered this part from when I came once by myself. You turn left but in the meanwhile, there are pillars all over the place. Got to reception, gave my Husbands details and we were sent to another apartment. It’s like a maize. Our boy found it and we took a seat. By this point I just felt so sad for Hub as he was in enormous pain. And BW as it was his day off.  He’d up most mornings at 4.30 am for work, a day off normally means for him a lay in. not that day. So, I told him that he could go but to inform the receptionist, who by the way, was out of that large room, and along another very long corridor, through two sets of doors. Turn right and again avoid the pillars as well as the cleaners mop and bucket.

 

Our Son was wanting to stay, but we insisted he left. Not wanting to spoil his day. He left, and returned.

“I’m not allowed to leave you.””

What?

“The lady said I had to wait with you until you see the first person.””

Em, excuse me, but who are the parents receptionist? Patronising? I was not impressed.

 

We didn’t have long to wait, about half an hour. BW left and incurred a parking fee which we knew he would get..

 

I wonder if in other countries do you have to pay to park?

 

I guess they have to make their money from somewhere.

 

As you may know, our NHS is all free. And after my experience this past few days, it’s so true, you get what you pay for!

 

A lady took Hub away to do something, not sure what. Brought him back. By this point he was in more pain. 8 out of ten. Ten being the highest amount of pain and 1 being the lowest.

 

Then we were taken to a room. I put my hand on Hubs shoulder and followed. Not easy I can tell you. We couldn’t take our dogs as they wouldn’t really guide as they hadn’t been told the routes obviously. And then came the blood test.

 

Well, the nurse couldn’t find a vein. She tried the other arm. No, and then the hand, nothing, and the hand again and then the other hand twice. Poor thing was like a pin cushion.

 

And then he started to pass out. Oh, gosh. She went and got a Doctor. He came put something in his hand and then the needle. Straight away, if Doctors can do that, why can’t nurses?

 

And then Hub was taken on a bed wheeled away to another room. I was anxious. How would I get to the next room? Thank goodness a lady came to my rescue. Not sure if she was a nurse, care assistant doctor cleaner or cook. I didn’t care, I got to my honey.

 

So, he had his first X-ray. Then the long wait. Reading up on Google, we were convinced it was Appendicitis. He had every single symptom. Well, but two.

 

By now the pain was getting worse, so they administrated pain relief.

 

It was so awful to hear him in agony. He had so many tests I thought I had been through everything in my last operation, but no, Hub topped that. He had tests on parts I never knew he had.

 

Another room, another X-ray, this time on his chest as that shows up the top of his stomach more.

 

Another long wait. Now he was in his worst pain. (Just find out what is wrong and treat him please?)

 

By this point he had seven different people seeing him and so far, in seven different rooms, five of them I had to follow and the last one of the days, a room where he got more blood took and other tests of bodily fluids. Four different voices came in and out of that room. Sounds, that is all we can rely on in situations like this.

 

I was really starting to panic by now as they didn’t have a clue what was wrong with him. They didn’t believe it was his appendix.

 

We waited in a cubical. Just a curtain between us and the corridor.

 

Every conversation was heard between Doctors other staff and patients.

 

Voices asked questions. To us or the neighbours? It was not discreet at all.

 

And then a man said we are going to take you to a ward. Was he talking with us? Yes. But if you can’t see, it’s not always obvious who you are speaking with.

 

Well banging sounds could be heard as a wheelchair was getting prepared.

 

In the next cubical was a daughter and Mother. She was a funny old soul.

 

Her daughter was in so much pain and was groaning and the lady told her “Shush!””

She groaned again, she had fallen off a horse and broke her ribs. Her Mother continued in a sharp tone.

“Shush. I said. Stop being ridiculous. I know you are in pain, but anyone would think you were given birth.””

 

Reminded me of my time in hospital last time. My friend was with me. I had tears coming down my face and she told me to stop being a coward…. So, caring these people seriously. I would guess that someone somewhere was walking around with parts of their heart inside of them.

 

Okay, we were off. Oh my he walked so fast.

Explaining again as he was off, I have to hold onto something as I can’t see. He told me to grab the handle of the wheelchair. Well, this guy was in rehearsal for the next Olympics. He ran, I wouldn’t care, the sounds that were coming from his mouth, he was the one who needed the wheel chair.

 

 

I thought he was going to have a heart attack.

 

I thought I was going to have to pay money to the hospital for damages. Well doors that were supposed to be kept open I was closing and doors that were closed I was leaving open. I never knew just how much stuff a hospital has. Surely things could just get stolen? Mind you not sure why anyone would want to steal from what I was rearranging.

 

There were plates of metal sticking out from the walls, bookshelves and trollies. Just mess everywhere. I’m sure really clean, but what a mess.

 

I think I took a couple of staff out or were they visitors, may be patients? I just know I knocked into them and oops they were there and then they weren’t.

 

Well the guy didn’t stop to see if they were OK and I knew if I stopped he would be long gone.

 

Few at last. A lift. Thank goodness. Again, I wasn’t even aware I was in a lift as the building was spinning around.

 

I knew I was in  one only when I heard the doors closing. Then they opened and hang in there Fifi we are off again.

 

Through double doors, single doors around corners. Have you ever tried following someone blind folded? You are unaware they are going to turn a corner until they do. Suddenly you have to tell your body it’s going the other way.

 

And no warning of stopping. Whoosh. We have stopped. And then off zooming along again. Oh no, that was another trolley.

 

I didn’t hear a smashing crashing sound

That’s good.

 

At last words are spoken. Something to do with where they are putting Hub.

 

My head was in a swirly Wizz

 

There was a chair next to a window. Of course, I didn’t know it was a window until I felt it. There was no heat or draft from it.

 

And a bed to my right. Hub lay on that and before he knew how to say I’m hurting… he found buttons. My Husband and tech go hand in hand.

 

He said he wanted to make the bed go up. I advised him not to as I said he could push something that would send him into next week.

 

Did he listen? Well he was then sitting up and said it helped his pain.

 

And then he lay back and back up again. He just couldn’t put himself in a comfortable place.

 

Well, we waited. And waited. And then we waited some more. He was waiting for more pain killers. I wanted to get cross but where would that get you?

 

At last he got his fluid through his drip. The staff were really lovely, but how many? He saw another eight different members of staff. Most of them asking his next of Kin and my contact number. If they wanted to call me during the night, could they? and then the floor was to be done.

 So, a cleaner came and mopped.

 

More paperwork. More questions to answer which we already had answered on the forth paper we answered.

 

By this point Hub was worse. And then another person. More questions repeating everything. Well when they asked the new question? (Are you religious just if we need to get someone) em, a priest? Oh, God.

 

Was he going to die? What was wrong with him?

 

More really intrusive nasty things done to him. And after eight hours, he needed the toilet. He had been shown the button to press for a nurse. Haha, good stuff, poor people had been pushing that button for about half an hour and no one came.

 

Hub thought if he got out of bed, they may see him. It was then I was ready to totally cry. Why can’t I help my poor love to the toilet? Oh, there are times I don’t like being blind and then there are times I hate it.

 

I felt so dam helpless.

 After half an hour a person came, again, a cleaner nurse, care assistant? Who knows as far as we know, could have been a visitor. They told him when he needed help back to his bed to pull the cord.

He did. Fifteen minutes later, no one had come. Thank goodness a patient’s wife came for him. Bless her.

 

By this point Hub was a mess with pure exhaustion. He stood for so long. He lay on his bed and said he needed more pain killers.

 

I heard a voice, “Please can you get my Husband his pain killers?”” the voice came back. Yes, sure love. Well few, I had asked a member of staff and not the lady with the mop or trolley with cups of hot drinks.

 

After over nine hours, he saw the Doctor. Less than a minute with him. When he left, we were as confused as we were at the start of the day. It just happened so fast.

 

Basically, he wasn’t getting out. They didn’t know what was wrong with him.

 

All the tests came back perfect.

 

But his two X-rays showed up something they didn’t understand. Oh. My. God. Of course, I went there. Straight to cancer.

 

In the morning the following day, he was to have a CT scan to see exactly what it was.

 

Just a sleepless night to come. And then our BW came in. oh, gosh, he was so proud to announce. In front of the whole ward. He had brought about £900 worth of Hubs tech, just to entertain him. Well firstly Hub was in no state to be entertained. Then out came a huge tub. Oh, bless him, he’d made his Dad a Lasagne. Even bringing a fork. Well the lady we had just filled in form number 751 with, had told us not to have anything valuable. And Hub wasn’t allowed any food.

 

Then he brought out two apples, two bags of crisps, and two chocolate bars. Oh, but the best was a bottle of beer…. Huge one. And he even remembered a bottle opener.

 

And then came the clothes he brought, everything that was so needed. And a soap bag with a comb in because bless BW he said his Dad likes to brush his hair… Poor Hub didn’t care by that point if he lost all of his hair.

 

He was so happy to show us the really jazzy shorts Hub had that he brought in…. I’m thinking along with being in total shock about the beer, em, he’s off on holiday soon, Hub best hang onto his shorts, or they will go the journey.

 

Luckily BW had spent all but two hours with the dogs but it was really time I got home to be with them. As already The Little Fella was showing signs of stress he wasn’t with his Daddy.

 

We repacked the bag bless him he even brought Hubs tablets for his eye pains. Not that he takes them much these days.

 

I kissed my darling night night and left. I was totally exhausted. I wanted to return that very next morning. I asked the Sister when I could come she replied visiting time was 1 pm. I did the long walk with BW. Around the corners but he was a much better guide than the porter.

 

I got out into the air. Burst into tears. My Son was so loving. I was there all day I didn’t know what was wrong with Hub and I was worried sick.

 

I know just how difficult it is being blind in hospital. It’s pure hell. Especially if you are on a ward.

 

As I got home, LF and Waggatail knew something was up. My Son told me to sit down. I didn’t want to I wanted to keep busy. No, he told me to sit. He had made my dinner.

He’s a great cook.

But something went very wrong.

The V words.

No, not very delicious, not vegetarian, but vegan.

 

Oh, my goodness. I couldn’t eat it. It was disgusting.

He cooked noodles in coconut oil. Gross. And then he fed me on a plate this revolting tough stringy horribleness. I tried to put some in my mouth but no way I could chew it.

 

It’s the new stuff that looks like raw meat. With blood. Why? Apparently, it’s to get people who eat meat try it. No. don’t. I am not saying I would rather you ate a cow or chicken, but either eat the veg that would come with it or starve, rather than eat that stuff.

 

At least Quorn tastes nice. Ish.

 

I felt sick. As noodles did the slow waltz inside of my mouth, I gulped down the cups of tea he made me. Two. And I needed those.

 

Sham came and we chatted for a while. She tried to calm me down. She failed but she was really nice about it.

 

At 1 am I went to bed. No sleep all night nor Hub he and I text each other. He said his pain was getting worse. A ten. He said more that made me cry. I was so upset I couldn’t be with him.

 

He was there for me when I was last in hospital, but it was a private hospital we paid for it. Our very kind friends gifted me with some money too as you can imagine a week in a private hospital was very expensive. But Hub was there. And now he is in I can’t be with him.

 

Next morning, I was up at half six. I just busied myself until Sham came and took me to hospital. She was great. BW was at work. So, I could only spend four hours with Hub.

 

He was much worse. We saw the Doctor. He said he still doesn’t know what is wrong with Hub. Oh, my goodness. I had to ask. I had been searching the internet all night.

“Doctor, could my Husband have cancer?””

 

His answer wasn’t what I wanted to hear.

To be continued.