Last Thursday was a horrible day. I had a message left on my answerphone from my older sister, who has slight learning difficulties. She said, "Jean I have a pain in my chest and feel terrible", then she was in tears. I immediately called her back and asked which side the pain was, it was her left. Asked if her chest felt heavy or had like a squeezing and she said the latter My immediate thought was to dial 999 but I paused and then thought I'd dial the NHS 111 number for advice. I was told they would call my sister back which they did a little later, then she was told they'd get a doctor to call her ASAP. Well that wait was just over an hour. Then I was called back with advice to take her to A&E as that would get her there quicker than waiting for an ambulance. So I drove to her house and did as I was advised. We were both anxious and super stressed.
Shortly after we arrived, around midday, she was given an ECG and blood tests. The nurse asked if she had atrial fibrillation (AF) and my sister looked bewildered, I said no, but I had it.
When we actually got to see a doctor hours later we were told she had AF and her blood showed a higher than normal level of troponin. They would take the blood test again and see if it had dropped. If it had she could go home, if it hadn't she would be admitted to a ward. Around 4pm (four hours after arriving) we were taken to a different area to wait, here there was a nurse on permanent duty/watch and my sister had one of those chair bed seats. During this time her chest pains kept coming and going but weren't as bad as they'd been earlier. Then a porter turned up to take her for an x-ray, we were stunned because no-one had said she would be having one. As soon as my sister had gone I asked the nurse why she was having it and the answer was because she'd had chest pain.
When my sister arrived back, a lovely young doctor came to speak to us and explained the situation. He spoke clearly and slowly to my sister about how her heart was functioning in AF and that he'd put her on Edoxaban and Bisoprolol 1.25mg and said what those pills were for. Her chest x-ray was clear and she'd be referred to the care of AF nurses. He gave us so much time it was amazing - I'd give him a gold star for his kindness and clear in depth explanation.
We arrived home sometime between 6.30pm and 7pm. We were both exhausted with the stress of it. Next day we both had to relax as were wiped out and emotionally exhausted.
This morning I asked her if the pills were helping and did she feel better, the answer was a positive yes. Hooray!
Now I'm asking myself did I do the right thing by not immediately dialling 999 for an ambulance. I really don't think I did, lets face it we all know what we must do if someone is getting chest pain in their left side and feeling ill, that's call for an ambulance. It's what I advise people to do on this forum all the time. What is it that stops us from doing the right thing?
Jean
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jeanjeannie50
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We always can second guess ourselves, but it seems to me that you were of great help and it your sister benefited greatly and you had a great outcome. Focus on that because and maybe next time you would do things differently. All the best!
Thank you for your reply.I certainly would do things differently. She could have died because of my hesitation and not dialling 999 for an ambulance. My sister was so lucky for it to be AF. I have a very good friend who gets chest pain with her AF and wonder how many people suffer that way.
Yes, I think the ambulance service would rate chest pain and feeling ill as urgent. The 111 service rang my sister (who has learning difficulties) after I had spoken to them. Of course she only gave them half a story not understanding how significant her heart feeling squeezed was. Anyway a big sigh of relief now and hope she will continue to feel more lively as has been very tired lately.
Don't beat yourself up - hindsight is a wonderful thing! I honestly think that the way things are at the moment with the NHS and the emergency service, it has totally changed the way we think and react. Had you been certain that an ambulance would have turned up quickly I guess you would have phoned, but because there is no certainty these days I think we try to think around things - and probably over think them. I know that currently if I have a health concern I tend not to even think about making a doctor's appointment because I will have to wait at least 3 weeks and so that changes my 'normal' reaction. As with everything, you did what you thought was the right thing at that time - and your sister is OK that's the main thing, and, you are human!!! (and a good one at that). Tricia x
Bless you Trish, thank you for your response. I know what you mean about making an appointment to see a GP. A friend who works as a nurse at my surgery was telling me how underfunded they are, told me about 4 months ago that they were still receiving the same funding as 5 years ago, yet costs had all gone up.
Are you keeping well now? I remember a little while ago you had one thing after another.
Thank you for your response. Yes, she told me this morning that she was feeling better. I thought that was quite quick after just a few days on her beta blockers.
Sounds like a nightmare of a day. I am sure you did the right thing and you were there for your sister. Like previous replies, I think it’s so much more difficult to know what’s the right thing to do with the emergency services the way they are, but there is no point look back in hindsight.
Your sister is ok, you hade good care while in hospital and I am sure will be able to continue to support your sister from now on with you own experience of Afib.
Thank you for your reply. The trouble with my sister is she never really understands what she's being told. I decided the other day that she has a kind of word blindness, looked it up and there is such a thing. I guess she could understand a simple sentence, but no more. I used to work in the offices of a very large high tech company and I remember going to site meetings which everyone had to attend and hardly understand a word that was being said and it was so boring!! So think I can understand how she feels.
Sounds like you did what felt right at the time and that's what counts.If 111 had been concerned they would have organised an ambulance as fast as they could. If they felt the response time was slow that day, then encouraging you to take her was the best they could offer. When my husband had an 'absence" event, still no clear explanation as cardio says not heart, neuro says prob heart(!).The 111 doc phoned back 15 hours later, by which time I had taken him to drop in and seen excellent paramedic.
Sounds like however stressed you felt you gave your sister the support she needed.
The NHS111 people told me if she got worse while we were driving to the hospital I was to pull over, park and dial 999.
I understand your husbands absence event as I had two in a week myself last year, was convinced I'd had TIA's. Had loads of tests and nothing was found. It must be comforting for him to know that you are a retired nurse. I'd like you living next door to me.. I do a voluntary job on a Sunday afternoon with a retired nurse but she was a midwife. I still ask her opinion on ailments though. Hope your husband is ok now.
Thank you Jean. He was told not to drive and because of 7 month wait to see neurologist and then months harassing DVLA, he didn't drive for nearly a year. Now waiting to see heart surgeon as ageing stents ( 2005) and mod to severe valvular disease. This has taken a year since referral too!! Hey ho, we are both fine. xx
I think because we're constantly being told of A&E problems, queuing ambulances etc we're almost frightened to pick up the phone. However it all turned out well in the end but how stressful for you.
I had no hesitation dialling 999 for husband very recently. He had fallen (Parkinson's) and I found him unable to get up with a great deal of blood over him. He's on Rivaroxaban and we all know that a little bit of blood goes a long way but I wasn't taking any chances. Paramedics and first responder came out very quickly.
That must have been a shock for you finding your husband like that. Yes, that would certainly warrant a 999 call. I think that the paramedics do come quickly when it's an obvious emergency. My sister had told the 111 telephone responder half a story.
I think because we always think things are not as bad as they might appear. There is always that wishfull thinking going on as well, sadly , as the knowledge that in most case A and E will be a nightmare of waiting, usually with lots of sick people coughing over us or drunks being sick! (maybe not before lunch).
It is very easy for us sitting at our computers to tell people to call 999 but the reality is never that easy. Don't beat yourslef up Jean, we are all human and 111 is the " softer" option.
Yes, I think you've hit the nail on the head with what you're saying about the wishful way we think etc. Also it is easy to tell other people what they should do re calling 999. Sometimes I think why on earth haven't they done that after lots of forum members have said that's what they should do.
There was someone coughing a few rows behind us in A&E and it was turning me into a horrible person. I wanted to move seats but there was nowhere else for us both to go! I'm ashamed to say that the woman coughing probably saw me turn around and glare at her. My goodness her cough sounded like she had pneumonia.
You did exactly the right thing Jean , I hope you did not have that far a drive!! Sometimes it takes ages to get through to 111 , to actually speak to someone.
When they come First Response are superb.
Your time in A and E was not that long ( for these days) going to the “next stage « clinic is normal as is having a chest xray . It all takes time , and waiting for the second tropanin test . Your sister must have been so reasdured that you were with her!
She was seen and treated and, you didn’t go into mega AF in sympathy !!!! Well done!
Is 999 the ambulance? There will be situations where you know you need an ambulance and situations where you are not sure. In the latter case you call your doctor or 111 which you did. It sounded like the right call to me.
Yes, 999 is what we call in the UK when we need an ambulance and paramedics. I have to say they are all really good at their job, so kind and attentive. With hindsight now it was the right thing to do but I would never recommend anyone else doing that when someone has chest pain and feels ill. My sister, who is so vulnerable, crying broke my heart.
Yes, I too have found First Responders excellent. I've often thought that their care is sometimes better than what we get in hospital with doctors. There they are, two people who are totally focussed on you and you alone. Give you a dose of morphine if in pain and air if difficulty breathing! They are to be treasured.
Yes, I think that my sister was glad that I was there. She never says thank you, no matter what you've done for her and I've been pulling her up on it lately. She's only just moved 200 miles a few months ago to be nearer me and my other sister. She gave me such a lovely heartfelt thank you and I appreciated that so much.
The drive to hospital was only about 8 miles, so there was no problem with that.
We all make choices based on the situation at hand at any one time. You made a choice you felt right. Your sister is safe and that’s all that matters now. She is very fortunate to have such a caring sister close by and to have been treated well at the hospital. All is well. Don’t look back on what might have been, but take comfort in what is. Be kind to yourself after what has been a tough couple of days.
Oh Jean, what a dilemma for you. What happened, happened and you can’t change that now. You did your best for your sister and was there for her in her hour of need. I think we all do things we regret, or think we should have acted differently, but like all things we live and learn. Who knows? You could have waited much longer if you had dialled 999. You were blessed with a good doctor, so in the right place at the right time. Sorry for your sister’s diagnosis of AF., but pleased it wasn’t a heart attack when things could have been a lot worse. At the end of all this Jean, she is so lucky to have you. Xxx
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