I haven't had the time to tell you what happened when he was admitted to hospital last Friday evening at 6 pm.
As you know the blue light was called out to take my husband into hospital, his sats were down in the 70's. He received excellent treatment in A & E but was still there at 11 pm. He wanted me to stay with him until he was settled in a ward. (as you know I was poorly too).
He was on drips, oxygen, IV's and nebulisers and then the porter came to collect him. They took everything off him but the oxygen and then we had a god knows how long a walk to get to the 'holding' ward where they keep patients until a bed is available for them on the correct ward.
A nurse came and said 'hop into bed' his oxygen was at 2 LPM but on exertion it has to be upped to 4 LPM but she refused to do it as 'I don't have his notes', so she pulled the curtains round him and went, he was so out of breath that he wet himself and there was urine all over the floor, I got some paper towels and started mopping up and went to find a nurse. I told her he needed his oxygen putting up and she said she couldn't so then she got a monitor and checked his sats and put his oxygen up to 4 LPM. She then went away. I got him into clean clothes and onto the bed but the bed was flat and I had to get the remote control and raise the head of it. Because he is so tall the bed was too small so I had to pull the bottom out and there was a big gap so I pinched some pillows and stuffed them into the gap.
I then was going to put his nebuliser on as he was due for his night one, but I couldn't as the mask and tubing was missing. So I found the nurse again, (sat at the desk talking) and said that he needed to use the nebuliser, she said it was at the side of the bed and I told her it was not a bit of good without the mask and tubing, so she got me some. I then asked her for the saline for the nebuliser, she said the pharmacy was closed, (In the panic I forgot to bring ours with us) so I said, well he needs it, so she went looking and found some and off she went again.
After I had got him settled again I said, right I am going home now it was 12 mid night and I was just about on my knees I felt so ill. I looked for the call button so he could call someone if he needed help and it was wrapped round the bed head three times.
The problem is, that if I had not gone with him and seen everything was okay, he would have had too little oxygen, no nebuliser, even if there had been there was no-one to give it to him if I hadn't been there, his bed was flat and he could not reach the remote or the emergency call button and he would have been in urine drenched clothes.
There were too little night staff to look after him properly and when you can't breathe it is a matter of life and death. He had another bad do at 5 am and luckily a doctor was outside the ward and was then moved to the correct ward. It is a good job I am his carer and know everything inside out and upside down as god knows what would have happened, but they should not rely on relatives being there.
I have made a complaint to the hospital in question.
Sweetthing,one day your luck has got to cheange,You are one extraordinary lady with all that you do,many would have given up a long time ago.I love you for being who you are.
Sweetthing, what you both went through is awful. Perhaps your husband was frightened enough to appreciate what you have been doing for him day in day out all this time. Hope you get better soon. Alison
What a terrible experience, for both you and your poor husband. It really frightens me at times that hospitals are so poorly staffed and that so much is left to relatives and porters. I hope he is improving and that he will be home soon.
Hi Sweetthing, what a terrible time you had I am not suprised you are going to complain. I do hope you are feeling much better today and your husband is being kinder to you.
If you are o.k. when your son comes for the day next week get out an treat yourself, do you have a friend you could meet up with for the day, and perhaps a little retail therapy.
What an awful time for you both. It's frightening to hear the many stories about poor care these days. Saying that, I remember equally poor care for each of my parents over 10 years ago.
Don't be surprised that you will have to push your complaint. I'm afraide they often try to fob people off.
Lynne xx
Thank you aIl for your lovely comments.
I decided, with feeling a bit better, I wanted some fresh air, so told him I was going outside to put some bedding plants in. I was told to open the front bedroom window (that is where he is in bed) and to only work at the front so he can call me if he needs me.
Today I have mown the lawn, cut the hedges, planted some bushes, and put some bedding plants in, now I have the back to do, so god knows how I can do that as I won't be in hearing distance of him I think I may buy a baby monitor.
He said, he hadn't been to the toilet for three days (he isn't eating much) and he may need a suppository, so I have said if he does, I will make sure I get one the size of a flaming rocket and enjoy sticking it where the sun don't shine.
sweetthing, In spite of everything, your sense of humour kicks in. I hope that you are better in yourself. Appalled at the happenings in the hospital, wouldn't have happened in my day as a nurse, but then they didn't have all the complicated machines and whatever.
Thank you, all in all he gets excellent treatment but we have had one or two upsetting times when he was in hospital the last time. Technicians coming to give him his insulin injection he is not diabetic they got the wrong patient. Nurses coming in with his medication, they got the wrong patient. Doctors writing 'needs laxatives' on his notes, they got the wrong patient. If I wasn't there nearly every day for visiting or being darned nosey and reading his notes god knows what would happen. I said for god's sake will someone please write his name above the bed. I complained then also, but heard nothing back.
He was in the COPD ward and everyone was on oxygen, nebulisers and really poorly. a doctor came in, drew the curtains round the patient in the next bed to my husband and said in a very loud voice, 'you only have about three days left to live, we have to start making plans'. The poor man was on his own and my husband and the others were really upset, one of them was in tears. The man was moved to a hospice the next day. This kind of thing should never, ever happen, it is absolutely disgusting.
So sorry to read the your blog about your husband being in hospital, and all the the troubles ,
I was noting , you said your husband might need a suppository, get him some kiwis fruit, he has to eat the skin as well, needless to say has to be washed, cut the end off. My husband had some trouble when he was in hospital, had a suppository !! He now eats a kiwi a day, and no more problems, so get him to try it,and furthermore its a lot of vitamins.
All the best
Dane.
Hallo sweetthing.So sorry to hear all the horror you have been going through,I just sincerely hope that your hubby appreciates you a little more!!
Hope you haven't worked to hard in that garden of yours,you must look after yourself,
Hope things improve soon for you,good luck with your complaints,I do hope they get looked into properly.
I heard the consultant delivering the 'you have terminal cancer' to the guy in the next bed which I must admit he did with great compassion.
The poor patient only came in for bad breathless attack, and at the end of visiting with his family there the consultant arrived pulled the curtain round, (because that stops every else hearing) and told him he had terminal cancer and a couple of weeks left to live. The family then had to face the rest of the silent ward as they walked away. WHY OH WHY can this not be done in a side room, I know death is a normal thing to hospitals, but sometimes they seem to forget that most of us are not .
Having to face the guy who had been chatting and joking with me just a little earlier was not easy,
He is now on the mend, he called me upstairs this morning so off I went, I said what do you want now, he said, can you close the window, it's draughty.
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Alison
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Frightening day yesterday
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Stories from a Hospital Volunteer - 2
