I know I was 'lucky' but.....

[kiwimick]

A random post just wondered how others feel.

I had my heart attack 9 weeks ago a stemi totally blocked artery RCA, had warning signs for a couple of years sometimes out of breath and felt like bad indigestion ignored them (as you tend to do!!) called it my 'funny turn' it would pass after 5-10 minutes then I felt ok again.

On this particular day it didn't pass..just got worse and worse eventually got my wife to ring 999 and that's when the 'luck' kicked in. I say luck because I've just watched a program that some of you reading this may have seen last night about an undercover Paramedic who had been secretly filming his experiences of life as an ambulance man during the recent problems with the quite obviously 'broken' National Health Service.

I was 'lucky' that 2 experienced paramedics attended within 10 minutes and diagnosed the heart attack,rushed me to hospital and a cardio team was waiting to fit the stent which ultimately saved my life (paramedic said 30 minutes from a different outcome!)

Having watched the programme last night I feel so sad that other people in similar situations didn't have the 'luck' that I had that day,that the Health Service is so broken in some areas that waiting times for ambulances can be hours not minutes and once there you can be on a trolley in A and E for hours as well until your condition is diagnosed.....

Ultimately it's a tragedy when your life is decided by the roll of a dice by something so daft as 'luck' when the expertise and skill is, and should, and could be there for everybody.

I know I was 'lucky' that day I just hope and pray others are as 'lucky' as I was !!

[Lezzers]

I don't know which part of the country you're in but where I live if it's an emergency situation then the NHS is spot on, I don't think 'luck' comes into it & I think this post is designed just to be scaremongering!! I recently had to call an ambulance for my husband, there was no undue delay in waiting for it. It arrived with 3 paramedics on board who were brilliant in their role of not only looking after my husband but taking myself into consideration. He was bluelighted to hospital & immediately taken to re-suss & after being looked after there for a few hrs he was then taken to the critical care ward. I sat in A&E until I was able to sit with him & I saw no delays or ambulances backed up, new arrivals were triaged very quickly & well looked after including the 'well known habitual' drunk who kept falling over, or falling asleep & toppling into the floor!! Yes, the NHS has got serious problems but in an emergency 'life threatening' situation I believe it cannot be faulted. As I said the NHS is certainly having serious problems but a TV program is looking at audience figures, how it can attract that audience & how to keep that audience interested, it will do hours of filming & then edit that filming until it gets the results it wants!! I personally it's incredibly wrong to scare people in this way!!

[kiwimick in reply to Lezzers]

All I can suggest is you watch the program if you haven't done so already and make up your own mind afterwards. My care was equally excellent and I could not fault it either. I am merely making an observation of how in some areas the care and response is clearly not as it could or indeed should be. No 'scaremongering' intended I can assure you.

[Lezzers in reply to kiwimick]

Then what is the point of your post?? In what way does it support/give advice to group members? How does your comments below help anyone?? What about group members who are vulnerable, those who suffer with anxiety, those with health anxiety?

Ultimately it's a tragedy when your life is decided by the roll of a dice by something so daft as 'luck' when the expertise and skill is, and should, and could be there for everybody.

Like I said a TV program picks & chooses situations that will get viewers attention, an hrs 'selected' viewing is not an accurate representation!! But hey, positive stories don't meet the 'political ' criteria I'm guessing!

My husband's care is ongoing & I can't fault it, the only area where he's been let down is by the GP/surgery!

[Hidden]

Hello

I watched the same program to and it was very much an eye opener and frightened me a little to see just how some parts like you say it can be a roll of the dice

For those of us that get the treatment and a fast response we are lucky I agree x

[Chappychap]

The facts speak for themselves. Here's the NHS data for ambulance wait times. The average wait for the most serious category of call out is up by about 20%.

Furthermore looking at averages obscures the fact that about one in ten calls in this category is now taking twenty minutes or longer, instead of the target response time of seven minutes.

In a situation where every second counts that makes for uncomfortable reading

england.nhs.uk/statistics/s...

[EU95PTM]

I am pleased to learn that you had such wonderful care at such a scary time and that you got treatment so quickly. It is good to hear of such great care in your time of need, Hopefully you are well on the road to recovery.

I know many people on this forum have such glowing reviews of their NHS care but mine was far from it. It was so bad that my case was the subject of an internal investigation where multiple failings were admitted. Add that on top of not being able to get an ambulance despite being classed at Cat 2, you may not be surprised that I have significant psychological trauma as a result (as well as severe heart damage and heart failure). So I know from personal experience that the NHS is not there for everyone in their time of need. I know I am not alone, there are so many people who have similar experiences and some that don’t make it.

I will try and watch the programme you mention, but I think it will be difficult viewing.

[Hoocher]

I also had God or luck on my side the day I had my HA. I recognised the symptoms and luckily living only half a mile from A and E, I got my son to take me there. 5 mins after arrival I have a huge HA (widow Maker type) . I now how lucky I am to still be here and I'm thankful for each and every day