I have just been sent home from critical care with no advice !

[mogworth]

On Monday I phoned 111 and after explaining to them that my heart rate was a 133bpm and I was very breathless they sent a 999 ambulance which took me to hospital to access my situation, after about 3 hours they decided I was to be sent home In a taxi at 6am on a really cold morning which took my breath away, anyway managed to get into the house sat down all day as I felt so unwell neighbour called in to make tea and bought me fish and chips lovely people but could not eat as I was to breathless. By 745pm I was really struggling now , so rang 999 ambulance they came took me to hospital and I collapsed in the ambulance. I did not know how bad i was I ended up in critical care incubated. I woke up with a tube down my throat and just collapsed back to unconcisness for 24 hours after I had asked them to use high flow on me instead of a full face mask as I am so clostrophobic, thank fully they obliged and I got rid of the co2i was holding on to and have started to feel a lot better. Brilliant care and nursing could not question its the best! but instead of being moved to a pulmonary ward to recover and get back to normal they sent me home, as i really did not want to contract any chest infections or nasties to end up being there for weeks as I have not had any infections since august. Once I was home it was very difficult as i had to do every thing myself there is just no readjustment support from any one and when you lie on your own its a bit scary I don't know if anybody else has been in this situation and what they did about it Thank you for reading this Best Wishes to all Mogworth Ps sorry for any spelling mistakes

[fastball]

Hope you are feel a bit better soon . Sorry to hear about your struggles. Can you not ask social serices for help or is it the council, i'M not sure. When I was in hospital they asked me if I had help at home and was not on my own. I thought that was the norm. I would make a complaint using the PAL system . Sorry not much help but others will be.

Sending hugs XXX

Chris

[mogworth in reply to fastball]

Thank you fastball, but was taken home at half past four on a Friday afternoon were I suppose the weeks winding down for the weekend. I hope by monday I shall be back on track and just trying to get on with things as you do. Have a great weekend yourself Best Wishes Mogworth

[butter-fly]

That sounds like a pretty scary situation to be put in Mogworth. I'm surprised the ward social worker hadn't been made aware of your situation and put some plans into action for you. This was the sort of thing we'd been reading about in the newspapers not so long ago. As older people don't like to complain or are too afraid to in case it reflects on their future care they stay quiet and suffer.

A bad show all round! So sorry you got caught up in it.

[mogworth]

Yes us olds (the old school just grin and bear it) but on the other hand I have tried to get back to normal as soon as I can. Thank you for your concerns this site is so refreshing Best wishes to you butter fly, Mogworth

[sassy59]

Not nice for you Mogworth but there should be some help put in place like a nurse coming round to see you. Do get in touch with your doctor's surgery and see if they have someone who could visit. You do need help and should not have to suffer alone. Good luck to you. xxxx

[mogworth]

Thank you for your care and considerations but you know us Brits. We put up and shut up and just get on and i must be honest I'm moving along at a good pace, because there is no one else around who can help at the moment, but to know all you guys are there does somehow make a difference! Best Wishes to you Sassy59

[punkyb]

That sounds so scary. I assume it is what is called an exacerbation? You are in my thoughts and I hope you don't have to repeat that sort of ordeal again in the future. I know the medical system truly fails at explanations tat is not a great thing..dang....

[mogworth in reply to punkyb]

Yes they put it down to an exacerbation, because they do not know why I retain my co2, there I no chest infection , and the only symptoms was that I could not breathe steadily in or out, I usually have a severe headache and slight blueing of the lips. But I have been sorted out and do feel a lot better. Thank you for being so kind, its much appreciated Best Wishes to you punkyb Mogworth

[Lyn45]

Hi I haven't had this happen to me but I just wanted to say I do hope your feeling better now, I do have breathing problems, having said that my last attack, I had heart problem then my heart rate was about 125 128 I don't know why, anyway I do hope you are a little better and carry on that way.

[mogworth in reply to Lyn45]

Oh yes Lyn45,I do feel so much better I don't think I could have felt any worse, so lets hope that's out of the way and I can now get on with really getting better Best Wishes to you Mogworth

[bulpit]

Morning Mogworth, You must be almost out of your mind with worry,It's bad enough when there are two of you. But to be on your own must be a nightmare, I cannot imagine how you cope without assistance, So glad you managed to avoid the Pap Mask, it's an unpleasant procedure, Do hope things get better, My thoughts are with you, Regards Bulpit.

[mogworth in reply to bulpit]

Yes I am so glad there is an alternative to the pap mask, a great nurse said to me to try fast flow instead and I now immediately ask for that option apparently it does not work for all but I am lucky so far it has worked for me twice now, it sits just under your nose, so that you can still speak and eat as normal, the air they put through the fast flow is warmed so it does feel different to normal oxygen, but I am so chlostrophobic it makes it bearable. I am going to ring G.P. on Monday to see if there is any help out there for a couple of days. Thank you for your concern and Best Wishes to you, Mogworth

[Colours23]

This situation is awful, that's what we need to change,not going to hospital,enough support in the comunity. I am on my own,it's hard,I have no back up meds,the last place you want to be in in hospital.or trolley,in a draft. I am holding out,my inhalors run out ,I've got to gent to the chemist somehow to get them.so I'm stuck at the moment

[mogworth in reply to Colours23]

Thank you for your response colours23, you could ask your chemist if they deliver as most of the chemists in u k should offer this free of charge, if I order my meds through the chemist they arrive at my house the next day (not week ends though ) Best Wishes to you Mogworth

[katieoxo60]

Hello Mogworth, hope you are feeling a little better today, sadly your experience of discharge from hospital is very much the norm these days. I live alone and recently when I had an operation I was sent home with infection and no help to spite not being able to lift for twelve weeks and I am registered with social services and the hospital as disabled. I even had to supply a taxi myself and walk to the pick up point to get it while still recovering from surgery and general anaesthetic. And to add insult to injury I had to take a discharge letter to my GP a walk of some half an hour away. In your case you can ask social services to do an assessment of need but if it is a medical need they will say it is upto the hospital to provide. As in six weeks following hospital admission. Yes you are right some of us older ones do soldier on, but that is not the answer is it ?? We need facilities in the community to keep us out of hospital or to care for us when we have been in hospital which at present don't exist . Best wishes for a speedy recoveryxx

[mogworth in reply to katieoxo60]

I am so sorry to hear of your experience from coming home from hospital Katieoxo60, Its a great shame there is not even a phone line that you can ring just to talk to someone would be great, just to feel like you are not all alone in this big world. Its easy for people who do have a bit of support but when you are on your own it is scary. Best Wishes to you Mogworth