Following on from the events of the last post, I had another fall on Friday evening, against the shower door. This time, the call to the careline service resulted in an ambulance service being called. (2 ambulances and at least one paramedic led to the decision to take me to the local district general hospital where I had 4 or 5 x-rays of my left shoulder which was well swollen and bruised.
No bony injury (tough old bird), so off to the ward where an army of doctors attempted to draw blood, with eventual success, apart from the fact that another consultant would want a different test, so more stabs. Nice staff.
My only complaint is that it was a medical admission unit, and so patients are expected to be there for no more than 24 hours. For this reason, staff are (quite rightly) reluctant to hand out extra linen unnecessarily - especially after the patient has "wasted" a blanket by spilling rather a large quantity of blood on one. On the second night (yes, second night) a wonderful staff nurse wrapped me up in a cocoon of a second blanket and, at last, I got warm.
Home Sunday afternoon, but discovered, to my horror, dear readers that I could not get on line.
Eventually realised that Tesco had cut me off because I am migrating to BT Internet.
In fact I am now set up.
Last day at Day Hospital.
Home, and all is well.
Showing posts with label Day Hospital. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Day Hospital. Show all posts
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
Day Hospital - and more
Yesterday Day Hospital day came round again. The gaps between visits seem long now that I go only once a week.
Off we went in quite a rush. Sat down, jacket taken away to be hung up and tea and biscuit arrived. As I was at the beginning of the row I got a choice of Rich Tea, digestive of Chocolate Chip biscuits.
Of course I chose the chocolate chip one.
It is the small pleasures of life that can mean so much.......
Immediately I had finished the physiotherapist arrived and took me through to the gym. I walked without my stick and she walked behind me and watched. When we got to the gym she said that we would have to do some work on my walking as my gait is poor. The best way to describe it is to say that it is rather like skaters who move the right leg ahead and to the right then the left leg ahead and to the left. Not a pretty sight when you walk.
Then it was off to the exercises doing ever more each week and always introducing something new. The session yesterday was 2 hours long - a lot of hard work.
Then back to have lunch; green pea soup then chocolate pudding and vanilla sauce. Now I had tried the pudding on its own before and found it rather dry so I ordered the vanilla sauce with some dubiety and my fears were correct. The vanilla sauce was just custard (from custard powder) with some vanilla flavouring added. Revolting.
Immediately after lunch I was grabbed by the occupational therapist to join a group. We started playing a memory game where cards with pictures on them are laid face down on the table and you pick up 2 cards, turn them over and see if they are a "pair", if not you turn them back face down and return them to their original position.
This proceeds with everyone taking two cards in turn.
It is very difficult to find a pair at the beginning as you keep turning up a new picture, but as the game proceeds it becomes easier.
In the end I won with 6 pairs and the next lady came second with 5 pairs so it was a close run thing.
We had our tea and cake (baked by the men this week) and a crumpet with butter, then I mentioned that the game had reminded me of Pelmanism, where you put a number of different items on a tray, give everyone a certain time to look at them then cover them with a cloth and the players all have to write down as many items as they can remember. This game can be made as hard or as easy as you like depending on the number of items and the time allowed to see them.
Then finally we played a card game called Sevens just to fill in time till the afternoon was finished.
Back to my seat. You may remember that last week I said I thought I had made a bit of a hit with one of the gentlemen.
Well, this week I was very disappointed not to see him; I looked among the men in the morning, at lunch time and in the afternoon, but he was not there.
Perhaps he had finished coming on a Tuesday?
Just at that point who should come over but my new friend to say he had been looking for me too but had been whisked away to different departments all day. This is starting to look promising. It may surprise you, but in such matters I am usually very shy but here I am determined not to be. He seems like a nice man and I would like the opportunity to get to know him a bit better. No, don't be silly folks, I am not thinking wedding bells and white dresses(don't be seriously silly!), but it would be really good to have a friend to accompany me to go places - even just for lunch at Dobbies or, better still, dinner somewhere...............
Anyway, this time for the first time in my life really, I am going to do the gentle pursuing.
Keep your fingers crossed for me.
Not sure that the Day Hospital was supposed to be a dating agency.
Off we went in quite a rush. Sat down, jacket taken away to be hung up and tea and biscuit arrived. As I was at the beginning of the row I got a choice of Rich Tea, digestive of Chocolate Chip biscuits.
Of course I chose the chocolate chip one.
It is the small pleasures of life that can mean so much.......
Immediately I had finished the physiotherapist arrived and took me through to the gym. I walked without my stick and she walked behind me and watched. When we got to the gym she said that we would have to do some work on my walking as my gait is poor. The best way to describe it is to say that it is rather like skaters who move the right leg ahead and to the right then the left leg ahead and to the left. Not a pretty sight when you walk.
Then it was off to the exercises doing ever more each week and always introducing something new. The session yesterday was 2 hours long - a lot of hard work.
Then back to have lunch; green pea soup then chocolate pudding and vanilla sauce. Now I had tried the pudding on its own before and found it rather dry so I ordered the vanilla sauce with some dubiety and my fears were correct. The vanilla sauce was just custard (from custard powder) with some vanilla flavouring added. Revolting.
Immediately after lunch I was grabbed by the occupational therapist to join a group. We started playing a memory game where cards with pictures on them are laid face down on the table and you pick up 2 cards, turn them over and see if they are a "pair", if not you turn them back face down and return them to their original position.
This proceeds with everyone taking two cards in turn.
It is very difficult to find a pair at the beginning as you keep turning up a new picture, but as the game proceeds it becomes easier.
In the end I won with 6 pairs and the next lady came second with 5 pairs so it was a close run thing.
We had our tea and cake (baked by the men this week) and a crumpet with butter, then I mentioned that the game had reminded me of Pelmanism, where you put a number of different items on a tray, give everyone a certain time to look at them then cover them with a cloth and the players all have to write down as many items as they can remember. This game can be made as hard or as easy as you like depending on the number of items and the time allowed to see them.
Then finally we played a card game called Sevens just to fill in time till the afternoon was finished.
Back to my seat. You may remember that last week I said I thought I had made a bit of a hit with one of the gentlemen.
Well, this week I was very disappointed not to see him; I looked among the men in the morning, at lunch time and in the afternoon, but he was not there.
Perhaps he had finished coming on a Tuesday?
Just at that point who should come over but my new friend to say he had been looking for me too but had been whisked away to different departments all day. This is starting to look promising. It may surprise you, but in such matters I am usually very shy but here I am determined not to be. He seems like a nice man and I would like the opportunity to get to know him a bit better. No, don't be silly folks, I am not thinking wedding bells and white dresses(don't be seriously silly!), but it would be really good to have a friend to accompany me to go places - even just for lunch at Dobbies or, better still, dinner somewhere...............
Anyway, this time for the first time in my life really, I am going to do the gentle pursuing.
Keep your fingers crossed for me.
Not sure that the Day Hospital was supposed to be a dating agency.
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Busy Day at the Day Hospital
No sooner had I sat down than I got a cheery wave from one of the gentlemen on the other side of the room. Of course I went over to him and said that he would get everyone talking.
Needless to say, I am happy to encourage this. What a minx I am.
Almost as soon as I arrived and had a cup of tea and a biccie, I was grabbed by the Occupational Therapists.
3 OTs and 4 of us then set about making two sponge cakes. Not quite my way as they used margarine instead of butter and liquid eggs.
Liquid eggs? wtf??*
* = what on earth.
While we were taking it in turns to beat and beat (the marg was rather cold), one of the OTs made drop scones, or griddle scones (or pancakes, as they are known in Scotland). We had to leave for lunch at that point, in every expectation of being served iced cakes or pancakes at teatime.
However, after lunch, there arrived on the ward a slip asking me to go for a repeat x-ray, having had one before when I was admitted and proved to have a nasty chest infection.
The waiting time in radiology was posted as 50 minutes, and afterwards it was almost another 50 minutes for someone to come from the Day Hospital to collect me.
To add insult to injury, not only did I miss my cake I also missed my cup of tea.
I thought I had also managed to escape physiotherapy, but no such luck. Still, at least, after a bit of a moan, I did get a cup of tea and a piece of our cake.
Waiting to get into the ambulance for our lift home it was starting to sleet, so I have put the central heating on.
The veg box was the usual potatoes, carrots, onions, 1 beetroot, leeks, savoy cabbage and cauliflower. At the same time I had delivered an organic boiling fowl from the next door farm (straight to the freezer) and a beautiful chicken destined to be roasted tomorrow.
Needless to say, I am happy to encourage this. What a minx I am.
Almost as soon as I arrived and had a cup of tea and a biccie, I was grabbed by the Occupational Therapists.
3 OTs and 4 of us then set about making two sponge cakes. Not quite my way as they used margarine instead of butter and liquid eggs.
Liquid eggs? wtf??*
* = what on earth.
While we were taking it in turns to beat and beat (the marg was rather cold), one of the OTs made drop scones, or griddle scones (or pancakes, as they are known in Scotland). We had to leave for lunch at that point, in every expectation of being served iced cakes or pancakes at teatime.
However, after lunch, there arrived on the ward a slip asking me to go for a repeat x-ray, having had one before when I was admitted and proved to have a nasty chest infection.
The waiting time in radiology was posted as 50 minutes, and afterwards it was almost another 50 minutes for someone to come from the Day Hospital to collect me.
To add insult to injury, not only did I miss my cake I also missed my cup of tea.
I thought I had also managed to escape physiotherapy, but no such luck. Still, at least, after a bit of a moan, I did get a cup of tea and a piece of our cake.
Waiting to get into the ambulance for our lift home it was starting to sleet, so I have put the central heating on.
The veg box was the usual potatoes, carrots, onions, 1 beetroot, leeks, savoy cabbage and cauliflower. At the same time I had delivered an organic boiling fowl from the next door farm (straight to the freezer) and a beautiful chicken destined to be roasted tomorrow.
Thursday, 12 March 2009
Computer Desk, Day Hospital
After TBSITW left me yesterday, I cleared most of my desk and the top of the filing cabinet.
The printer went first, then a small nest of shallow drawers, then a 3 tier set of filing trays.
This is all because the charity is coming tomorrow to collect a chest of drawers and the computer desk.
After I finish posting this, the laptop and modem follow and I shall be off-line for a bit - not too long, I hope as I have plans on how to set up a temporary home for them.
Today, back to the Day Hospital. The physiotherapist really put me through my paces and my quads were somewhat sore from yesterday. My balance is improving.
After that we were invited in to the occupational therapy room for tea and chocolate cake. I also collected my VERY OWN bookmark (shades of being a schoolchild again!)
We got another slice to take home.
The printer went first, then a small nest of shallow drawers, then a 3 tier set of filing trays.
This is all because the charity is coming tomorrow to collect a chest of drawers and the computer desk.
After I finish posting this, the laptop and modem follow and I shall be off-line for a bit - not too long, I hope as I have plans on how to set up a temporary home for them.
Today, back to the Day Hospital. The physiotherapist really put me through my paces and my quads were somewhat sore from yesterday. My balance is improving.
After that we were invited in to the occupational therapy room for tea and chocolate cake. I also collected my VERY OWN bookmark (shades of being a schoolchild again!)
We got another slice to take home.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Day Hospital
Today was another day at the Day Hospital.
The ambulance usually arrives between 9.15 and 9.3o but today they did not arrive until 10 o'clock. I was becoming increasingly anxious because it was so late. However it was a different crew today and they did not seem to think that there was anything amiss. (and there was I wondering if I should order a taxi!)
My usual physiotherapist lives on a farm and she was off today to help her parents with lambing so saw the senior physiotherapist. She put me through quite a lot, but what was particularly interesting was that two junior doctors came to see the department and I learned things like that it was a 12 week programme offered there.
In the afternoon it was Occupational Therapy and I managed to direct things to get what I wanted. I had noticed that one of the craft things people made was a bookmark, so I said I could really do with another bookmark. Some made bookmarks, some made other things but basically we all coloured in rather pretty outlines. I did not make a good job of mine, but pretty good considering the hand tremor. The picture is of flowers and leaves on a series of stems. The next time I go, it will be laminated.
Talking about directing things, I was reminded of my Midwifery finals orals. I was asked what was the sub parietal/supraparietal diameter. I was holding a model of a foetal skull, and felt the bi-parietal diameters, and then found that to get the sub parietal/supraparietal diameters I had to rock the skull. I then concluded that the rocking motion confirmed that it would be important when the head descended through the pelvis by asynclynticism(rocking). This is where a baby gets through the pelvis when the head is just too large and it rocks its way down. The only conclusion I could reach was that it was less than 9.5cm (the bi-parietal diameter).. The consultant kept trying to press me to give an accurate figure, but I would say only that it had to be less than 9.5cm.
Later on I was asked about different maternal urine tests and I kept trying to emphasise the one I knew more about than the others. The consultant was rather amused by this, but the senior midwife was po-faced - as so many were... Ah, memories
The occupational therapist and I had a good discussion about books we had read, we had many in common.
The ambulance usually arrives between 9.15 and 9.3o but today they did not arrive until 10 o'clock. I was becoming increasingly anxious because it was so late. However it was a different crew today and they did not seem to think that there was anything amiss. (and there was I wondering if I should order a taxi!)
My usual physiotherapist lives on a farm and she was off today to help her parents with lambing so saw the senior physiotherapist. She put me through quite a lot, but what was particularly interesting was that two junior doctors came to see the department and I learned things like that it was a 12 week programme offered there.
In the afternoon it was Occupational Therapy and I managed to direct things to get what I wanted. I had noticed that one of the craft things people made was a bookmark, so I said I could really do with another bookmark. Some made bookmarks, some made other things but basically we all coloured in rather pretty outlines. I did not make a good job of mine, but pretty good considering the hand tremor. The picture is of flowers and leaves on a series of stems. The next time I go, it will be laminated.
Talking about directing things, I was reminded of my Midwifery finals orals. I was asked what was the sub parietal/supraparietal diameter. I was holding a model of a foetal skull, and felt the bi-parietal diameters, and then found that to get the sub parietal/supraparietal diameters I had to rock the skull. I then concluded that the rocking motion confirmed that it would be important when the head descended through the pelvis by asynclynticism(rocking). This is where a baby gets through the pelvis when the head is just too large and it rocks its way down. The only conclusion I could reach was that it was less than 9.5cm (the bi-parietal diameter).. The consultant kept trying to press me to give an accurate figure, but I would say only that it had to be less than 9.5cm.
Later on I was asked about different maternal urine tests and I kept trying to emphasise the one I knew more about than the others. The consultant was rather amused by this, but the senior midwife was po-faced - as so many were... Ah, memories
The occupational therapist and I had a good discussion about books we had read, we had many in common.
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Re-approaching Normality
Yesterday was another day at the Day Hospital. I always offer my neighbour my pen to fill in her menu (she still does not have one!) Virtue brings its own reward as she encouraged me somewhat forcefully to get up and go over to the the table for lunch. There were 3 tables for ladies and 3 for men.
At the last moment, one poor lady came up, but there were no seats left at the ladies' tables, so she had to sit with the men.
I knew there were a lot of people there but had not realised that possible consequence.
It must have been a bit boring for her as 'men talk' as different from 'women talk'.
I had a good going over with the physiotherapist, working not only on building up muscle strength, but also balance. She has a special balance mat, about 3 foot by 2 foot 6inches and 4 inches deep.
These measurements are guesstimates, you understand.
I call it an instrument of torture as I find it very difficult to balance on it. Good for me.
This morning the doctor's surgery called to ask me to come in on Monday for a blood test and a blood pressure check (there you are, they do read the discharge letter!)
With my appetite coming back, I fancied some potted haugh (don't ask) and phoned the butcher to ask if he had any in. Yes.
I then phoned the taxi firm to ask if I could have a taxi to the bottom of the High Street, to wait while I went to the butcher and to bring me home.
Yes.
So, I did it, although the short walk to the butcher was very hard and I was afraid of falling.
We won't mention the fact that the taxi cost more than the meat!
Can't wait to get an electric scooter.
At the last moment, one poor lady came up, but there were no seats left at the ladies' tables, so she had to sit with the men.
I knew there were a lot of people there but had not realised that possible consequence.
It must have been a bit boring for her as 'men talk' as different from 'women talk'.
I had a good going over with the physiotherapist, working not only on building up muscle strength, but also balance. She has a special balance mat, about 3 foot by 2 foot 6inches and 4 inches deep.
These measurements are guesstimates, you understand.
I call it an instrument of torture as I find it very difficult to balance on it. Good for me.
This morning the doctor's surgery called to ask me to come in on Monday for a blood test and a blood pressure check (there you are, they do read the discharge letter!)
With my appetite coming back, I fancied some potted haugh (don't ask) and phoned the butcher to ask if he had any in. Yes.
I then phoned the taxi firm to ask if I could have a taxi to the bottom of the High Street, to wait while I went to the butcher and to bring me home.
Yes.
So, I did it, although the short walk to the butcher was very hard and I was afraid of falling.
We won't mention the fact that the taxi cost more than the meat!
Can't wait to get an electric scooter.
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
The Interregnum
On Monday, I was at the bridge club, when our chairman looked across and noticed I looked unwell. She got one of the gentlemen to drive me home. Very shortly afterwards, our House Manager took one look at me and said "you're getting an ambulance now. And so I was transferred to the District General Hospital.
I remember very little about the next 24 hours....
However, here am at home again large as life and twice as ugly.
I was told that, once again I was a bit dehydrated and must drink plenty. Interestingly, I always used to drink sparkling water, but gave that up some time ago as tap water was "perfectly good" Without realising it, I had come to dislike the taste of our local tap water, whereas that at elder son's is delicious and TBSITW has one of these American fridges so gets filtered chilled water, and ice "on tap" as it were. the lab always comes running when he hears the ice machine.
So today I am going out for lunch with a very good friend and tomorrow it is back to the Day Hospital.
I remember very little about the next 24 hours....
However, here am at home again large as life and twice as ugly.
I was told that, once again I was a bit dehydrated and must drink plenty. Interestingly, I always used to drink sparkling water, but gave that up some time ago as tap water was "perfectly good" Without realising it, I had come to dislike the taste of our local tap water, whereas that at elder son's is delicious and TBSITW has one of these American fridges so gets filtered chilled water, and ice "on tap" as it were. the lab always comes running when he hears the ice machine.
So today I am going out for lunch with a very good friend and tomorrow it is back to the Day Hospital.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
