The story continues...
It is now Sunday 29th November and I have just arrived back in hospital after being given a day pass to be at my daughter's wedding. And I was not happy to be back. My one night in my own bed on the Saturday night was bliss and being able to be with T was just wonderful. I'd only been in hospital since Thursday lunchtime until saturday morning but I'd had enough of it so it was with a heavy heart that I arrived back on the ward that Sunday evening.
But I was a frequent flyer in the good ship NHS and they upgraded me to my own side room! Well, upgraded is a bit of a grand title to the fact that they didn't have any other spare beds on the ward that night! Your own room? Some benefits and some downsides. It's good to have your own room at night so your sleep is not disturbed by the snoring from the adjacent bed or the continuous calls of "nurse, nurse" from the forever moaning chap in the corner. Downside though is missing out on the chat and the banter between the fellow patients in your bay. Memo to self - get out of room and go chat to people!!
Soon after we arrived we noticed a small drop of dried blood on the floor near the bed. Now this is not normal on the urology ward as it seems to be being cleaned on a continuous basis. A quick word with Di (one of the nurses that knows me well, and I have to evacuate the room as they organise a "hot clean" of the whole place. They also do a quick check and confirm that the last resident of the side room was not contagious with anything but they seem to be taking no chances.
30 mins later we're back in a room that is now totally spotless!!
I was also now hooked up to a new IV line into my hand and this new course of antibiotics had started. Two lots this sunday evening then four times a day after that for however long they decide. Ah well, time to hunker down to another long hospital stay...
Monday morning came and the standard routine was now established. 5.30 am ake up for the first dose of the day followed by breakfast about an hour later. Doctor's rounds at 8am followed by a wonderful shower and clean sheets on the bed. 8.30 and I'm off on my travels, either into the other bays for a chat or just out for a walk before going back to my room to read the next chapters on my book I'm reading.
12 o'clock and the second dose of the day and lunch an hour later. The food here is... ok but not good. it's hot and varied but it has all the hallmarks of mass produced servings to a budget. Anyway I'm still not eating normally so I feel no guilt when I never seem to be able to finish off what's given to me.
After lunch I always go for another walk, this time usually right off the ward, down the stairs to the second floor, down the long corridors and onto the link bridge that takes me to the old part of the hospital. Down three floors to the ground and then round to the reception area where there is two different coffee shops/cafes and certainly lots of people to watch and be amused by. I do so love people watching :-).
Back to the ward for a bit more reading and normally a mid afternoon doze. The routine was setting in.
It was now Tuesday or was it Wednesday, I didn't know. I didn't have a watch with me but I could guess the time quite accurately by what was happening around me. Had a chat with my consultant on Tuesday and as I left I could hear myself talking to myself saying "I am not bored, I am not bored, I am not bored..." My consultant smiled at my humour but was it really humour or just me going slowly mad by it all?
It was now Wednesday. I knew it because I bought a paper this morning. Full of the usual bad news I soon regretted the expense and picked up my book to continue the story of a riot in an american prison. way to close to life in hospital for my liking, would us patients all soon revolt and end up climbing onto the roof and thowing down slates onto the mass ranks of nurses and consultants below?
Perhaps not. but, you never know...
Then the nice doctors come and visit me on their morning ward round and give me some fantastic news. I CAN GO HOME TODAY!!!!!!!! Yippie!!!!
I call T and give her the good news. She's off in London for a meeting so we arrange for a friend to pick me up at lunchtime so that we can sort out supplies of tablets and the required discharge letter. I'm feeling good!
I get dressed and pack up all my things. I know it's only 10.30 am but I'm keen to get out of there! I love my medical team but I do hate being stuck in hospital, especially as I was now feeling a lot better.
My supply of drugs to take home arrive within 30 minutes - bit of a record but the team is working hard for me. Discharge letter is handed over and I'm ready to fly, just need to wait for my lift now.
Then it happens. Disaster.
Nice doctor Will comes into my room to find me sitting i my chair reading my book as I await escape and he says "Sorry Andrew but I've got some bad news" I just stare at him, what could it be?
"The microbiology team have been discussing you and they've changed they recommendation. They want you to stay in hospital and complete full week of IV antibiotics before you go home" Noooooooooooooooooooooo :-(
I stutter "Are they sure?" Stupid question on reflection!
"In the end it's up to you" Will confirms. He obviously hates giving bad news so has to temper it. "What does Mr Haldar (my consultant) recommend?" I ask. "Not sure" Will replies "I'll get Paul (senior reg) to ask him".
And so he goes off to get a recommendation from my consultant. A bit of a pointless mission I know. My consultant is a wise man and if the microbiology team are recommending that I stay in the complete a course of antibiotics to ensure that the bug is killed off I know what his advice will be. I'm staying in folks. Bum, bum and double bum. To say I was crestfallen would be a massive understatement. From the high of thinking I'm going home to the news that I wasn't was a big downer. I was gutted, sad, peed off, etc etc etc.
I phoned T and she also went from being happy to sad in a microsecond. I was so looking forward to going home and now my parole had been cancelled. Perhaps I should start the riot and climb onto the roof after all....
And so the routine started again and I continued my drift into zombie status. It was not fair. :-(
And my IV lines kept on falling out or getting infected so every day seemed to include the task of finding a new vein to attack. I was not a happy camper.
The days passed. The days dragged. The days were all the same. The worse part was that I felt well. I don't mind being in hospital when I feel ill but I felt good. I was now eating almost normally. I was feeling, physically, really good. But my mental state was taking a battering. I was bored and fed up.
Working out the days I had calculated that the IV antibiotic course should finish with a dose at midday on Sunday 6th November. Bad timing as we were supposed to be going to a dinner dance on the Saturday night. The first proper Christmas event of the season, out with a whole load of friends for food, drink and dancing. Was there anyway I could get a pass out i wondered?
So I had a chat with the team on the Friday morning. Could I get out for the Saturday night? I promise I will come back by midnight so that I can have my next appointed dose of antibiotics...
The team chat amongst themselves for what seems like hours but was only about two minutes. Doctor Paul turns to me and says "Well I think that we should be able to let you go on Saturday night after your 6pm dose and probably not need you back in. Would that be helpful?" Well, yes!!!
But I'm not counting my chickens. I've been here before so I decide to wait for it to be confirmed in triplicate before I dare break into a smile. Half an hour later I get visited by a nurse who says "I hear you're going home on saturday evening". First confirmation received, tick in box one.
Afternoon staff come on duty, nurse chats to me after their handover and we get tick in the box number two.
Ward Sister, big boss lady chats to me late afternoon and we get box three ticked. Looks like I have an escape plan in place and it's signed up to be all parties. Yippie!
I give T the good news but I'm still not totally convinced that I'm actually going to get out on Saturday evening and not have to come back to ride out until sunday lunchtime. Fingers crossed but I dare not get too excited in case it all goes wrong again.
Saturday evening approaches and I pack up my stuff. T arrives with the balance of my DJ for the night out. Last dose had been pumped into the arm and the needle removed. Looking good...
6.45pm we leave. 6.50pm I'm in the car. 6.52 we exit the hospital grounds. Now I believe it!!!! I'm free!!!! me a happy bunny :-)
More later folks
Andrew xx
