Emergency assessment unit

Eden 4 hours ago

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So I’ve come on for a bit of a rant. I had my last chemo last Monday and as of Thursday I was spiking a temperature (with an ear thermometer.). I felt generally unwell, achy, tired and a really bad headache. I kept putting off calling the emergency unit as I know the drill when you go in. I kept going until Sunday when my temperature went up to 38.5 so I called the unit. We went through the usual questions and was told to go in but because I had diarrhoea that morning they said I needed to be in a side room. There were none available so I had to go to A&E. What an awful experience. They tried to keep me as isolated as possible then got questioned because their forehead thermometer was coming up with 36.6, my ECG was ok but they insisted I go to the unit. I was sent to an assessment area and put on antibiotics surrounded by very sick people, lots of drunk people being sick right next to me. I was very worried. Then at 2.30 I was asked to go to the unit which I questioned. When I got there I was told the doctor had asked for me to stay in and put in a side room. The doctor came to see me at 4.30 and told me everything was fine (which contradicted the doctor in A&E) and it was all a result of chemo. I had more bloods and was put on fluids and finally left at 8.00. 12 and a half hours later.
Anyone else experience similar? It’s very scary, confusing and not what you need through cancer

moomy 1 hour ago

I had a bit of a scare, not having chemo but on Abemaciclib which still increases chances of infections becoming serious. Had a UTI and completed a 3 day course of antibiotics as usual but then temp started to go up and I didn’t feel so good. Phoned 111, advised (eventually, they don’t phone back quickly in this area, it’s often the full 6 hours that they quote) to go to A&E. Daughter drove me there, and stressed to all we saw that I needed to be away from any possible source of infection and could be at risk of sepsis. They left me sitting on a chair by the door for some hours, happy to do so as we all know that A&E departments are usually full of potential problems.

Eventually taken to the one and only side room, where we sat on hard chairs again. Eventually seen by a doctor who said I’d not be going home till I’d had a different antibiotic I/v. They wheeled in a couch and I persuaded daughter to go home. After several hours they then wheeled in a hospital bed, and I curled up properly and got about an hours sleep, by which time I think it was around 2 or 3 am. Then after 2 doses of the I/V antibiotic they decided I was ok with it, and could go home as temp had come down and stayed down, they sent me home with yet another antibiotic. I’d phoned daughter to collect me, we got home after it was light (it was November)

so yes, a similar fairly rubbish tale to yours; but I guess in the struggling NHS that we know we are in now, that it’s probably the best it can do. I worked in the NHS but retired over 20 years since, I was told in 1975 when I left to have my son (no maternity leave then) that it was in the ‘golden age’ and looking back I think they were right.

Hope you’re ok now and can trust that the hospital will do the best they can with the limited resources they have.

Hugs xxx

Moomy

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