Hi All,
Yes, they kept me in… after being told to come in I had a quick shower and my temperature went up to 38.0 by the time the nurse took my temperature it was 39.0 – examined by a Doctor who admitted me.
The Doctor came to see me in the room and said that my Neutrofils were fine, as were my white cells, so he wasn't inclined to give me anti-biotics in the first instance but he was going to give me blood – one bag that night, one the next morning and blood was taken for cross-match. No blood that evening but I was given anti-biotics… the duty nurse told me that the Registrar had over-ruled my Doctor.
No blood that night, so 2 bags in the morning… but I did start the anti-biotics.
Come the morning… no blood until after the ward rounds… the ward rounds were done by my Prof. He said my HB was 9.0, so they were holding off on the blood. He then said that if my temperature stayed normal for 24 hours (I had awoken to 37.01) then I could go home… and enjoy my holiday.
At midnight a phlebotomist turned up at my bedside to take blood. I said, between big yawns, (while she made two unsuccessful attempts at finding a productive vein) that it was a funny time to be taking blood and she said they needed it for a cross-match for a blood-transfusion. (the second cross-match, as the first had clashed with previous records of blood given last year). I said' Whoa! I'm not having a blood transfusion and related the decision made earlier that day.
She went off to check with the main desk and returned with my duty Nurse. My duty Nurse told me that I was having blood in the morning… that the Prof. had based his decision on my first blood results taken on admittance but when he saw the morning blood results (8.3 – that returned while he was on his rounds) he decided on 2 pints of Gold Top blood to boost me for my holidays. I said that was nice of him but I was very unhappy that no one had bothered to tell me!:-S
Anyway, I started my 2 pints @ 3 hours per bag at 11:30 after securing my release immediately after from the visiting Doctor and asked the nurse to check with pharmacy to make sure my anti-biotics were delivered to the ward before I left (Circa 5pm) – the pharmacist popped into my room at 2pm to say they were on the ward… so that was a potentially long wait avoided. I finished my last bag at 5:40pm and was off the ward at 5:55pm… and on my way home.:-D
I feel tired now and aching from a hospital bed that only had the head raiser working. I await the morning for the benefit of the new blood to start working… otherwise it is very nice to be home and free to start packing for my holiday.8-)
Dai.
BTW – After being admitted I then spent another 2 hours in the small (uncomfortable) waiting room, while the ward Sister argued with the records office about my identity – apparently the woman on duty in the records office had me down as David Crowther, with a different address… so it couldn't be me… it was the only Crowther on record (according to her) So I couldn't be admitted as a current patient????
The ward Sister knew this was wrong because I had been admitted to the ward on four occasions, including my SCT, so I was known to three of the staff on duty. I asked what the address given to the David Crowther and the Sister (as frustrated as me) told me… it was my address from when I taught in Nottingham… in 1987 – and seen at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham… where the central records are kept… for a twisted ankle. It was my only visit to hospital in four years in the area. (I left the area in 88). I gave my name as Dai Crowther but the A&E Nurse changed it to David after remarking on my 'strange' name. Since my initial diagnosis in 2008 I have been registered under my full birth certificate name of Thomas David Crowther. The Sister handed me the phone to exxplain to the records office clerk and I explained. This seemed to placate the records office clerk so I was allowed to be admitted… the Sister was determine to sort the problem out in the morning. My whole stay continued in the same vein. :-0
mhnevill 13 years, 2 months ago.
