Tuesday 12 November 2013

Ticking away ~ Day 1112 ... a third stay in hospital.

As some of you will already know I had a third stay in hospital over the weekend.

I'd gone to bed on Thursday evening having spent an enjoyable evening with my daughter and Gary watching World War Z. By midnight it was noticeable that there were some spots/blotches around the top of my fat right leg ... and by very early morning they were worse and I was feeling less than 100%.

Calls were made to a certain telephone number where we had to quote my reference which relates to me and which avoids calling 111 etc. By 7am [it may have been earlier] I knew I was going to be taken to hospital with cellulitis again. I believe the prophylatic antibiotics I've taken for the last few months saved me from being as poorly though. I had a temperature though it wasn't so bad as the second trip to hospital in June and although I was sick in a convenient bedside bucket it was only fairly minor.

I wasn't a bundle of fun in the ambulance though. I just wasn't interested.

I wound up in a new department in hospital, Ambulatory Care, part of the CDU [Clinical Decisions Unit] and they kept me in a bed on Friday evening on the antibiotics I was on before during my second stay.

I had thought that surely on my third visit to hospital it couldn't be as eventful as the other two ... but it was ... with all sorts of men being walked in by the police and ambulance men and women. This included one young man who had taken an overdose of paracetamol [which could have done a lot of damage to his liver apparently] and an older man who was apparently drunk [he didn't sound or seem it] who had fallen down some steps and been brought in by the police into the bed next to me ... in the middle of the night. He was chatty ... with himself ... the lights were out ... everyone else [pretending to be] asleep. He kept saying "I think I might leg it ..." Next morning I learnt that he had, in fact, "legged it" preferring to walk to Alfreton 7 or 8 miles away rather than stay in a warm bed for the night.

Then on Saturday evening I was told I could go home provided I came back every day for an intravenous antibiotic injection. So on Sunday, Monday and today I've travelled the 11 miles to hospital for the fitting of a canulla, then an intravenous injection before the canulla is removed. It beats staying in hospital though it has to be said my forearms are rather more bruised than normal.

By this coming Friday I may well be clear to revert to prophylatic antibiotics. We'll see. Life is certainly far from dull at present ... and I still feel ok, that is the amazing thing.

20 comments:

  1. You have had a rough time Charlie,good to have you back,It must be a relief for you been able to bypass the 111 number,as some people have a long wait.It sounds as if you had a interesting night in hospital,I'm sure you hoped he would leg it too,lets hope the young man is ok he must have had some reason for taking the pills.best wishes Ann

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    1. Thank you Ann. The young man who took too many paracetamol was actually quite a nice lad and like you I hope he will be ok.

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  2. Did the ambulance have its emergency sirens on? They scare me to death when the ambulance suddenly turns them on in my right ear-hole. I always think they must be pretty scarey for the prople inside as well! So cacophanous!

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    1. No, the ambulance didn't have its siren on. It was a rather sedate journey with the crew actually asking me for the best route out of the valley !

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  3. Well, if nothing at all.. It seemed to be an interesting evening laying there listening to a very drunk man.. LOL.. but, am so glad your home. Even if you have to drive back and forth.. good to always be able to be home for your own bed..

    Take Care Charlie.... Your The Best.....

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    1. Thank you for your kind words Barbara. I've had five trips for further injections now ~ the doctor is going to see if I need any more after tomorrow.

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  4. Glad you're not feeling too bad with all this, Charlie. I think I might have gone for staying in hospital; I rather enjoyed it and your ward sounds like fun.

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    1. Like you I was torn between staying and going ... but the prospect of being in my own bed won !

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  5. Actually YOU are the amazing thing. But I am happy you are still feeling OK.

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    1. Thank you Karyn ... I have just been told that once I've finished the current run of antibiotics I could have a glass of wine ... or beer !

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    2. Only one glass? That seems cruel, especially if you are going off to bed anyhow.

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  6. Glad to know you are doing good, driving could be tiring but sleeping in it's own bed is more restful. Take good care of yourself, Hugs.

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    1. Thank you Diane. Fortunately two good people have driven me back and forth ...

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  7. Thank you for keeping us up to date, Charlie. I hope that this finds you feeling better ...

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    1. Thank you Pet ~ at present I am feeling well.

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  8. It certainly sounds like it was an 'eventful' night, to say the least!! Glad to hear it wasn't anything too major and that you could return home relatively quickly. Take care...and keep on keepin' on!!

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    1. There was more that I could have told you Mitch ... but I stuck to the highlights !

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  9. Good luck with all this, Charlie. You seem to keep your sense of humour, and tell a lively tale!

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