- Joined
- 11 Oct 2012
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This is more fundamental than that.
In the south of England, if I went to emergency, because if my medical history I would only ever be seen by a (full) consultant. Even when I just needed 5 stitches, it was still the consultant that did it.
Go to Crewe (Midlands) between Birmingham and Manchester and the catalogue of mistakes, errors and neglect by more than just 1 health area is astounding. Example. NY husband drove me to emergency because it was quicker than waiting for an ambulance to fall to find our house (ironically easier to find than the one in the south of England, but they managed just fine despite it being rural). We're booked in by a 'receptionist' who keeps telling me to talk louder. I can't, I can barely talk. I'm going dizzy and I'm clearly not 100%. I've told her specifically that the carbon monoxide detector assay home was going off and that I'm not feeling well since then. That even without the severe asthmatic and my addison's disease should have triggered an immediate response to be assessed immediately, period. Instead, after checking I said carbon monoxide detector, she logs it as not feeling well, and doesn't record my asthma or addison's. When I'm called 45 minutes later, i stand up and pass out immediately. I'm in resus when I regain consciousness. I can't talk, I'm slurring my words too badly to be understood and setting alarms off all overt tbe place every time I try to talk, move etc.
That's not the only time. My back when that went was the same health authority. No MRI despite clear need for it, not even an appointment after 5 weeks for something supposedly red flagged for immediate attention, though it had taken us 2 weeks of ordering the doctor to even get that. My right leg totally paralysed and completely numb. Had it actually have been treated immediately I would have stood a significantly very chance of a full recovery. I've made maybe 90% recovery and that still causes problems and I'm left in chronic pain. I knew someone whose wife had exactly the same thing happen to her 2 weeks after me. They lived in our old health authority in the south of England. She was admitted, operated on and in rehab before I'd even had an MRI. She was older than me and nowhere near as fit & healthy. I was simply told I was the wrong age for back problems and to 'get off my ass and stop play acting' by my doctor. As it was to turn out, my spine didn't form correctly in the womb. I have a genetic defect.
At least here in Australia when my neck went, I'd had the MRI and knew what was needed (a life saving op as it was to turn it) inside 1 week. I'd had that operation inside 4 weeks. My doctors choice of consultant (given I trusted her) was the right move. I can't tell I ever had my head taken off and put back on again literally. 2 discs removed & fused and the middle vertebra removed and reconstructed. The only indication of any issues is the scar most people think is for a thyroid issue and tbe very occasional sore neck because I have no natural curve in any part of my spine.
If I had received even an xray in the UK, even the most junior of consultants would have realised that something was wrong big time (not even an MRI, just an xray was all thay was needed). I was lucky with our private health care in the UK (we paid to go to BUPA at 4 weeks) . The MRI I needed happened during the inital consultation. The operation was put in on her next theater day despite her not having any space. The hospital had a bed, that was all she cared about. She just told them to cope.
I still have issues because of both if those experiences. CO poisoning doesn't completely heal. I have to warn people that I'll slur words when I'm tired or heavily medicated in hospital. And I've spent 7 years trying to get out of a wheelchair I should never have needed if that particular health authority had got their act together. I'm out of it for the moment, but even I talk to my physio about some of the symptoms I'm getting, I get that silence. The one I've come to learn means that more is to come. The one that says if these systems escalate, don't wait to talk to me about it tomorrow, get to the hospital immediately. And don't drop/lower your health cover whatsoever. Find ways to meet those other bills... but whatever you do don't reduce your health insurance because he fears I'm going to need it sooner or later. Even this last physio session I could read it in his face thay he wasn't happy with my walking. He knew my 'original' hip is giving me grief and is already affecting my walking unaided. And that doesn't cover the right foot going numb and what's known as foot drop. It comes back overnight, but can take a few days to return to what I'm used to (I still have some paralysis (both feeling and strength are affected) ).
Anyhow, let's ignore that for now.
It's 86°F outside 29°C plus and very humid. A cool shower before evening meal is definitely called for right now.
