Ok so Migraine still there and its now day 4, so had booked myself into the GP. Appointment was for 10.10am.
GP said, Migraine's should not last for 4 days and made a phone call. GP then said take this letter down to the hospital and they will need to run a few tests just to be sure.
I arrived at the hospital at 11am and they booked me in at 11.10am. I was admitted for tests. Being admitted is different to being an outpatient. When you are an outpatient you are free to walk on your own to go to places. When you are admitted you need a porter to wheel you to the room next door! Very irritating as it is my head that is sore not my legs.
At 11.45 I am greeted by Harriet, Harriet is a medical student. very sweet and lovely but not terribly confident. Harriet conducts a very thorough examination. long discussion about my headache and then proceeds to check the rest of my body including my ankles. (are they puffy/swollen have reflexes).
Harriet goes away and I go back to the waiting room, technically I have been admitted to a consulting room, although the reality of this is I have been admitted to a waiting room with trips in and out of the consulting room.
Harriet comes back and takes my blood pressure. I show her which cuff to use and she works out which button to press on the machine (seriously).
I go back to the waiting room and Harriet returns again with the bloods trolley. I have to admit I was nervous (medical student - needle- me) while she is finding something I have a glance at my notes. migraine? virus? cranial hypertension? then something I can't read.
By the time Harriet return's I am too scared to ask. I ask Harriet what the plan is for my tests (I could not read all of that either). Bloods, Urine, ECG, Chest X-ray. I am scared again, I have a headache why do I need an ECG and a Chest X-ray!!! but of course I do not ask, I am also worried that Harriet would not know the answer.
Ok So now its time for Harriet to attempt to take my blood, Harriet puts the tourniquet on my arm. I tell her to put it on tighter. She then starts to try to find my vein. Now I have had a great many blood tests in the past 12 months so know my veins quite well. Harriet cant find a suitable vein in the crook of my arm so then attempts to go for the wrist. I point out to Harriet that only Dr's ever want to go for the wrist, Nurses and phlebotomists always manage to find a vein in my arm. I said to Harriet that if she is confident then to give it a try. Harriet tries and fails. The needle either goes straight through the vein or misses it completely either way, its a lot of pain and no blood.
I then start telling Harriet that its not her its me (yes seriously I did) I said that it is always harder to find a vein on a larger person. Harriet then offer's to find a nurse to try. Nurse comes in gets vein straight away fill's 3 vials job done.
I then go back to the waiting room and wait.
and wait,
I needed a wee, so asked the nurse for a specimen bottle as I know they want a sample later. I am offered a bedpan! I say that at 35 I have a good aim and can manage to pee into a bottle! I fill my sample and there is no nurse to give it too so I put it in my bag!
and I wait.....
and wait.....
I then go for a chest x-ray. I get wheeled to the x-ray room. (which is just up the corridor) wait..In a room that is the brightest room in the world. Bearing in mind that I have a headache which is made worse by the light. I gets so bad I do put my coat over my eye's. I did not care how I looked I needed some relief. I then get my chest x-rayed (bra off how annoying).
afterwards I get wheeled back to the waiting area and wait.......
at 3.50pm the consultant comes to see me..... I get prodded and poked and manipulated and have light's shone in my eyes. He say's I need a head CT, to make sure that I have not had a bleed in the head (I am very scared now) apparently there is a link between PCOS and bleeding in the brain. I did not know this!
At 4pm LSP arrives with a new handbag for me (as a get well treat) and we wait.......
and wait,
and wait,
at 6pm I have my ECG.........8 leads stuck to my chest and body with the stickiest sticky pads in the world I lie down while its done and that feel's good. It feels good to lie down. I chat to the nurse, she is the Nurse who booked me in at 11.10, She remember's me from when I worked on that department as a student 5 years ago. We talk about the department and the teams and the changes.
I give her my wee!
at 7.30pm I have a CT scan....Lying on a table that gets lifted high into the air so my head can get put into the doughnut. I am told to Lie still for 2 minutes. When he said lie still my head wanted to move so much. It took every ounce of me to keep still and breath slowly.
we go back to the waiting area and wait....
and wait....
at 8pm a Dr comes and tells me I have a migraine.
I do not have a virus, or a bleed or a swelling, I have a migraine. I am given some drugs and a prescription and am told to take it easy for a few days and if it has not cleared by the end of the weekend to go back to my GP.
at 8.10 I am discharged!
9 hours
9 hours to be told I have, what I thought I had and finally to be given some pain relief as I was not allowed any while I was in there. 9 hours of sitting under bright lights. (a good way of the NHS to save money would be to turn some of those lights off)
However, I am glad. I am glad that I only have a migraine (as painful as it is) I am glad that the doctors wanted to check that there was nothing more sinister wrong with me. I am glad that the NHS is there, my diagnosis today would have cost hundred's of pounds if I were to pay privately. It may have been quicker but no better.
I now have to put my feet up for a few more day's. Which mean's cancelling my plans for a riotous Saturday!
I will however resume normal blogging, not about silly migraines but about nice bloggy things like knitting and sewing and vintage!
Thank you for reading, happy Thursday everyone!
3 comments:
Yeah, if you're not actually dying it takes a while - one time it took me 4 days to get out of hospital! But it's still better than paying $2000 per day.
Oh Saphy - you poor thing. What a saga! So pleased it is nothing major (although still highly unpleasant for you!) - enjoy your rest and feel better soon xxx
P.S I'd have taken one look at Harriet and her uncertainty and run!
ok, so I wasn't laughing at you- I was just SO laughing with you!
I too have to have many blood tests and have veins (only one arm available to donate {not that I've only GOT one arm, but can only give from one}) that disappear completely or are so shallow they go right through.
I have in the past refused to give blood to a young nurse and asked for someone older, and asked for an anaesthetist!
Blood-letting stories are a horror chapter in my book!
I'm the kindest and most patient person but I now politely refuse to deal with "children", for that is what these poor students are- I know they have to learn technique but after one of them fainted at the 4th attempt I just decided enough was enough.
Get better soon but never EVER lose such a delicious sense of humour
xx
ps was it worth it all for the handbag?
Post a Comment