Celebrating Care

One of our local supporters Denis wanted to share with us his celebration of Care titled Tales of The Unexpected.

Denis started his day on the 2^nd February 2017 as though it was any normal Thursday, an ordinary day, it was however, going to prove to be anything but!

Denis had spent the morning tidying the house, he then jumped in the car and nipped down town to the bank, having run a few additional errands Denis stopped for a light lunch.  It was here that his day began to change.  Having finished his lunch and whilst chatting with friends he began to feel lightheaded.  His next recollection was finding himself sat at the bar being supported by a barmaid and everyone looking quite concerned.  It was then that Denis learnt that he had passed out and an ambulance was on its way.

Denis felt that he didn’t need the ambulance but events had been set in place and he was about to experience at first hand the workings of the NHS Accident and Emergency Service. The same Service said to be in dire straits – overworked, too many “clients” and according to national coverage by the media, in imminent danger of collapse.

There were two young ladies who staffed the ambulance and Denis found them to extremely efficient.  The performed ECG’s, took blood pressure readings and were in touch with the Hospital.  Despite protests from Denis and the fact that he was feeling almost back to normal, they thought he should be looked at by the specialists.  So off to A&E at the local hospital they went.

A&E was extremely busy, wall to wall ambulances outside and queues inside.  Denis waited for almost two and half hours in total before being “fast tracked” to the Ambulatory Service Care Ward for attention.  At around 8pm after further tests, ECG’s and Blood pressure checks Denis was seen by a senior doctor who concluded that Denis needed to be kept in overnight for observation.  Denis felt that this decision had be made based on notes from a consultant he had seen 7 years earlier – Denis was in awe “how had he got his hands on those notes!”

Denis was kept in, the following morning another more senior doctor came to see him and ruled that Denis should be kept in until Monday.

For four days Denis was fed, watered, tested, x-rayed and observed – he had no complaints.  Denis, felt he was very well looked after and spent the time amusing himself with a sketch book drawing scenes from his vantage point on the ward.  On the Wednesday, Denis was transferred to Papworth to have a pacemaker fitter he finally returned home 8 days after setting of for the bank.

Denis states that he has nothing but praise for all those dedicated people in the Health Service who care for us.

It’s fantastic that out of such a personal and worrying time Denis can do nothing but praise the Health Services, the dedication of its staff and the treatment he received.

#celebratinggoodcare