Well it has been an interesting few weeks, people often say there is always hope, and the usual cliché of 'light at the end of the tunnel' but can light actually emerge in a 'tunnel' that has no space or infrastructure that could allow light in?? the tunnel being the current state of Medical care/professions.
I will write about three incidents that took place over the past few weeks, and just to demonstrate that this incompetence is not exclusive but is shared by others too, I shall report on an encounter my friend had with a district nurse.
My friend has long term health problem and is also disabled, when district nurse when to visit her and saw she looked pale and poorly, instead of checking basic things such as Blood pressure and temperature and giving the 'patient' moral support, the nurse says 'you are looking very ill, you have to get stronger do YOU WANT TO DIE and leave your mother alone?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' hmmmm errr what can one say to that?? so the problem not of my friend dying but LEAVING HER MOTHER ALONE???????? is that a new technique in the medical profession to make patients resist pain, by making them feel guilty about people around them and scaring them to death by the thought of death?? one can only laugh otherwise the frustration alone will set your health back.
As I have explained in my first blog, I have had a pressure sore on my elbow, for at least 5 months but has deteriorated in the last month or so, anyhow two weeks ago I get a visit from the district nurse, not a regular one but agency, comes into the bedroom and declares ' I have come to see your elbow, where is it?' !!! hmmmm I looked at her with amazement not sure if she is joking or serious, and kept thinking maybe she has perception problem, But no she was fine, just needed direction to part of the body she is not well acquainted with. Then asked me another 'smart' question 'did the doctor say it will get better?' this was right after her shrieks at the sight of the wound stating the clear and obvious leak that is coming out of the wound! What hope can anyone have after a visit such as this? should nurses not try to calm and encourage the patients? should they not have direct contact with the doctors? should they not know the very basic of anatomy!!!
so many questions left unanswered.
The best and final incident is the climax to an interesting few weeks, it occurred 3 days ago when after a visit from the district nurse who did not put the dressing correctly, resulting in the wound leaking and bleeding, seeing the blood, plus the pain I was experiencing made me decide to go to the GP who with the practice nurse decided that the wound is infected YET the swab result will only come out in a week time!!!! so I was put on antibiotic, not sure if it is the right one or not or even if I need it but we will find out in 6 days time when the swab result is back!! they also decided I need to be seen by them everyday as 3 times a week visit is not enough. Finally I thought someone cares, so the practice nurse contacted the district nurses informed them to come on the weekend and they the GP surgery will take over during the week. Again I thought Heaven. Even if it means coming out in the cold everyday at least the dressing will be changed and cleaned everyday, But dreams rarely turn into reality, the next day I happily went to GP surgery saw the nurse changed dressing then was told no appointment available for at least 12 days!!! apparently it is a high season!! yet changing dressing would take maximum 7 minutes. Now I am left wondering will the district nurses return? will someone change the dressing and why does a simple swab take 6 days to come back? and is my elbow infected again??????
all will be answered in my next blog...
I will write about three incidents that took place over the past few weeks, and just to demonstrate that this incompetence is not exclusive but is shared by others too, I shall report on an encounter my friend had with a district nurse.
My friend has long term health problem and is also disabled, when district nurse when to visit her and saw she looked pale and poorly, instead of checking basic things such as Blood pressure and temperature and giving the 'patient' moral support, the nurse says 'you are looking very ill, you have to get stronger do YOU WANT TO DIE and leave your mother alone?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' hmmmm errr what can one say to that?? so the problem not of my friend dying but LEAVING HER MOTHER ALONE???????? is that a new technique in the medical profession to make patients resist pain, by making them feel guilty about people around them and scaring them to death by the thought of death?? one can only laugh otherwise the frustration alone will set your health back.
As I have explained in my first blog, I have had a pressure sore on my elbow, for at least 5 months but has deteriorated in the last month or so, anyhow two weeks ago I get a visit from the district nurse, not a regular one but agency, comes into the bedroom and declares ' I have come to see your elbow, where is it?' !!! hmmmm I looked at her with amazement not sure if she is joking or serious, and kept thinking maybe she has perception problem, But no she was fine, just needed direction to part of the body she is not well acquainted with. Then asked me another 'smart' question 'did the doctor say it will get better?' this was right after her shrieks at the sight of the wound stating the clear and obvious leak that is coming out of the wound! What hope can anyone have after a visit such as this? should nurses not try to calm and encourage the patients? should they not have direct contact with the doctors? should they not know the very basic of anatomy!!!
so many questions left unanswered.
The best and final incident is the climax to an interesting few weeks, it occurred 3 days ago when after a visit from the district nurse who did not put the dressing correctly, resulting in the wound leaking and bleeding, seeing the blood, plus the pain I was experiencing made me decide to go to the GP who with the practice nurse decided that the wound is infected YET the swab result will only come out in a week time!!!! so I was put on antibiotic, not sure if it is the right one or not or even if I need it but we will find out in 6 days time when the swab result is back!! they also decided I need to be seen by them everyday as 3 times a week visit is not enough. Finally I thought someone cares, so the practice nurse contacted the district nurses informed them to come on the weekend and they the GP surgery will take over during the week. Again I thought Heaven. Even if it means coming out in the cold everyday at least the dressing will be changed and cleaned everyday, But dreams rarely turn into reality, the next day I happily went to GP surgery saw the nurse changed dressing then was told no appointment available for at least 12 days!!! apparently it is a high season!! yet changing dressing would take maximum 7 minutes. Now I am left wondering will the district nurses return? will someone change the dressing and why does a simple swab take 6 days to come back? and is my elbow infected again??????
all will be answered in my next blog...
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