I was third in the queue when I arrived at the hospital. I was also sobbing hysterically. I was dressed in blood stained shorts and T-shirt with no toiletries, just a bag with my pills and discharge letter in it. The lady second in the queue waved me ahead of her. Hunter ward had called A&E to let them know I would be arriving. I gave them the pager number Hunter ward had provided and was then ushered through to the cubicles.
It did not take long for an A&E nurse to fetch me despite the hour. She got me to lie down on the most uncomfortable bed ever. She examined the dressing and then ran off. A doctor (I assume from A&E) came in whilst she was gone and got me to explain what had happened. He told me that someone from the spinal team would be down to see me shortly. The nurse came back part way though and took off the dressing and cleaned the wound so that the doctor could take a look. They then left me alone.
I'm not sure how long it took, but a lovely lady from Orthopaedics arrived and took a look at my back. She was also the first person to ask me about my mental state in detail and agreed that it was most probably the codeine that I'd had an adverse reaction to. She explained that she wanted a more senior member of the spinal team to take a look at my incision. I didn't really get why at the time.
A few minutes after the Orthopaedic surgeon left, the head of A&E came to speak to me. He was unaware I had already been seen so I had to explain what I'd been told. He had a very gentle, reassuring manner about him.
I can't remember who told me but some time later I found out that they were re-admitting me. I was told that I would be admitted to the Critical Dependency Unit (CDU) until they found me a bed on the ward. I was not to move around whilst I was there. I started crying again as I was scared and alone. It was hours before porters arrived and wheeled me into CDU.
It did not take long for an A&E nurse to fetch me despite the hour. She got me to lie down on the most uncomfortable bed ever. She examined the dressing and then ran off. A doctor (I assume from A&E) came in whilst she was gone and got me to explain what had happened. He told me that someone from the spinal team would be down to see me shortly. The nurse came back part way though and took off the dressing and cleaned the wound so that the doctor could take a look. They then left me alone.
I'm not sure how long it took, but a lovely lady from Orthopaedics arrived and took a look at my back. She was also the first person to ask me about my mental state in detail and agreed that it was most probably the codeine that I'd had an adverse reaction to. She explained that she wanted a more senior member of the spinal team to take a look at my incision. I didn't really get why at the time.
A few minutes after the Orthopaedic surgeon left, the head of A&E came to speak to me. He was unaware I had already been seen so I had to explain what I'd been told. He had a very gentle, reassuring manner about him.
I can't remember who told me but some time later I found out that they were re-admitting me. I was told that I would be admitted to the Critical Dependency Unit (CDU) until they found me a bed on the ward. I was not to move around whilst I was there. I started crying again as I was scared and alone. It was hours before porters arrived and wheeled me into CDU.
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