Having had an unexpected over night stay with my daughter at the Lancaster Royal Infirmary here are my top tips for surviving a similar experience! These are either the things I did right or the things I wish I couldn't do as I was caught on the hop:
1) Money
You will need some for food for you as well as car parks and possibly for hospital TV. I was lucky that my mum had £5 cash on her when she had come to our rescue and driven us to the emergency unit! I was lucky that there was a parents' room which had some microwavable porridge for my breakfast.
2) Safety cups
For health and safety hot drinks have to be drunk in lidded cups. So if you are able to take one with you it will be useful. Then you can keep yourself going but be able to sit by your child's bed. At the LRI they had a few available to buy for a donation but you might not be so lucky.
3) Headphones
We had just worked out how to get the TV working when it went into speakers off mode and the ward had run out of headphones! Entertaining a child stuck in bed whilst waiting hours for a doctor is a lot easier when the technology works..
4) Phone charger
I was caught out without my charger as we out and about when we had to dash to the hospital. My phone battery went not along after we transferred to Lancaster which left me feeling cut off. Through the bedside TV I managed to get the phone number of the bed to my mum but it costs 50p a minute to call on the phone... Luckily in the morning another mum lent me her charger so that I was able to use my phone again.
5) PJs
Sleeping on a camp bed next to my child I really wish I had a nice warm pair of PJs to keep me snug! You want to feel comfy and not worry about flashing your bits to any medical staff that may pop into the cubicle overnight!
6) Earplugs and eye cover
Wards are noisy places with some lights on all night to allow medical staff to move around safely. If like me you are a light sleeper you may want to take things with you to reduce the noise and block out the light...
7) A book
There was an awful lot of sitting around waiting and twiddling of thumbs. Having a book would have saved me from having to read Hello! magazine...
8) Wash things
The RLI has a parents' shower room so if I'd known I could have taken shower gel and a towel to freshen up in the morning. I am sure that most children's units have similar facilities.
Have you got any more tips to add?
Showing posts with label hospital. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hospital. Show all posts
Tuesday, 26 January 2016
Saturday, 27 April 2013
Tonsils out!
Yesterday my daughter was scheduled to have her tonsils out at Furness General Hospital (the downside of living in south Cumbria is that our hospitals are up to a hour away!). She had been repeatedly suffering from tonsillitis which was impacting on both home and school life. It hadn't taken much convincing of the consultant once our GP finally referred her. So at 6:30 yesterday morning she and I set off on the hour long drive out to Barrow in Furness. Its a beautiful drive when your mind isn't elsewhere!
The hospital is on the outskirts of the town and as we were there so early it was easy to get to and also find on road parking. Then we found our way to the front entrance and someone directed us to the right ward - typically right at the other end of the hospital! We were half an hour early but they let us in and showed us the side ward my daughter was assigned to.
An initial chat with the nurse (including the magic local anaesthetic gel) was followed by the surgeon arriving, he informed us that her notes were still at the Westmorland General in Kendal! This put a delay on her operation as they were waiting for a taxi to bring them over... Meantime a nursing assistant explained more of the operation to my daughter and the anaesthetist came to see her. Then she was allowed to play whilst I had a coffee.
When the time came a nurse led us through a few corridors to the operating theatre. She looked so tiny lying on the trolley as I distracted her from the needle going in. All too soon she was asleep and I was told to distract myself for an hour! I went outside with a paper but it was hard to concentrate and I was soon back in in the ward.
My daughter was a bit upset and disorientated when she came round but I sat and held her hand. She tried to sleep and eat but it was all a bit much.
In the end they decided to keep her overnight as a precaution. The ward had fold out beds so I could sleep next to her. Just wish I'd thought to bring over night gear for myself!
It wasn't a great night as when we first tried to sleep a teenager down the corridor had too many loud visitors. Then a baby kept crying! I am a light sleeper so the random electronic beeps, phone calls and corridor lights weren't good. I ended up watching kids' films on the bedside TV until I was too tired to stay awake! A nurse checked my daughter at 2 am (my daughter slept through that! Then at 3 the fire alarms went off... I was getting out of bed when a nurse assured me it wasn't in our part of the hospital and to get back to sleep! Hard for us to do when the alarm wouldn't shut up...
This morning I was told that if she ate some toast we could leave as she looked and felt a lot better. I was so relieved when she managed to do this. It was a good feeling to walk back out of the hospital and to our car. We are both a bit tired (despite having a sleep when we got home!) and she is still feeling a bit rough but hopefully a couple of weeks off school and she will soon be back to old bubbly self!
My top tips for accompanying children to hospital:
The hospital is on the outskirts of the town and as we were there so early it was easy to get to and also find on road parking. Then we found our way to the front entrance and someone directed us to the right ward - typically right at the other end of the hospital! We were half an hour early but they let us in and showed us the side ward my daughter was assigned to.
An initial chat with the nurse (including the magic local anaesthetic gel) was followed by the surgeon arriving, he informed us that her notes were still at the Westmorland General in Kendal! This put a delay on her operation as they were waiting for a taxi to bring them over... Meantime a nursing assistant explained more of the operation to my daughter and the anaesthetist came to see her. Then she was allowed to play whilst I had a coffee.
When the time came a nurse led us through a few corridors to the operating theatre. She looked so tiny lying on the trolley as I distracted her from the needle going in. All too soon she was asleep and I was told to distract myself for an hour! I went outside with a paper but it was hard to concentrate and I was soon back in in the ward.
My daughter was a bit upset and disorientated when she came round but I sat and held her hand. She tried to sleep and eat but it was all a bit much.
In the end they decided to keep her overnight as a precaution. The ward had fold out beds so I could sleep next to her. Just wish I'd thought to bring over night gear for myself!
It wasn't a great night as when we first tried to sleep a teenager down the corridor had too many loud visitors. Then a baby kept crying! I am a light sleeper so the random electronic beeps, phone calls and corridor lights weren't good. I ended up watching kids' films on the bedside TV until I was too tired to stay awake! A nurse checked my daughter at 2 am (my daughter slept through that! Then at 3 the fire alarms went off... I was getting out of bed when a nurse assured me it wasn't in our part of the hospital and to get back to sleep! Hard for us to do when the alarm wouldn't shut up...
This morning I was told that if she ate some toast we could leave as she looked and felt a lot better. I was so relieved when she managed to do this. It was a good feeling to walk back out of the hospital and to our car. We are both a bit tired (despite having a sleep when we got home!) and she is still feeling a bit rough but hopefully a couple of weeks off school and she will soon be back to old bubbly self!
My top tips for accompanying children to hospital:
- If you are far from home have an overnight bag in car for both you and the child. Earplugs and eye mask could be useful!
- Unlike me take your phone charger..
- Have a good book or other distractions for you and the child
- Take plenty of snacks for yourself as hospital food is expensive
- Have a decent travel hot drink mug (the ones at Furness dripped on me!)
Do you have any other tips?
Monday, 14 February 2011
"National" Health Service
I want to start this by saying I love our NHS. We are so lucky to have free healthcare and access to all sorts of medical care that in other countries people either have to pay for or just can't get to. However right now I am querying the National part of it.
Having moved from one end of the country to the other in the summer I had to change health authority. This shouldn't be too much of a problem as when you register at a GP surgery the notes from your old surgery eventually catch-up.
However if like my daughter you have been attending hospital clinics for ongoing conditions then there can be delays. She has just attended outpatients appointments at our new local hospital for 2 different medical issues toxocariasis and her kidneys. The paperwork for her eye had turned up so the hospital knew exactly what the consultant in Hastings had done. For her kidney appointment there were no notes or test results from the hospital just the information her old GP had recorded on her notes.
This means that she has to almost start again with an appointment in about 2 months with the "local" consultant - he is based in Manchester and comes to Lancaster bi-monthly. She will have to repeat some of the scans she already had in Hastings which if we hadn't moved she wouldn't have. It really feels that we are having to start all over again because there aren't consistent centrally stored records. I know that government computer systems don't have a great track record but for things like this it would make things a lot let stressful for patients.
Having had hospital records get lost in the post between health authorities when I was ill on a holiday I really think its time the NHS got into the 21st century when it comes to medical records. It really isn't a "National" service if you can't straight forwardly transfer to another health authority without paperwork hassles.
Having moved from one end of the country to the other in the summer I had to change health authority. This shouldn't be too much of a problem as when you register at a GP surgery the notes from your old surgery eventually catch-up.
However if like my daughter you have been attending hospital clinics for ongoing conditions then there can be delays. She has just attended outpatients appointments at our new local hospital for 2 different medical issues toxocariasis and her kidneys. The paperwork for her eye had turned up so the hospital knew exactly what the consultant in Hastings had done. For her kidney appointment there were no notes or test results from the hospital just the information her old GP had recorded on her notes.
This means that she has to almost start again with an appointment in about 2 months with the "local" consultant - he is based in Manchester and comes to Lancaster bi-monthly. She will have to repeat some of the scans she already had in Hastings which if we hadn't moved she wouldn't have. It really feels that we are having to start all over again because there aren't consistent centrally stored records. I know that government computer systems don't have a great track record but for things like this it would make things a lot let stressful for patients.
Having had hospital records get lost in the post between health authorities when I was ill on a holiday I really think its time the NHS got into the 21st century when it comes to medical records. It really isn't a "National" service if you can't straight forwardly transfer to another health authority without paperwork hassles.
Monday, 18 January 2010
Just another manic Monday...
Boy I am so looking forward to not having my Monday's being as pressured once the day job has gone! Anyone who thinks that is a cushy number being at home with kids should experience a day the like the one I just had....
It started off fairly well (except for being woken before alarm clock by small person!) as I only had minor heated discussion to get daughter dressed and downstairs. The fact I didn't have to make her a packed lunch was also a bonus as it gave me more time to eat breakfast and put away last night's washing up. Just wish my daughter would listen when I start to warn her 10 mins before we are due to go out the door to actually get her last few bits & pieces together! Minor wrestling match to get coat on 3 yr old (who had chosen shorts to wear today - brrrrrrr!)
Of course as it was a foggy morning the traffic was heavier and slower than normal so we were only just on time to pick up my daughter's class mate for school run. Probably just as well we didn't get to school too early as O would have got hypothermia in his shorts! Realised I had left my purse at home so apologised for not being able to pay for lunch... out in playground put my hand in my pocket to find cheque book... rather red-faced return to kitchen to pay...
Got a pencilled in tea date with my daughter's best friend and her dad/brother which gives me a deadline for sorting out dining room! Strangely her best friend is also suffering from her parents breaking up.
On way home quick trip to smash bottles at recycling point with O (need to work on 3 month backlog!). Made the mistake of promising a magazine having forgotten that I had forgotten my purse - minor tantrum ensues...
Back to the house and just too late to prevent O peeing on hall floor (thank goodness its lino...). Helped him to clear away dinosaurs from sitting room carpet, hoovered and then set-up his farmyard. Just about time then to make him a healthy snack and then its time to head off for his swimming lesson.
Nice relaxing 30 minutes with the other swimming mummies whilst O raced up & down training pool and jumped in. Then lunch in the cafe so that he got a hot meal before nursery. Nip up the road for nursery, quick kiss and he was off without a backward glance.
I got home 1 hour before I had to leave house again. Lots on good intentions but spent the time sorting out Tax Return (hope I got it right), talking to Tax Credit people about job ending and requesting proof of Child Benefit from CB office.
Dash up A21 to get E early from school for a hospital appointment. Luckily can park free in church car park next door! Arrived on time but discovered that E had forgotten to give me purse back so no money for drink / snack... (think its a theme for today not having money!). After nearly 1 hour waiting she gets called for eye test - no change she still can't read chart with left eye but doesn't need glasses. Wait another 10-15 minutes to see next lady for eye drops in bad eye. Quick dash to car for purse to get sustenance for by now grotty 6 yr old... After 20 mins drops have taken effect so she can have a photo taken of her eye. Then another 10-15 minute wait to see consultant. He was happy to see nothing had got worse and we don't have to go back for a year!
No time to go home for tea before nursery run to treat E to Sainsbury's cafe, grab us each a magazine and dash to nursery before closing time to pick up O. Discover he has been a bit physical to the outside toys... My car has also run out of washer fluid so have to detour to garage on way home - put in fluid but their water doesn't work so its undiluted..
Thank heavens kids behave and for once O goes to bed like a dream as exhausted. E has minor paddy at bedtime about cleaning out hamster cage. So we try and extract hamster from cage, 10 mins later give it up as bad job... Not to bad a bed time for E though I did have to lift her out of my bed and put her in her own.
Downstairs and realise that I haven't had a proper meal all day so oven on and I am now waiting for my chicken pie to cook.... Going to resist a nice glass of wine with it and be a good girl and have some water instead...
It started off fairly well (except for being woken before alarm clock by small person!) as I only had minor heated discussion to get daughter dressed and downstairs. The fact I didn't have to make her a packed lunch was also a bonus as it gave me more time to eat breakfast and put away last night's washing up. Just wish my daughter would listen when I start to warn her 10 mins before we are due to go out the door to actually get her last few bits & pieces together! Minor wrestling match to get coat on 3 yr old (who had chosen shorts to wear today - brrrrrrr!)
Of course as it was a foggy morning the traffic was heavier and slower than normal so we were only just on time to pick up my daughter's class mate for school run. Probably just as well we didn't get to school too early as O would have got hypothermia in his shorts! Realised I had left my purse at home so apologised for not being able to pay for lunch... out in playground put my hand in my pocket to find cheque book... rather red-faced return to kitchen to pay...
Got a pencilled in tea date with my daughter's best friend and her dad/brother which gives me a deadline for sorting out dining room! Strangely her best friend is also suffering from her parents breaking up.
On way home quick trip to smash bottles at recycling point with O (need to work on 3 month backlog!). Made the mistake of promising a magazine having forgotten that I had forgotten my purse - minor tantrum ensues...
Back to the house and just too late to prevent O peeing on hall floor (thank goodness its lino...). Helped him to clear away dinosaurs from sitting room carpet, hoovered and then set-up his farmyard. Just about time then to make him a healthy snack and then its time to head off for his swimming lesson.
Nice relaxing 30 minutes with the other swimming mummies whilst O raced up & down training pool and jumped in. Then lunch in the cafe so that he got a hot meal before nursery. Nip up the road for nursery, quick kiss and he was off without a backward glance.
I got home 1 hour before I had to leave house again. Lots on good intentions but spent the time sorting out Tax Return (hope I got it right), talking to Tax Credit people about job ending and requesting proof of Child Benefit from CB office.
Dash up A21 to get E early from school for a hospital appointment. Luckily can park free in church car park next door! Arrived on time but discovered that E had forgotten to give me purse back so no money for drink / snack... (think its a theme for today not having money!). After nearly 1 hour waiting she gets called for eye test - no change she still can't read chart with left eye but doesn't need glasses. Wait another 10-15 minutes to see next lady for eye drops in bad eye. Quick dash to car for purse to get sustenance for by now grotty 6 yr old... After 20 mins drops have taken effect so she can have a photo taken of her eye. Then another 10-15 minute wait to see consultant. He was happy to see nothing had got worse and we don't have to go back for a year!
No time to go home for tea before nursery run to treat E to Sainsbury's cafe, grab us each a magazine and dash to nursery before closing time to pick up O. Discover he has been a bit physical to the outside toys... My car has also run out of washer fluid so have to detour to garage on way home - put in fluid but their water doesn't work so its undiluted..
Thank heavens kids behave and for once O goes to bed like a dream as exhausted. E has minor paddy at bedtime about cleaning out hamster cage. So we try and extract hamster from cage, 10 mins later give it up as bad job... Not to bad a bed time for E though I did have to lift her out of my bed and put her in her own.
Downstairs and realise that I haven't had a proper meal all day so oven on and I am now waiting for my chicken pie to cook.... Going to resist a nice glass of wine with it and be a good girl and have some water instead...
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