"Courtesy, kindness and support"

In September  I had to call for an Ambulance as I experienced right side head pain, nothing like I’ve ever experienced before. I’ve suffered with Migraines for 14 years and this pain just felt so different to a normal migraine. I treated it with my usual pain relief when I was awoken from my sleep with this pain. 

I tried calling NHS 24 in the first instance and waited over 40min on hold before the pain and vomiting got worse and couldn’t wait any longer. I dialled 999  and was told that the Ambulance Service was busy & that there may be a delay in the Paramedics getting to me. I understood but was thankful help was on the way. Paramedics arrived and crew mates Sandra and Tracey were absolutely amazing. I’ve met Sandra before as she was out to my house in March when I had severe abdominal pain & NHS 24 arranged an Ambulance. 

Sandra & Tracey carried out their observations and deemed a trip to Glasgow Royal Infirmary A&E to be necessary. I agreed and Tracey let me hold on to her arm as we walked to the Ambulance as I felt dizzy going downstairs into the fresh air. We arrived at A&E at the GRI  and I was seen, triaged and assessed fairly quickly. 

I was put into a bay and the Nurse & HCA took bloods, the Doctor came round fairly quickly to be told she was arranging for me to have a CT Scan to rule out things like Stroke etc. I had the CT Scan and it showed a narrowing of a blood vessel on the brain which they were concerned about and also concerned about a small bleed on the brain. So I was admitted to Ward 46 for a Lumbar Puncture the next morning. 

All the staff in Ward 46 from Nurses to Doctors and my HCA Colleagues were all amazing. One Nurse let me slip off the ward round to the Vending Machine in A&E to get some refreshments as I was boaking and gagging at the jug of hospital water because it was so warm. I came straight back to the ward and although I had just missed lunchtime by the time I was admitted to the ward, another Nurse found me some sandwiches which were lovely. 

Another Nurse who had just started the Nightshift also let me slip off the ward to show my Mum where to wait for her Taxi. (My Mum doesn’t know the GRI that well and I was worried she’d get lost) couldn’t be anymore thankful to these Nurses and the fresh air was nice! 

The dinner on Monday was amazing. I chose the Fish Pie & Croquettes and the Fish Pie was the best thing I’ve ever tasted. 

I had my Lumbar Puncture on the afternoon (it was meant to be morning) and was told that the Samples from the LP had to be taxied across to the QEUH and that I may not get all the results back on the same day. I was very emotional at this as I just wanted to go home. But thankfully by the evening all the results were back and I didn’t have a bleed on the brain but they were still concerned about this narrow blood vessel. 

I managed to get discharged that night and I was so thankful to get home and recover  in the comfort of my own home with cat cuddles. 

I literally came to the hospital with nothing except the clothes on my back and my phone charger because I was not expecting to be admitted. I expected A&E to chalk my head pain down to a Migraine and send me home. It was such a surprise to actually be taken seriously. And have appropriate treatment. 

A massive thank you to all the staff from the Paramedic Call handler to Paramedics Sandra & Tracey, to all the staff in A&E and Ward 46. You made a very anxious patient feel more settled and I’ll be ever so thankful for the kindness and treatment I received over the 2 days. 

I’m hoping to return to work for the NHS in a few weeks time once I have fully recovered. And I hope to treat my patients with the same courtesy, kindness and support I received from all staff I came into contact with.