8 February 2011
Today turned out to be an absolute washout, apart from the hospital. It was my day to see the orthopaedic consultant concerning the painful joints from which I have been suffering in bed, from time to time. My appointment was scheduled for 9.40 and we are told to be ready two hours before that for the ambulance. In the event the transport turned up at 10 o’clock after I had sat in the hall in my wheelchair, for an hour or so. Of course, one must be understanding as the ambulance service has to work out a route to pick up and drop them patients to make the journey is worthwhile.
Once I was in the Fracture Clinic, from which the orthopaedic surgeons consult, I did not have too long to wait. I saw a very nice young registrar (?) Henry Budd who was very helpful. Having discussed the symptoms he then ordered a number of x-rays is to be taken of most of my joints and then suggested that he would also like to have a bone scan for which I would need to come back on another occasion . I told him that I have so many hospital appointments and I would be extremely grateful if they could possibly fit the scan in on this visit and after some enquiries, Henry managed to organise it, which was very considerate of him as I have, no doubt, there is a waiting list of several months for this particular scan.
It turned out to be far more complex than I had originally envisaged. First of all I had to be injected with some sort of dye that would permeate the bones (?) so that they would show up more clearly on the scan. Then there was  a three-hour wait for the dye to circulate through the body, during which time I was required to drink 5 pints of water. This inevitably meant to 3 visits to the loo during the wait.. Fortunately I had taken the precaution of  taking my laptop with me so I could read whilst I was waiting. I made great inroads into Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina.
The bone scan, as I said, turned out to be far more complex than I have envisaged. The main problem being that I cannot lie flat without a respirator otherwise, had I been able,  no doubt, they would have done my whole body’s scan  in one half hour operation. The extraordinary thing is they claimed that they could not find a respirator in the whole of the hospital. As it turned out they scanned the lower part of my body, up to my pelvis, sitting up on the scanning table with my upper body being supported at around 45° by a nurse. I was then moved, with great difficulty, into another room, where again I was propped up at 45° and the balance of the bone scan was done with a Gamma camera, photographing bits and pieces of my skeleton. The whole bone scan process taking two hours. In the event, I got home just before 6.00. in time for a well-deserved whisky before supper.
A pretty long and arduous day. I must say however that I have nothing but the highest praise for the large number of people who were involved with me during the day from the ambulance crew right through to the special taxi in which  they arranged  for me to be taken home. I cannot imagine receiving any better or more caring attention if I had been a private patient, which says much for the NHS. The only result I know of is that Henry mentioned that he could see no arthritis of any significance in the early x-rays. Beyond that we must await the bone scan analysis. I do not suspect that there will be anything of great significance but at least it will put my mind at rest.
At one stage, when I was being moved from one camera to another, as I emerged from the lift, who should entering it but my OT Lynn, with her mother in a wheelchair.  What a coincidence in a hotel hospital that claims to have something in the region of 12,000 patients daily,
After that rather long boring account of my hospital visit my readers deserve something more interesting. There are over 100 old historical photos in this PPS. You will recognize many famous scenes and people from the past. An absolute treasure trove of memories. Take your time and enjoy them. Click on Memories.
1 Comment
Hello Mark
Sorry to read about your long day at the hospital.It was very similar to a visit of mine to the orthotic appliance dept.I to have nothing but praise for the NHS treatment,except I find the glove extremely hard to wear and have now given up.
I did send you an email some time ago but have just read your comment,saying you rarely check it.Do you still have a readers page on this blog?
Sorry the note is so brief,I am a one finger{supported by thumb}typer
Best Wishes
Paul