hospital stay.

Been a while since I've written here , proves I suppose I'm not really a blogger or diary keeper however sometimes something happens and well it just has to be written down. In this case if it hadn't happened in my sight/hearing I'd have not believed it.

It all started Thursday afternoon when a patient and doctor decided that a stay in hospital would be the best thing
The ambulance was arranged to take the patient to Colchester EAU to assess and decide what best to do. It was said the ambulance would be a good couple of hours from 2pm , to me meant the trip would happen between 4 and 5pm An ambulance crew came to assess the information just after 2pm and it was decided to wait for the second ambulance. Traffic and other things meant it didn't arrive until 6pm. The first ambulance waiting outside the house for all that time.

Let the nightmare begin normally when the patient went by ambulance to appointments he was left to sit in a secured wheelchair in the back, but for some reason this time the ambulance man in charge said that wasn't safe he had to get on one of those stretcher beds. This caused the patient much suffering and distress. Distress he shouldn't have been given considering one of the illness he has is an AAA (Abdominal aorta aneurysm) 6cm in size.
Approx 30 mins later he was settled but uncomfortable the 15 mile journey began.
On arrival at Colchester General hospital the nursing staff were expecting him and a bay was ready. He was put on the assessment bed well pushed and pulled would be a better description. He ended up half lying so not able to breath properly, the very large hernia was bent double under his body giving him excruciating pain when asked if he could move he was told in a minute when a chair has been found. In the end the ambulance man gave up and allowed the patient to stand giving him some relief. He had to lean on the back of a chair as there were none suitable for him to sit on, even the wheelchair that was brought in was inadequate. The patient was on oxygen for his breathing, he suffers from COPD. Having to wait as there were a few emergencies going on he went and sat on the visitors bench as it was more comfy. A portable oxygen bottle was asked for after a while, a nurse said she'd go and find one. She was never seen again.
Eventually one was brought over and the wait continued. It was nearly midnight before there was an available doctor. Who after examination decided a chest xray was needed and a transfer to Layer Marney ward.
On arrival at the ward there was no bed that was suitable available, nor was there a reclining chair. The patient was left to sit in a visitors chair all night!!! Not surprisingly he fell out forwards when he fell asleep. banging and marking his head on the floor. It took a while for the night staff to go to him and it was another 3 hours before he was picked up from the floor. To again be put in the same visitors chair.

In fact it took until 9.30pm Friday night for a suitable reclining chair to arrive, as it was medicine round time then it was gone 11.30pm before the patient was settled for the night. That was with the visitor who stayed with the patient moving furniture and sorting the chair to a position in the ward. Waiting for the over worked staff would have been another hour at least.

I'd love to know who was supposed to be sorting out the sleeping arrangements for patients, it wasn't as if it was a 999 call admittance it was one via a doctor the hospital told at 2pm and nothing suitable to sleep on until 31/32 hrs. later.

To put the icing on the cake, the norovirus is still in the hospital and the patient contracted it today.

August

August a month to love or hate. Last Sunday was very hard to leave Brooklands as well as return. The top road right down to the mini roundabout was blocked with day trippers cars, they even parked by the Sunspot which is normally used as a passing point.
This Sunday I was out before they arrived and back long after they had gone. I had to go up to Wisbech. There are some places being built up there, bungalows in their own ground, much nicer than the cramped town houses that are being rushed up around Essex.

Talking of houses, it said in the paper that Llelwyn Davies Yeang were paid approx £140k for the consultation. I was under the impression that Eeda had employed the Environmental Trust who in turn contacted the former. But what do I know? What I do know this is the third or fourth consultation thats happened since I've been here. Nothing has changed apart from more and more places are being let and there are less owner occupiers.

Going through the village today, I saw that two shops had closed, firstly FX Barbers and next door the second hand furniture shop.

July

Well summers come and gone, no market at all this year, just one lone veggie stall with bootsellers. A shame really as it was very colourful on a Sunday. I must find time to get to the Tower soon it should be open weekends now. I was shown some pictures of cows that escaped so thanks to Carol put them up as an event. Well one can't get more eventful than that.

Time?

Where has it gone? I can't believe it's April or rather nearly May already. The sun has been shining all month. The holiday places have opened the what was a market now a bootsale place is full of stalls. Something else has happened. There is another place with the names of the roads just like Brooklands. I had a phone call yesterday from Mick who was there and already talking to people who live there. Anyway I shouldn't be sitting here in the middle of the day with the sunshing I should be out enjoying the best beach in Essex before it gets full of holidaymakers.

Well it's nearly Christmas, and the fog has arrived. It has been like pea soup these last couple of days. Computer lessons are now over until after Christmas. Bingo at the community centre is on a break too. It'll be back again in the new year.
There is a brand new bench at the bus stop near the centre.

Bingo

Thursday is bingo day at the community centre, it's been going quite a while now and there is a good crowd that go there to play. Vicky works her afternoon off to to open up and sort things, she also finds time to pop to the shops for the biscuits and what ever else makes up the refreshments.

Computer lessons are starting too on the Thursday afternoon, so far there is on will pupil but hopefully after Christmas this will expand. The lessons are free. They may also take place on a Monday or at least every other Monday depending on demand and comitments.

Well the rain stopped today, the wind was blowing though so there was no one sitting on the newly installed seats by the bus stop. I just hope the recycling stays in one place overnight, I forgot to put it out a fornight ago roll on next year when it goes weekly like the normal rubish.

Rain, rain and more rain

Mind you I think it's stopped now.
Why do boys wear those silly tracksuit bottoms that fall down. One boy went running past me earlier today, and as he ran both his bottoms and boxers slipped right down revealing a bottom his mother probably hasn't seen for years, not a pretty site.

I tink the potholes along Brooklands are getting worse, soon only a 4x4 will be safe to drive up there.

I spoke to soon about the rain stopping it'd just started again. I might even walk up to the wall in a while just to watch it on the sea. Forked lightening is the best to watch though.

The plants put on the balcony of the community centre have been taken down for safe keeping the wind was blowing them over constently.

I heard that Maurice Alexander has now chair of the Forum, he is going to be a busy man. He is chair of the Neighbourhood watch and did say that he was going to give it a run next year to become a councillor again.

Something I heard just doen't ring true........ when asked by a prospective buyer on the about the Brooklands an estateagent said no more morgages down trhere as there are more there than on an average street. Or words to that effect..... I've never heard that before.