Fed up and exhausted! Hospital related!

[Mammyloveswine]

Collapsed at home today struggling to breathe and with crushing chest pains.. ambulance was called and am now in hospital having been diagnosed with pneumonia and on oxygen with iv antibiotics and strong painkillers.

I have been here 12 hours and still waiting for a bed to be available on the respiratory ward. I'm on a trolley in a temporary admissions ward, all lights still on, I've seen two people get arrested due to their behaviour.

Im supposed to be in for another 48 hours but its 11:35pm and I'm still waiting to be formally admitted so I can at least try and sleep!

Anyone up and want to keep me company? I know it's the strikes and staff are doing their best but I'm so poorly and just want to try and sleep.

Oh I am so sorry to hear this, I actually thought I might have to go to A & E this morning with my asthma and was so worried about the wait times.

Have they at least got you drinks and something to eat if you can manage it? Could anyone come and stay with you and advocate for you?

That sounds shit OP. I hope at least you’re getting food and drink.

Ive just asked for a sandwich, told "will see if there's anything left",

It is shit!! I'm going to ask for a blanket and if they can dim the lights!

I was once given a packet of sliced apple and a bag of crisps at 7pm when I was admitted unexpectedly, I am gluten free and that was “all there was”

Hope they can find you something and at least make you more comfortable.

Oh god. Poor you!!

Oh I’m so sorry to hear this OP that must be torture! I’m in hospital too after a surgery so in a ward, which is pretty peaceful on balance but lady snoring next to me and the staff do occasionally need to have conversations so it’s definitely not a great place for light sleepers, of which I am. I just text DH a few minutes ago saying how the hospital should offer ear plugs and face masks for sale (or I guess for free given the relative cheapness compared to all the other medical stuff, and how important sleep is for health and healing!)!

I’m thanking my lucky stars I packed mine - I treated coming to hospital like I would a long haul flight haha so have all the things I would normally need to sleep on a plane (I’m living on other side of the world to where I grew up and my family so have had a few 25 hour flights in my time).

On my first night here I suffered with a bright ceiling light for a few hours until realising I had a light switch to turn mine off! Maybe double check you can’t actually turn off the light above you?

Get well soon and I hope the antibiotics take effect ASAP :)

I'm not on a proper ward am on a sort of overflow ward so bays but like temporary ones!

@Mammyloveswine if only there was a Deliveroo service that delivered sleeping masks and ear plugs for times like these. Hang in there and definitely ask them if lights can be dimmed, our ward ones get dimmed so I’m sure there is a protocol for it.

Ive got a friend bringing me earplugs and a sleep mask tomo. This was all a bit sudden this afternoon! I'm jealous of your prep!

Hope you recover quickly!

Our hospital has a night owl sleep project, where they offer patients a sleep mask and ear plugs if they are having trouble sleeping. You could maybe asked the staff if they do something similar

Foam earplugs and headphones. Earplugs block most of the noise, headphones the rest esp if you play white noise sound

I just checked my just eat app and local asda delivers and includes earplugs!!! OK not until tomorrow morning but still.

OP at least be glad that things aren't any worse, as if you're well enough to be bothered by lights, noise, etc. then you're not as ill as you might be. Sorry, I know that may sound harsh, but having nearly died of pneumonia and sepsis myself, I know that I was totally unaware of what was going on around me, so the fact that you know what's going on, is actually a good sign. I know that you must be feeling like absolute shit though, so I do hope that they find you a proper bed somewhere soon. Are you actually on your own, as I think that's probably the worst bit when you're feeling like this and don't know what's happening? If you can manage to grab a member of staff, it might be worth asking if the lights can be dimmed at all, and also if they have any ear plugs, as I was definitely offered those, as I was starting to get better, but struggling to sleep due to the lady in the next bed, having one of those pressure beds that are constantly being pumped up and released - the thing made a frequent whooshing noise, and nearly drove me insane! Try and keep positive, and remember, there's always someone worse off than yourself. Hope you feel much better soon. Sending you a 'Get Well' hug.

When I was admitted recently, I had to sit on an uncomfortable plastic chair waiting for hours to be assessed. I ended up with a bad back, on top of the illness I had been admitted with. The NHS is struggling so much, it’s a complete mess.

I have you feel better soon @Mammyloveswine and can get back home.

I was on a triage ward once. Not quite A&E but not a real ward. I gave up trying to sleep. I was right by the door with everyone coming and going. Then I was admitted for a week on Acute medicine which was full of angry women with dementia shouting and swearing.

I always, always have earplugs. Luckily I'm.also on cpap and it was covid times so I got a side room, where I was told, the prisoners normally end up. I took my chrochet and decided to focus in on the nearby nurse chatter.

It was bad but I just tried to stay positive. You have my sympathy.

Thanks for the comments. So I'm going to be here all night, they will give me a bed "at some point", they have no pillows and blankets in the meantime. (Using my coat over me).

The only toilet is blocked!

But they have dimmed the lights-alleluia! And given me morphine for the pain.. im so exhausted I might manage to doze off for a bit now!

Thanks @dancingdaisies!

Absolutely feel for you, hoping you get seen properly soon.

💐

I hope you manage a bit of sleep OP. The hospital conditions sound appalling where you are. One toilet and it’s blocked? That’s unacceptable. So is no pillow or blanket. They need to make people comfortable and well and get them home!

Hope you get a bed soon and get well soon. 💐

I hope you managed to get a rest and a bed @Mammyloveswine ! Keep us updated x

Horrific.. am now in a fucking corridor.. apparently should get a bed "this afternoon".

It's a fucking shit show.

Oh no! That's awful OP! However, trying to look for positives for you, are you feeling even a tiny bit better this morning, as presumably if you've been on the antibiotics all night, they might be beginning to have some effect now? Can I ask what county you are in, as it's interesting to find out what's happening with the NHS and hospitals in different areas. For example, my DD recently had to attend A&E in Hampshire, and was seen, treated, and discharged within 4 hours, which really surprised me when we hear so many horror stories like your own.