Today has been a good day. The walking club went out this morning at 11am as usual. One of the ladies had a drip stand and we took it in turns helping her with it. She was so happy as she hasn't been outside the hospital in 5 weeks! The rule of the club is that we only walk as fast as our slowest member because you never know if that might be you one day.
And for the hour it was infusing Dr 18 had to stay with me as there is a very high risk of anaphylactic shock and he even had to have the shock kit right next to me incase it happened.
After getting back Dr 18 informed me that I needed to have an iron infusion and that he was coming to cannulate me. After a few attempts he managed to get one in but it was literally on my ankle bone. It hurt.
Apparently the doctors had been and had a consultation with me yesterday while I was out of it on gas and air. They had told me that my iron levels were very low and that I needed an iron transfusion but I don't remember any of it!
So Dr 18 set up my infusion and we argued as to whether it looked like lucozade or iron bru before settling on tizer.
The bag looked like a bag of blood at first sight.
And for the hour it was infusing Dr 18 had to stay with me as there is a very high risk of anaphylactic shock and he even had to have the shock kit right next to me incase it happened.
(That's it there on top of the trolley)
As we sat chatting I found out the in 2 weeks Dr 18 will be leaving IFU. As a SHO (senior house officer) he does 6 month placements before deciding on his specialism. We were having some banter and he was being a bit mean to me so I told him that I was going to get him a bottle of champagne as his leaving present but that was now going to be wine.
"Lambrini?" he asked me. "You look like a lambrini sort of girl" "Now you're getting Panda Pop" I told him. "Brill, I love panda pop" he said. "I can drink it on the ward."
Not long after my infusion finished Kitty came to visit. We went and sat outside in the garden area and as our bench became shaded we moved to stay in the sun. We chatted for hours and it was soon time for her to go home. We never have enough time to cover everything we want to talk about!
Dr 8 was the on call Dr this evening but had clearly had a tough day in clinic. Seeing patients back to back from 9am to 6pm can't be easy. I asked if he had my drug chart as I wanted him to write me up for a bag of fluids tonight. "I had your chart and I crossed off all your pain relief" he told me jokingly. "I've had a horrible day so you can't have your medication". "Will some pick and mix cheer you up" I asked. Funnily enough he thought it would so I took him up to raid Sue's pick and mix bag. Showing him the sweets on offer he turned down one because the colours were too chemically, said no to the mint imperials as they were too minty and refused the bananas as they looked like a penis.
Me and Sue cracked up but I don't think I will ever look at a sweet banana in the same way again.
Later this evening Mum and Dad came to visit on their way back to Nottingham. Between them they have tidied the house, washed the wooden floors, cleaned the bathroom, cut the grass and made dinners for Hubby for the next few days. They are super parents and I thank God for them every day.
They brought with then a gift from a friend. It was a huge hamper and we had no idea what to expect inside.
I opened it up to find all of this.
Packed into the hamper was toiletries for me and Dan, jam and cranberry sauce (Big Girls favourite), books for the children as well as arts and crafts things. There was a gorgeous cross stitch kit in it for me and a towel, headphones... All sorts really.
I couldn't believe it. How amazing that someone would do this for me and my family. To know that someone has thought about us, spent their money on us and done something so lovely was mind blowing. So a HUGE thank you. You know who you are and this was truly a very special act of kindness.
Mum and Dad couldn't stay too long as they faced the drive back to Nottingham tonight as they were both back at work tomorrow. After walking them to the front doors of the hospitals and having cuddles I went to see my friend on Fredrick Salmon ward. He has had a terrible day and so we spent some time chewing the fat as it were.
On the way out I saw a familiar face. It was the husband of a lady that I had spent 4 weeks with on Fredrick Salmon last summer. I called his name and he turned around, not recognising me. When I told him who I was he broke into a huge smile and said that I looked so different he hadn't recognised me.
His wife was on the ward after having pouch surgery. I was so pleased that I went straight down the ward to see her. She had spent 9 months in hospital last year, 2 of those in intensive care. She had been on the brink of death so many times and yet here she was today.
When I saw her lying in bed I went straight over to her. She looked up at me and we embraced. "My friend. I never thought I would see you again" I told her.
We spoke briefly but I had to get up to my ward for my pain relief medication so I went reluctantly, promising to visit again tomorrow.
So there you go. A day filled with surprise hampers, sweetie willies, the best parents ever and a long lost friend. Who knows what tomorrow holds but could it possibly top today?
NB x
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