Another hospital visit…but not Alexander this time

Alison and I spent most of last night in A&E at the royal Berks again.

Alison has had the flu since the end of last week. It seemed to be clearing up but then a lot of pain started around her sinuses and nose. She went to the doctor yesterday and was told that she had sinusitis. She was prescribed some anti-biotics and told to try inhaling steam as well.

I got a call about 5.15 yesterday as I was bringing Alexander back from nursery – a tearful and obviously in pain Alison – she had just spilled a bowl of boiling water all over her upper legs and groin area and was in agony.

I got back home as quickly as possible and she was sitting in a bath of cold water, shivering and crying. She got out and her whole upper leg and lower belly region was scarlet. I called 999.

A lady paramedic arrived within 10 minutes – and got her out of the bath and applied some burn dressings to the top of Alison’s legs, between her legs and her bum. Alison was in a lot of pain so the paramedic also put a line into her arm and gave some anti-nausea drug and some morphine. Well, the morphine must be good stuff as it had an almost immediate effect. Alison said the pain dropped off pretty quickly after that.

The paramedic called for an ambulance to take Alison to the Royal Berks (I think that next time we should push for Basingstoke as the Royal Berks is a bitch to get to in traffic). The ambulance arrive pretty quickly with two more paramedics – one short with big ginger sideburns and one tall with a droopy moustache – cracking jokes – they could have been on stage.

Alison’s Mum and Dad came straight over to look after Alexander.

I followed the ambulance a few minutes later and got into the Royal Berks about 7.15pm. It was snowing.

When I got to the hospital, it took a while to get seen at the A&E desk and then a bit longer for them to find Alison and make sure I could see her. She was in a private room and had been seen by a doctor. The doctor came back when I was there and told us that due to the location of the burns she would have to be referred to a specialist burns unit – the nearest being Stoke Mandeville near Aylesbury – probably a good hour away. They said that we were to wait for an ambulance to take Alison there.

Alison said that the ambulance journey had been fine – she had been looked after really well by “Ash”. Ash was the tall one – forever to be known as “Ash the ‘Tache”, his accomplice “Sideburns Sid” was the driver.

A nurse came in and put in a catheter – bad burns can often dehydrate people and they needed to keep a check on Alison’s fluids and also make sure that no infection started down below.

We waited, and waited, and had a bit of chocolate, and waited and waited and had a bit more chocolate.

The A&E department was really busy, they didn’t have enough beds for all the people coming in. Alison was eventually moved into an observation ward – but still no sign of an ambulance.

I waited until 12.30 or so, over 5½ hours after she had been admitted and decided that I should go home and get some sleep so that Alexander would be OK when he wakened in the morning. About 10 mins after I left, the ambulance turned up and took Alison to Stoke Mandeville.

I have spoken to Alison this morning and she seems to be doing well. The burns team were waiting for her to arrive last night – so she was seen as soon as she arrived. They told her to expect to stay in for a couple of days. They also said that infection was their big worry and that they may knock her out to scrape off the skin from the blisters to try and prevent infection.

A doctor saw her just before 8am this morning and said that things were looking quite good and that this probably wouldn’t happen and that she may be coming home today. Another doctor said the same thing a bit later on, so hopefully it is not as bad as we all feared.

Alexander is away with his Nana and Grandad. I am currently waiting for the call to go and get Alison.

By the way – I did crack the “Bush Fire” jokes last night – and Alison did laugh – I told you that morphine was good stuff!!!

PS – Alison asked me to point out that there will not be any photographs to accompany this posting!