DH in hospital with Covid

I find the paramedics tend to err on the safe side and nearly always take you in.

On one occasion they didn't, but rang for advice from consultant on duty in A&E first. Under normal circumstances I would have been taken in, but they had to weigh up covid risk vs heart risk.

I have usually been more than happy with the paramedics who attended both my elderly parents, often in the middle of the night.

However, on the advice of my GP I rang 999 for my DH 5 years ago as he was very ill and I could not get him back into bed. The paramedic who came diagnosed flu and refused to take him to hospital. In the end he rang my GP who told he he had to take him in as I could not manage him. It turned out that he had Legionnaires disease and nearly died.

Not all paramedics are sympathetic.

Ok Toad, thank you, it's a fraught area!

I have had cause to call in the ambulance folk several times in the last few years and they have been unfailingly kind and thoughtful, I am glad to say. On only one occasion did they do the wrong thing (in my opinion) but were still pleasant. They are so efficient and professional.

The problems start when you arrive at A&E.........

Fanny, from watching all the ‘Ambulance’ programmes over the last year, one particularly focussed on taking covid patients to hospital, we didn’t see any evidence of ‘ lower grade’ health professionals acting as paramedics, which is what we’re talking about. In the hospitals themselves....yes, I agree, everyone has had had to step up as it were. I understand what you’re saying, but at the end the end of the day, the patients must come first. When I was a nurse, we were always taught, how ever much we were frightened, it was far worse for the patient, and the way VQ and her husband were treated was just not on. We’ll have to just agree to disagree?.

I agree with you Toad!

My son's future SIL works in a Covid ward,where the patients are not expected to survive. She is really struggling and was actually glad when she had to self isolate with her child due to an outbreak in his nursery, as she was at breaking point. She wasn't trained for that to watch patients die on a daily basis.

I’m so sorry to read this. I hope your DH recovers very soon. As a nurse reading this has made me so angry, not only were the ambulance staff extremely unkind but who gives paracetamol to a patient vomiting blood? I know NHS staff are under great pressure but we are trained to deal with it and should always treat patients with care and respect.
About 10 years ago my DS took an overdose and one of the ambulance staff (a woman) was extremely unkind to him. I was there at the time so I wrote to the Chief Executive because I didn’t want anyone else to be treated the same way. She was spoken to, I’ll say no more.

Toad-in-the-hole
I think that they maybe HCPs are currently in situations that they werent trained for.
For example, I've just listened to The Reunion on Radio 4. It was about Michael Rosen and the ICU team who looked after him.
The IC nurses were trained to work with one patient. With Covid they were all working with 6.
There were dental nurses working as IC nurses.
They were losing up to 5 patients in one morning.
They weren't trained for that were they?
I've just learnt that from a 45 minute program. I'm no expert.

Nezumi65. Yes, this is kind of the point I was trying to make. They are well trained. In fact, a friend of my daughter, who is ‘ on the front line’, was saying this is exactly what they’re trained to do, and always have to be aware of contagious diseases. In fact, they are always prepared for it. The public have to really believe there’s a problem before they sit up and take notice, and so many of them don’t. These paramedics probably would have behaved badly, covid or not. When I worked in A and E myself, most were lovely as you’d expect, but like anywhere, you’re going to get the odd one who isn’t. The patient is scared enough, whatever they’ve called the ambulance for. For the crew to make it worse is unacceptable in my view....but it is just my view.

VQ So sorry to hear that you have been so unwell exacerbated by such unkind treatment by the Anbulance service Hopefully that’s all behind you now. and you can concentrate on getting well. Best wishes for a speedy recovery

Glad he’s home VQ now you can breathe again.

Good news that he is home. I hope that you are both able to manage - it must be very hard when you are both feeling unwell. I hope this dreadful bug will be over soon.

Sending good wishes for a speedy recovery- what a horrible frightening experience you had. Glad to hear your DH is home. Get well soon both x

I am pleased to hear your good news. Have a peaceful night. .

Hope you’re both feeling lots better very soon VampireQueen and your awful experience is behind you.
Good wishes too to Travelsafar and anyone else affected by this horrid virus.

Wishing both you and your DH a speedy recovery Vampirequeen

You can also contact your local council, who will also be able to asssit.

anyone stuck without supplies, here is a link to a group of volunteers who will assist :

www.mutualaid.co.uk/p/request-help.html

I’m glad your husband is home and hope he makes a quick recovery.

Fwiw about 5 years ago I had to call an ambulance for my son about 4 times in 6 weeks (seizures). The paramedics varied from really lovely to horrible! More lovely than horrible. But one certainly made us feel quite bad.

This was long before corona so you may just have been unlucky.

VQ Good to hear DH was soon back home.

Do so agree with what FC has just said. 9:10:03

Wishing you both get better and stay that way.

Yes, echoing Green-eyed girl
Hope that you both have a good night's rest.

Just big hugs and a good night’s rest for you both.

I'm late to this thread, and so very sorry to read of the dreadfully worrying time you've had today vq. I'm so pleased that your husband is now home, and wish you both a full and speedy recovery