Lumbar Puncture
 

Horriffic. Start to finish a horrible day. Start with low BP and clotting problem,more blood test, lots of new emergency admits, put out of bed and into day room-but that's ok as I'm not in need. Forgotten about.
Reminded them I'm still waiting. Went to main concourse to buy caffeine free tea as trolley on ward has nothing caffeine free on it. Had usual congealed hospital lunch. 2 pm asked again for news. 2:30 more bloods taken, advised it will be about 5 pm for LP. Missed by meal trolley, 5:45 taken for procedure to a treatment room. Couldn't get reference point due to keloid tissue from previous surgeries.lay on left side for first attempt, failed, need more anaesthetic . Had to sit with feet on rails on side of trolley so knees by ears and head and arms resting on a wheeled table. Lots of anaesthetic and got needle in position on third attempt, in excruciating pain and with needle in situ had to lay on left side for tests to be done. Needle adjusted again, pressure tested, needle adjusted again as it was running too slowly. Finally done needle out and I'm spent. Dry heaving with pain. Left on my own in room with no buzzer for 30 mins till doctor came back to take more blood, realised I had no water - need to drink a jug full before you can leave. 20 mins on came back for more clotting bloods and a nurse with a jug. Told not to move for an hour and drink the water. Nothing left where I could reach it, thanks to doctor not moving table within distance.
My other half came to collect me and was told I'd gone home, he text me and I told him I was still in treatment room and couldn't move, get me out of here!
Nurse very embarrassed as they had gone room to room to find me. I had been forgotten on hand over. It was half eight, I was given fluids to drink and my tablets for pain and a sandwich.
Four hours of sleep last night and feeling very rough this morning.
Not quite what I expected.
This morning I got a phone call from ward sister to apologise for my experience.
I hope to goodness they got what they needed because I'm not going thru that ever again! :mad:

It's terrible
 

when you fall through the cracks. Here in the U.S.A., the "baby boom" generation is getting older and sicker. There is not enough parking for cars or chairs in the offices and heaven help you if you need to see your Dr before the sceduled appointment. I guess the cracks are going to get wider. Good Luck, Ken in Texas.

Jeepers! Blairzo - I thought our public health system down here in NZ was rough but that was an ordeal no one should have to go through!

I'm glad you were able to txt your other half to get you out of there - finally. That's one of my concern's as I have no family nearby and have to go into ED etc alone. I now have the phone number of the advocacy service stored on my phone just in case.

Hope you're able to rest up and recover in the days ahead.
Take care

That is just horrendous! I am sorry you had to go through that.:hug:

Call from ward
 

To say sorry for what happened yesterday, it should never have happened.
I told them I was too sore to care right now after only getting 4 hours sleep I wasn't in the right frame of mind to deal with them.
She gave me her name , which I promptly forgot!
I have a life to live. I might need their help in the future so not looking to cause problems. The night shift charge nurse had raised a saftey concern with the day shift because I had been overlooked and no one knew I was there.
She was asking me what paperwork had been filled out, I just didn't know.
Then I got a call from GP saying I need to get an appointment due to blood results on recent discharge from hospital. They want me to see a haematology person because of anaemia and clotting issue. My inr is high but I don't take thinners.
Like usual, I go in to hospital with one thing and collect another whilst I'm there.
I'm hoping to sleep a little better tonight. I had no idea it was so very painful for so long. Not quite the slight discomfort at injection site, more life feels like being kicked by a shire horse!

Post LP problems
 

Can anyone tellme what I can really expect in terms of recovery?
I am still getting pain and weakness in my legs, hissing and deafness or difficulty hearing,dizziness and I'm wiped out.
Is this normal?
I got the headache today but at least I was expecting it and knew what to do.
I was not expecting to get sporadic numbness and tingling nor nerve pains more than I previously had, nor the jaw pain or hearing issues. I on,y took one day off work and I'm supposed to be in on Monday!
Help!!