Stinkypup

So with the 3 of pups abroad over in Blighty, I decided hmm let's test drive the NHS and see if it is struggling as they say it is. Left flank pain and worsening flu like symptoms- I have had kidney stones since 18 (yeah - 3 years) and presuming I was passing one and getting a bit septic, started antibiotics and strongish pain killers- 2 days later- no better, tried out a GP surgery- they were very pleasant- different antibiotics. Six hours later - bad pain, feeling like I had been run over by a train, rocketed temperature and new fun feature, repeatedly vomiting got Snoop a tad concerned and she called for an urgent ambulance.

Despite telling the call handler that she and I were experienced GPs giving her a cracking clear history, took 27 minutes of discussions with the initial call-taker working through her gazillion questions ( many irrelevant)off screens talking to me ( feeling tbh like a bag of shite). I then had to repeat the process with a paramedic! If we had used just three words "He is septic" it would have opened that magic lock to an urgent ambulance.
They came, assessed, gave me some morphine and hightailed to the nearest hospital.

Seen with 5 minutes- assessed, put on high risk sepsis protocol blood cultures, IV fluids and antibiotics stat- CT scan done in 20 minutes- reported in 40 minutes, transported to Resus area in the A&E to keep close eye on me as temp 39.6 and heart rate 133 then up to surgical ward whole hospital has individual rooms!

The scan showed left kidney mankily infected with part blocked off due to multiple stones) - for those eating a meal...
Sadly whilst I could watch Homes under the hammer in my own room with bathroom etc, they didn't have the necessary urologists so had to transfer to their sister hospital 20 minutes down the road.

To cut a long story short, it took 48 hours of nil by mouth and an IV drip with antibiotics and my bloody hero sorted me out- a surgeon with real expertise in stone disease managed to fragment the four large stones and unblocked the kidney with a bad-ass laser but then had to stent my ureter so it doesn't block off passing the bits. Now every time I tiddle it hurts like a b!tch til I get the stent removed back home after we return. We were insured, they pounced on me living overseas and not having an active NHS number- insurance company contacted-they were great- they will thankfully hopefully cover all costs incurred after leaving the A&E dept.

Heading off to the Lake District tomorrow, a day late to hook up with Snoop's family though probably won't be allowed to lug my camera gear up the hills on long hikes under orders of my accompanying bossy Doctor Snoop.

One good thing that came out of all this was that we were planning a day trip to London on Wednesday- initially the British Museum, then a camera shop nearby and then finish off at Churchill's war rooms at Westminster..... Good old kidney stone

Morals - Doctors shouldn't treat themselves differently to their patients
When you really need it, the NHS protocols effectively streamlines the processes involving genuinely sick patients and gets them through the system fast when needed and for that I am hugely grateful. Snoop is quite please too
We would have been treated as fast in BC, but being a local GP may skew the waiting time down due to possible preferential treatment. Would we have had such a specialised skilled surgeon?-no, I doubt that- they would be based in Vancouver.

Shard

Bloody Okanagan health tourists, comin' over here, usin' our NHS with their expert knowledge and taking a sneaky shots of morphine to boot.

Sounds horrendous, but glad to hear you are on the mend. Don't worry about the Lake District hills, they're not going anywhere, and quite enjoyable from lake level as well.

bats

Ugh, what an ordeal. Glad to hear that radiology were on the ball. Enjoy a restful time for the rest of your holiday. No more cola and chocolate for you,.

I almost had an NHS encounter last Friday. I tripped on a tiny step coming out of the back door of the British Museum. Managing to bash a hand, shoulder, and knee. Surprisingly,well it surprised me, I could stand and hobble. Security guards helped me back into the museum and parked me on a seat while first aiders with cold packs were sent for. They took forever wrestling supplies from the mummies so I begged a cold drinks can from the refreshment stand. That worked well. So now I'm back home nursing a swollen and bruised leg and an improving rotator cuff injury. On a good note I have some scabs to pick at, I do like a good scab picking session.

R I C H

Sorry to hear of your health problems. I have had very similar symptoms and issues on 2 occasions while living in BC, and unfortunately not had treatment anywhere near as fast.

Both times I have been left in ER, curled up in a foetal position with pain and waited over 4 hours before any treatment with an IV and morphine being administered. I did manage to get similar laser treatment at the Kamloops hospital the same day though, and was discharged within a couple of hours of coming round from the anaesthetic.

Hope you're feeling much better soon - have fun removing the stent

Alan2005

I went to ER back in October last year. Arrived 10:45pm, left 11:30pm after being sorted out. Was very impressed with the level of service given that I have to wait longer than that at a GP even with an appointment. Damn GPs, always booking 20 people at the same time just in case 19 of them don't turn up.

withabix

When are they sending you the bill?

I believe you're not entitled to free NHS care after being out of the UK for more than 3 months??

Oakvillian

I think that was addressed in the post:

scrubbedexpat091

Pits getting ill while on vacation. Hope your feeling better.

Oink

That sounds a nightmare. Glad you've been seen to and are on the mend.

withabix

Somehow I missed that bit lol

fnorman

Just mentioning, in case anyone was not aware of the rule change 2 years ago, that before April 2015 if you were a UK state pensioner who lived in a non-EEA country, and had lived lawfully in the UK for at least 10 continuous years in the past, then you were eligibile to NHS hospital treatment needed promptly for a condition arising after arrival in the UK. For more details see https://www.gov.uk/government/news/n...ns-to-nhs-care

Piff Poff

Hope you feel better

Howefamily

Sounds like a nightmare with good care. Hope you are on the mend now

BristolUK

I remember you said that back in January...but you were right this time
Good lord...I was only reading they were trying to pay more attention to that in the NHS a couple of weeks ago. Someone must have read the same report in the guardian.

Must be weird having a doctor as a patient.

Stinkypup

I would rather have been a normal tourist , just not in London

Had you hit the Pimms a bit early? They had plenty of bandages in the Egyptian room to help you out- was it good, the museum, not your poorly joints?

Thanks, that sounds barbaric- they are supposed to triage appropriately- you need a rip roaring sepsis so just dick around for a few days before you go inlike I did
Sadly I have experienced all types of treatments for stones with multiple stents

They are the greedy buggers



What because of our two hearts and interchangeable private parts?