A better view...

than yesterday :-)

I was still awake at 3am fretting over the antibiotics the consultant wants to prescribe for me to take orally when discharged from hospital.  My research discovered that a new drug safety update from the UK Government's Medicines and Healthcare Product Regulatory Advisory was released just last month.  

As I read it a memory tickled the back of my mind of an article I read last year about an antibiotic that was being blamed for psychiatric reactions in patients, including increased risk of distressing thoughts, self harming and suicide and I remembered at the time thinking I hope I never need this!  

Since I was unable to sleep anyway, I spent the some time getting my questions and thoughts I want to ask the Consultant written down.  That done, exhaustion took over and as my eyes closed, I registered the clock on the wall showed 4am.

Nurse woke me at 7am to do my obs.  All back to normal so looking good for getting home.  Just time to go the loo and brush my teeth before it was time for my last IV antibiotic.  That ran for an hour before I was unhooked and finally free from the drip stand.  At 8am breakfast was served. Cornflakes, toast and jam and a cup of frothy tea :-)

D texted me at 9.00am to ask if I wanted him just to head in so he would be there when the Consultant did his rounds.  A definite yes from me. He arrived just after 9.30am.

Consultant appeared just after 10am.  He confirmed with me that I had received the IV antibiotic, asked how I was feeling (much better thanks :-) and that he was happy with my obs.  Infection under control.  Just the matter of the ongoing course of antibiotics for me to take home.  

Deep breath.....I explained all of my concerns.  He tried to reassure me that the side effects he'd mentioned (snapped tendons) only affected one in 100,000 people.  I counteracted that yes, but if I was that one person, my life would be devastated way beyond what a person with no mobility issues would experience.  Also it's a drug of last resort, so was there definitely no other antibiotic I could take instead.  He turned to his Junior and mentioned another drug.  She immediately got it on screen for him.  He asked if I had any drug allergies...no....I waited with bated breath....well in that case I will prescribe this.  OMG!  I almost jumped on the bed with joy!  What a relief.  

He confirmed I could go home and he would put a note on my medical record that if I felt at all unwell over the next few days I could call my GP/NHS24 and they would arrange to have me re-admitted.  That's reassuring.  And he was gone.

The charge nurse came to confirm my prescription had been amended and I could go once the pharmacy had delivered my prescription to the ward.  D popped down to the RVS cafe and brought back bacon rolls and coffee to celebrate.

Got my bag packed, dressed and waited.  Prescription finally arrived just after 4pm.  Nurse removed my cannula, went over the pertinent information on my discharge sheet and we were off out into the sunshine. The ward is so warm, the fresh air on my face was absolute bliss!  And so lovely to see the late afternoon winter sun falling on Strathearn valley.

Home and into the shower, which also felt fabulous.  Nothing like a stay in hospital, no matter how short, to make one fully appreciate one's home comforts.

D made pizza for dinner.  My appetite still isn't great but I enjoyed what I had.  Tesco online delivery done.  Normal service has been resumed.  Hopefully :-)))