Hello and welcome to the home of Word of the Week. A nice and simple weekly linky, with everyone welcome to pop by and share. The idea of the linky is to reflect back on your past week and share it with us. It’s great if you can sum it up in a word or phrase, hence giving us your Word of the Week. My word this week is ‘Blue Lights’ and you can read more about that below.
I’m not totally strict on using just a word or phrase. But please try to stick to the theme of summing up your week. There are not too many rules with this linky, just remember to read at least another couple of posts in the link up after adding your link. I will read and comment on all posts and tweet them out for you. I also have a Pinterest board devoted to Word of the Week and I will add posts to Mix Please add the badge below to your post so that others may find us and join in. If you comment or tweet then please use the hashtag #WotW
Word of the Week is open from 6am on Friday Morning to 12 noon on Monday. Plenty of time to join in!
If you are unfamiliar with the Word of the Week linky then please feel free to ask any questions. New linkers are always welcome, we love to hear what you have been up to in the past week.
MY WORD OF THE WEEK – Blue Lights
Blue lights is generally the term given to ambulances and other emergency services. This week we had an ambulance to our home for me. I’d been in pain for a while and it just wasn’t getting better. I’d already seen the GP who gave me a gel but it didn’t help at all. So my eldest daughter phoned 111 while Graham was at his Mum’s. They sent an ambulance straight away. I told them I didn’t think I needed one but they said my pain description and the position of it in my chest, warranted a category 2. I was expecting it to take hours but within 10 minutes there were blue lights outside our home. Graham had not even had time to come back from his Mum’s house.
After checking me over they established it wasn’t my heart, which is what I thought. But it also wasn’t gastric. So they were concerned and wanted to take me to hospital. it was the last thing I wanted but we came to an agreement that Graham would take me and they would give me a letter than granted me ambulance passage (no waiting in A&E to be assessed a second time.) The reason being I was showing all the signs of a pulmonary embolism and it could only be checked at hospital.
So, off I went and four hours later I’d had several more tests and a xray and I did not have a pulmonary embolism. I do have scarring on my lungs which I didn’t have before and they think it is from when I had Covid last October. But that wasn’t what was causing my pain. Basically, they have no idea why I’m experiencing this pain so I guess it’s just another part of my condition, i.e. my chest muscles are stiffening. It could get better, it could get worse. Time will tell.
I can’t fault the NHS for their service to me this week though. And last week when Boo was poorly, she was seen by a GP almost immediately. We see a lot in the news lately about the strikes and I have to say that I fully support them. The NHS is failing but it’s not their fault and I believe by standing up for their rights to better pay and working conditions can only improve things. Before the pandemic, and dare I say, before Brexit, I was on wards with lots of staff on rotation. Hospitals were busy but appointment times were shorter. During Covid I also spent time in hospital and there was even more staff as more had been persuaded back to work to cope with the pandemic. But this was temporary, and now I’ve seen first hand how stretched the service is. Something needs to be sorted and soon.
I always feel so guilty when I take up emergency services, but at least I know now that my pain isn’t something that needs urgent medical care. It could still be life threatening, but there isn’t an answer or cure.
Now it’s over to you, what word or phrase sums up your week this week?
Sending massive hugs. I feel so sad that your and your families health problems are never ending. What a worry for you over the past week. There’s me complaining on my blog about a couple of sore arms and you are going through this. I hope you are in less pain now. It sounds like the NHS has been amazing for you all. x
Thank you Kim x Pain is relative, I felt sorry for you and your suffering with your arm it sounds really painful. I hope you are feeling a bit better now x
I’m so sorry to hear that you have that horrible pain and had to go to the hospital. I really hope that you feel better soon. I was watching TV and flicking channels the other day and I flicked onto the news. Normally I switch it off because I don’t like the news but it caught my attention because they were talking about Stiff Person Syndrome. The news story was about a pregnant lady who has just recently been diagnosed with it. They were saying how hard it was to reach that diagnosis but ever since Celine Dion has been diagnosed. Doctors are more aware of it now which I think is a very good thing. Hopefully, people won’t have such a difficult time getting a diagnosis. Sending much love and hope that everything is ok xx
awareness is everything, I know so many people in my support groups who have been contacted to appear on television and in magazines about Stiff Person Syndrome since Celine Dion’s diagnosis. It can only be a good thing (but obviously not for those who have it.) x
I’m so glad you got the care and tests that you needed, so quickly. Worrying time for you all. I hope you are in less pain now. Interesting that you are seeing a real difference in staffing numbers over the last few years. Wishing you and your family a healthy week ahead.
I’m so glad that you are back home. It must have been quite a scare. I hope you are feeling much better now mate.
You and your family have had so much crap thrown at you (health-wise), keeping everything crossed that things pick up and give you all a break!
Lots of love xx
I am so sorry you ended up in the hospital, at least they checked everything even if they could’t find the cause. I hope your weekend has been a little quieter and you are feeling better.
So sorry to hear that you were in so much pain. It’s great that they took such good care of you and have ruled out heart problems and an embolism. Thank good ness you didn’t have to wait too long for an ambulance. I hope you’re feeling better now – sending hugs.
#MMBC
So sorry that you ended up in hospital with chest pain Anne, hope that it has eased now and glad that it wasn’t your heart or a pulmonary embolism. Glad that you’ve had good service from the NHS this week – they are so stretched at the moment aren’t they? I’m with you on supporting the reasons why staff are striking – better pay and working conditions are much needed. Sending gentle hugs your way and hope you are feeling better. #WotW
I’m so sorry to hear that you have that horrible pain and had to go to the hospital. I really hope that you feel better soon.
So sorry to read that you were in pain. I’m glad you got the NHS treatment you needed quickly. Never feel guilty when you are in pain that you don’t know the reason for. I think people do need to be educated on when to call an ambulance, well to be honest it’s common sense but you totally did the right thing. It’s great that they can give you a letter to fast-track you through A&E too as that then frees then up quickly #WotW