steelcityman

The holiday got off to a good start, a good start indeed! in fact, the only good thing so far (as far as holidays go) Was the great hotel, The Park hotel, the food is/was excellent and the staff went the extra mile at all times. The single most enjoyable thing of my stay so far was, after the grueling journey down, the sight of the barman pulling a pint of Perrone lager as I entered the hotel lobby … I had one as soon as I was booked in !!! MEMORABLE !! The first evening meal I had was a grilled fillet of Salmon with veg and the most wonderful dressing ever. Then it was retired to my room for a shower and rest. I fell asleep and didn’t wake up until midnight, at which point I got into bed and woke up to a drizzly overcast morning at 5 am. I declined to go on the pre-booked excursion and spend the day in the Park hotel, in the bar of course, writing the steelcityman blog. Not a drop passed my lips that weren’t Tea or Latte!!

The Whatever bit in the title began as I was eating dinner that evening, ruining what was supposed to be a nice holiday. Started with a big sweat, then a heavy feeling in the chest with a pain radiating down the left arm. Of course, I recognised the symptoms straight away having had 2 MI’sbefore, I thought, “Oh, No here comes another Heart attack.” …. Back to my room I went, had a squirt or two of my GTN spray, and laid on the bed to rest. Well, the pain didn’t abate so I rang reception and they got an emergency ambulance on the way, Lickety Split and I finished up at the North Devon District A&E department.. I was seen quite quickly and then spent the rest of the night in the Emergency room waiting for a bed. I can’t praise the Paramedics enough, they were a real credit to the National Health Service and were very skilled and professional. I was feeling pretty ropey at this time and much of the comings and goings went by unnoticed by me. I know that when a bed became available to me I was taken to the medical Assessment ward where I am at present. (Hospital Wi-Fi is brilliant).

After causing several waves of panic… mainly with me! Due to crazy heart rhythms and more chest pain, The Cardiologist came to seem and said due to my past medical history he was sending me to Exeter for an Angiogram. NOW COMES THE CRUNCH !!! If he does that he will keep me in for a few extra days to monitor my recovery … which means … I will miss my return coach to Sheffield Tomorrow!!! I am frantically trying to arrange transport to get me home otherwise it will be a 24 hr job traveling by train with numerous changes.

The saving graces of being in this hospital are, because I’m ill and in need of medical care, I’m in the right place to be whilst ill …. The other saving grace of being in the Pilton Hilton, as the nurses call it, is the staff and nurses (and the doctors) who work here. They are without exception a very professional and caring lot as well as very friendly and knowledgable. One young woman ‘LYNDSE” is a student nurse gaining her qualifications. Her dedication shines like a beacon, a great sense of humour, and possesses the ability to ‘get on’ with patients and put them at ease. Essential in any caring profession. She will go far in her chosen profession. I think I’m a bit in love with her !!! Another nurse who deserves a mention is ‘DIYA’ who has taken the student nurse under her wing…such a professional, as is the Healthcare assistant who works alongside them, ‘LOIS’ All wonderful people and a credit to the NHS…..So I say Thank you for looking after me.

We have several other patients in the small ward, 1 lady and three other males, one of whom keeps trying to escape from his bed but bless him, he can hardly get out of bed !! He keeps the night shift on their toes I can tell you. One other saving grace is that I have my lapto in hospital with me so the blog can continue, even though it’s not the blog I envisaged doing…… Enjoy peeps, it’s now nearly tea time….Just enough time for forty or fifty winks before they tickle my palette with the delights of hospital food (not !!)