Need some cheering up. Headed for my 5th A&E visit in 2 weeks.

Flippin’ heck blokeuptheroad, you are really going through it. That whole experience sounds terrifying. Particularly the uncontrolled bleeding.

Hope your biopsy goes well mate. I’ve got mine tomorrow (PSA 374, bla, bla, bla).

Don’t be on your own again until this bleeding is fixed. I’m happy to come and sit with you… but live near Stockport so need plenty of notice!

Feel for you mate. I was in Hereford a couple of weeks ago with a TIA, the folk that work there are ace! Even with them asking for my BP and blood sugar every hour during the night!!

But you are in the best place despite all the issues that the NHS have at the moment.

OMG blockuptheroad – what a trauma.

I wish you all the best. Good job you seem to be calm and rational.

bunnyhop x

@stanley call me or nbt if you need anything – you know where we are.

Good luck to you both.

Thanks all

@stanley that is an incredible offer, I welled up when I read that! This place is awesome? I do have family and friends relatively close I can call on though. All the very best for you biopsy message me if you want a chat, I’d say phone but it’s a bit awkward at the mo. I’m in with ENT now. Talk of blood transfusion and 3rd operation, TBC

All change. Seen ENT consultants.  Swelling has gone right down, bleeding stopped some time ago. HB shows blood loss but not sufficient for a transfusion.  Still on antibiotics in case of infection. Risk/benefit analysis of stabilise and monitor or open my head up for the third time. They went with the former. Pressure dressing applied. Having a fry up in the hospital cafe and kicking my heels for a couple of hours ’til the wife collects me. Light duties on the sofa ’til I come back here for a follow up on Wednesday.

I was really, really grateful for this place in the wee small hours when I was properly crapping myself, as a place to vent and talk (type). Thanks all, you’re ace.

“Great news” mate if you know what I mean.

I echo the sentiment about this place in the dark of night, I found it very useful too.

Hopefully you will be well on the mend now buddy.

Rest up, you’ve lost a lot of blood and take it easy. Have the checked for any more glass fragments.

Poopscoop amen! Thanks mate

Rest up, you’ve lost a lot of blood and take it easy. Have the checked for any more glass fragments

Thanks, will do.  The consultant I saw today was the one who did my last op.  She’s convinced they got the glass last time and the issue is just the plethora of veins, arteries and blood vessels in that part of your head. They had great difficulty doing a soft tissue X-ray to see the two remaining tiny grains of glass last time and only managed because my hematoma was huge and it pushed them far enough from my skull to get an angie to see them on X-ray. Now the swelling has gone right down, they probably wouldn’t be able to do it.

I was going to bring you a sandwich, but I’m sure your wife will now. 😊👍
Glad you’ve got some positive direction.

Maybe we can have a whip round for a new vase?

Maybe we can have a whip round for a new vase?

😂

Thanks for the sandwich thought, but fry up duly despatched! I didn’t eat from yesterday afternoon in case of GA/op so was ravenous.

Maybe we can have a whip round for a new vase?

Probably better to have a whip-round for a crime scene cleaner for his mates carpet

Blimey
Sounds like you are lucky to be alive.
Waiting and waiting for an ambo knowing you desperately need a surgeon must be proper scary.
I think this will be the new normal for a while though.
Hopefully they can get at any remaining glasd shards and re seal the artery.

Samosas sound good! But will hold off in case they need to operate

Probably for the best. You wouldn’t want to risk slipping into a korma.

Having a fry up in the hospital cafe

I’ve not had one in there since pre COVID, the sausage sarnies were good!
I’m on annual leave this week otherwise I’d have popped over to peer at your wound. If you’re back next week let me know. I know where all the best places for cake are!

Probably for the best. You wouldn’t want to risk slipping into a korma

Deserved 👏👏👏👏

I’m on annual leave this week otherwise I’d have popped over to peer at your wound. If you’re back next week let me know. I know where all the best places for cake are!

I’m back on Wednesday for a follow outpatients at the ENT clinic if you fancy meeting for a coffee.

Probably for the best. You wouldn’t want to risk slipping into a korma

😂 Much needed chuckle, ta muchly!

Glad to read you’ve seen the specialist and are in good hands. Please update the thread after Wednesday.

Blimey a very scary situation to be in!

Unfortunately it’s not necessarily that there are not enough ambulances, more the fact they are sat outside A&E waiting to off load patients

Unfortunately one of the hospitals you mention routinely has 50+ people who are fit for discharge every day, this has a knock on effect to every ambulance arriving

Make sure you have someone close to hand in case you need rushing in again.

Hope you get sorted

@FunkyDunc thanks.  The West Mids ambulance staff were superb and I had a long chat with them on the hour or journey to Hereford.  They confirmed exactly that, they weren’t particularly stretched, they just faced huge queues to unload at most of their destinations. As it happened I didn’t have to wait in the ambulance at Hereford, but I was never really dealt with because it was just swamped with dozens of cases and some very serious. They quoted a 6-8 hour wait, but I spoke to people who’d been there 10 hours, some quite clearly in a lot of pain.  They effectively just discharged me early without any treatment because they couldn’t deal with me. The ambulance crew had stopped the bleed so that was it.

My wife is now home and my son is staying over for a couple of days to help if needed. I am laid flat and taking things very slowly. I think I am still feeling the effects of blood loss – dizziness etc when I stand up. I am taking iron supplements and trying to eat healthily and keep fluid intake up.  I am also trying very hard not to exert myself which I think is what caused the vein to pop and bleed.  I am basically acting like I’m still in hospital and will do for the next few days at least.

@funkmansterp, I will do, thanks 👍

Take care, whilst your body will have replaced much of the fluids, it will take time for your red blood cell count to get back to normal, a few weeks I think, so you’ll be running a bit low.

Good to hear that things are improving.

It will be a while before I can put a motorbike helmet on!

Don’t walk down any stairs in the dark until you can!