Monday at the A&E (Part 1)

 It's been over a week now since my Fall outdoors last Friday; in which both my right foot and my left knee got badly bruised - and led to me spending a full day in the Accident & Emergency department of our hospital on the following Monday. I managed a "mini" update here on Tuesday, but a fuller version has just had to wait, as I've been too tired. 

As it's a long story of a long day, I've now decided to do it in two parts. 

Here we go:

On Monday Morning (13 Oct) at 9:15(-9:45) I had a pre-booked appointment for an annual (although at least 18 months since the last one!) follow-up of this and that with a new GP at my primary Health Care Centre (located in the city centre). Normally walking distance for me, but now I realised I'd better take a taxi. (Pre-booked to arrive at 8:45 outside my building, and only 5-10 min drive to the HHC.)

I'd never met this doctor before but immediately liked her; she was fairly young (certainly compared to me!) and seemed both sympathetic and efficient. I decided to start with informing her about my recent accident; and after going through my list of prescriptions (to be renewed), she prioritised taking a look at my injuries rather than measuring my blood pressure right then and there. She said that could be followed up by a nurse later. 

My bruises had kept spreading over the weekend, so by now my whole right foot was rather blue; while my left leg was showing quite an impressive display of various shades of red, blue and purple both over and below the knee. After visual inspection + a good deal of poking and prodding, the GP decided to refer me straight up the hospital for x-rays, in case there were some hidden fractures after all. - She did not specify how to get myself there; but there aren't all that many steps to walk from the Health Care Centre to a bus stop from where I could to take an ordinary bus straight uphill to the hospital. And knowing the distances involved, I saw no problem with choosing that over calling a taxi again. 

I had to wait for a while in the Radiology department waiting room, but actually that particular part of that day's adventures took less time than I had expected. On the other hand - everything after that took a lot longer! 

The x-ray itself was quick, but what I had not really counted on was then being ordered to go to the A&E to wait for the results. And even less that I'd  be spending the whole rest of the day there, and not be home until 8 pm... 

 

Photo taken 11:27, looking back at the main entrance of the hospital as I went round the outside to the A&E. 

Approaching the A&E (Swedish: Akutmottagning) at 11:29.

After registering at the reception, I sat in their main waiting room for a while; but it did not take all that long before a nurse came and brought me + a few others (probably also waiting for x-ray analyses) to another, smaller waiting room. No info about how long I might have to wait there, though. But in retrospect I get that staff can't have had a clue either... They were having a very busy day, and my case obviously wasn't of the highest priority (I could see that for myself!). 

I think it must have been around 2:30 pm that I went out to the nurses' desk in the corridor and said, “excuse me, but I've been waiting a long time now, and I've not had anything to eat since breakfast around 7 am”... 

Not much they could do about the waiting as such, but I was then brought a cup of tea and a sandwich. And almost immideately after, I was taken to an examination room where (after finishing my tea and sandwich, which came with me!) I could lie down on a bed instead, to wait for a doctor. That took a good while again - but at least I was more comfortable now, and had had something to eat. 

14:47 in consulting room, waiting for doc 

At last a doctor did come (rather young, and very sympathetic) - but only to tell me that unfortunately there was some "ambiguity" on the x-rays of my knee, which meant that they needed to do a CT scan as well. This time I would not have to walk all the way back up to Radiology again, though, but would be transported lying on the bed... I'd have to wait again for that of course; and for that, my bed was rolled out into the corridor. But at least I was now waiting more comfortably than sitting on a hard chair in a waiting room!

To be continued...