Monday at the A&E (Part 2)

 (Continued from my previous post.)

To wait for transport back up to Radiology for the supplementary CT scan, my bed was rolled out from the consulting room into the corridor; and there I lay for quite a while. I had kind of stopped looking at my watch by now, but some photos snapped now and then with my phone show the time. While waiting, I also managed a short post on FB on my phone for Swedish friends... Struck me that it might be good if at least a few local friends knew the situation – in case I might need to ask for help from someone with something...! 

 

 

15:50, still waiting in corridor for transport back up to Radiology for CT scan.

 

The doctor who referred me to the CT scan came back for a short visit (in the corridor) at the end of his own work shift (I don't recall the exact time) to tell me that another doctor would be taking over and give me the results. “You're in luck, he's an orthopedist and better than me at these things!” was his farewell promise... 

At 17:17, still waiting for transport to CT scan, 
I was brought a second cup of tea + sandwich.

Once up at Radiology again, the scan was quickly done. But then of course I had to wait again for transport back down to the A&E...
 

Radiology corridor, 18:17

Radiology corridor, 18:27

As entertainment in the Radiology corridor, I had a handyman of some sort fixing some electrics around me... He apologised, but I said never mind - watching a bit of "action" was quite welcome as a change to all the waiting!  

18:47 - back in the A&E corridor

Some time between 18:27 and 18:47 I was brought back down to A&E again. 

Transporter to Nurse (shouting): "Where do you want her?" 
Nurse (probably pointing): "I've become used to having her in that corridor." 
Me: "Yes, I'm feeling quite at home here now..." 

By then I had sort of accepted the situation, and was “happy” (hm) just to be allowed to keep my bed... I even managed to get some passing nurse to bring me a pillow (until then I'd been using my own jacket rolled up). All day I was also able to get up and visit the toilet by myself when needed (several times!). (I had brought one of my walking poles with me from home in the morning, for extra support when walking.) 

Lying for hours in corridors with bright lights, constant beeping, and people running to and fro all the time, is not exactly peaceful, though... 

The 18:47 photo is from looking up at a reflection in some kind of round mirror-thingy in the ceiling. It's actually me lying under that blue blanket. The mirror perespective feels so confusing for my brain now that I feel need to edit it to "normal", though:

That's better - now the image fits with my memories! :)

Eventually (must have been around 7 pm), the orthopedist turned up. He summed up that they had found no fractures in my right foot, but there was still some doubt about how to interpret a certain spot on the x-rays of my left knee. He said it might possibly indicate a small bone fragment of "come loose" (??) in some way? But they could not say for sure. Like the previous doctor he again also patted and prodded both my knee (left) and foot (right) in various ways before finally "letting me go" – with (stern but vague!) instructions not to try any “long” walks for at least 3-4 weeks. When I asked him to specify  “long”, he said like around 3+ km (2 miles). Which to me means, for example, all the way into town + back; a distance I do normally walk at least a couple of times a week. Ah well... Honestly I don't think I'm going to feel very tempted (physically) to try that for a while anyway... 

19:17, back in the reception area waiting for "ambulance taxi" back home (which they ordered for me from the A&E). When it arrived - around 19:40 - that turned out to be a kind of mini-bus, transporting several passengers at the same time (to different addresses). I first thought "oh no..." - but I turned out lucky, as the driver drove to my address first  (I guess all the others must have lived further away). So I was back home around 20:00 (8 pm).

 ---

PS. Everyone all day seemed as mystified as myself as to how I'd been able to contract my bruises in the places where they obviously were/are. Before they first x-rays in the morning, the staff preparing for that came out to me in the corridor to "double-check" with me if  my GP had really got it right on the referral? Right foot, and left knee?? When bandages were removed, though, they could see for themselves... Bruises almost all over my right foot and ankle, but nothing higher up on that leg. But big bruises just about all over my left leg (front and sides) - except for the foot!

So, that's the end of my story about last Monday at the A&E. Can hardly believe that a whole week has actually gone by since then! 

In the upcoming week, one thing on my list is to tackle getting acquainted with a new Health Care app for digitally reporting my blood pressure to a nurse at the HCC. (I've got as far as managing to download the app to my phone; but then I put off the rest. It's very possible that my bp medication does need some adjusting - but basing that on values from the past extremely unusual kind of week would probably not be optimal either!)

 

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... 

Clown Care

 

Today I had an appointment at the hospital - just a standard mammography screening, of which I must have had some 15-20 over the past 30 years. The very first time, back when I was 40, I experienced the scare of getting called back afterwards, to also do an ultrasound... Thankfully, it turned out to be nothing. Since then, no repeat of that - but the memory still pops to mind for me every time! I'm in no particular risk group myself, but I have had enough friends suffering from breast cancer over the years (and some dying from it) to not take anything for granted...

When this year I got an appointment for 5 February I was half counting on having to re-schedule because of snow or ice or whatever. But the snow that fell over the weekend melted away again, and today we had sun and blue skies, and temperatures well over 0'C. My appointment was at 13:35 (1:35 pm), and there's a direct (although kind of "roundabout") bus from my part of town all the way to the hospital; so I had no trouble getting there. I even kind of enjoyed the bus ride as it took me along some streets/roads I don't see very often nowadays - but used to see all the more of during the years when the hospital was also my place of work! (I worked as medical secretary for a number of years.)

The photo above shows the main entrance. Just about the first thing I saw when I got inside was a couple of very oddly dressed characters... And what on earth were they doing??

Clowns blowing soap bubbles - and catching the attention of a small boy. :)

I have heard of hospital clowns, but I don't think I've seen any live in action before. Wikipedia has an article entitled Clown Care and it seems that this is something practiced world-wide now.

They parody the hospital routine to help children adapt to their surroundings, they also distract from and demystify painful or frightening procedures. The atmosphere of fun and laughter can help children forget about the illness and the stress for a moment.   -  Research on the physiological health benefits of laughter has been conducted for decades and continues to be carried out by medical physicians internationally. There is also a growing group of researchers that are exploring the psychological benefits of laughter, and specifically the work of Clown-Doctors. [Wikipedia]

Can't say I've ever been a really huge fan of clowns (or circus) myself, but this little boy did seem to enjoy the sudden appearance of bubbles, anyway.

A little while later, in a corridor on the floor above, I also saw the same little boy drawn to this playful zebra sculpture. Whatever else he was there for, I hope the bubbles and the zebra served as good distractions. :)  (In a way, I suppose they did even for me!!)

My own examination was as usual no "fun", but it was over very quickly; and then I was free to leave. I ended up taking a different bus downhill to the city centre, and then walked the rest of the way home from there. (All in all I wasn't away from home for more than a couple of hours.)

Uphill and Downhill

 

Yesterday, for the first time since the corona outbreak, I had reason to visit the hospital. Thankfully nothing serious; just a routine breast screening (to which all women of a certain age span get summoned every 2 years or so). However, as two previous invitations back in the early summer had been withdrawn and rescheduled, and noticing that this one was scheduled for Friday the 13th, I half expected a last-minute cancellation once again... (Superstitious? Me?? Nooo...)  ;)

But when my phone pinged a text message the day before, it was only to remind me of the appointment, though. The time was 10:10, and the invitation said - a bit unusual, and obviously corona-related:  Wear a face mask, and do not be more than 10 minutes early...

Usually, I'm one of those people who prefer being half an hour early rather than risk being five minutes late... Which in this case means I had been planning on taking a bus that would have arrived at the hospital half an hour early.

However, as I'm also a rather obedient person, I found a compromise: Walk to to the station/travel centre (15 min) and then take a bus from there that would arrive at the hospital ~9:55, giving me 5 minutes to get to the right waiting room inside, just on time...

That worked out perfectly, and left no time for unnecessary loitering about in eerily empty-looking hospital foyers and corridors. I'd hardly sat down in the waiting room before I was called in; and the routine procedure was soon over as well. 

Already at 10:16 (according to my mobile camera), I was back outside, snapping the above photo of the main hospital building. Built in 1930; and since then, innumerable extensions have been added, and extra separate buildings at the back as well. The main entrance and reception area is nowadays on the ground floor of the modern wing sticking up to the right in the photo. However, just now they seem to be referring most patients to proceed directly to their respective clinic, instead of registering at the main desk.

Back around the more recent turn of century, I used to work at this hospital, as secretary. After work, I often used to walk downhill to the city centre; from where I would then usually take the bus the last bit home. 'Home' back then was on top of another hill...

I decided to walk downhill on this occasion too, and snap some photos with my phone, to try and give you an idea of how hilly Borås really is. (You don't normally get to see all that much of all the "ups and downs" here on my blog, as nowadays I live in the flat central parts of it, and my favourite walks are along the river...) 

My preferred walk downtown from the hospital was/is through an older part of town which I think is also usually considered kind of "posh" - a quiet area with well-maintained old houses and gardens, and also little parks here and there in between.

Having come this far, I decided to make a little detour - instead of just crossing the street here and continue downwards, I turned right for another block or two, to pay a visit to the old water tower (built1900). The tower is situated on top of an extra hill, surrounded by a park of its own, and rather resembling a little castle or fort.

 

Walking down the stairs from the water tower; and then looking back up...

Continuing downtown, and snapping photos of various buildings.

 

Turning round and looking back toward the water tower, now far behind me uphill...

Sideways, we're now at the same level as the big church from the early 1900s, and behind that the Culture Centre with library and art museum (recently visited in other posts). Not yet "downtown" though...

Passing an old school building.

 Another building that caught my eye. We're still going downwards...

Another set of stairs, and we're just one more slightly sloping block away from the main square and flat ground, though. The red building with the tower is the old court house, seen from the back.

 

Quickly Changing Skies

After a quick visit to the hospital on Tuesday, the sun was shining when I came back out; and I decided to walk from there “downtown” (it’s all downhill from there to the town centre). 

I did not have my camera with me, but I had my good mobile phone, so I decided to take some photos for the blog. There are some very nice (and kind of ‘posh’) old houses and gardens in that part of town.

It was one of those days when the skies change very quickly, though. I hadn’t walked very far before dark clouds began gathering.

By the time I was passing by the early 20th century church halfway down the hill, it was raining. Rather a cold shower it was, too!

Luckily, the community centre with library, theatre, art museum and café was close by… So I decided to seek shelter there and have lunch and a cup of tea while waiting for the rain to pass.

After I had finished my lunch (a delicious chicken casserole) it was still raining, so I decided to also take a peek at the current exhibitions in the Art Museum.

I have to admit though, that I find it rather difficult to really appreciate works like these:

Or even this:

… even if the red makes it more cheerful, and I guess it might liven up for example a boring corridor – but does that make it Art? (just asking!)

The one below, however, I liked, even if not cheerful:

Actually at first that man on the floor looked three-dimensional to me – but on closer inspection he turned out to be as flat as the background painting on the wall!

Eventually it did stop raining, and I could continue my walk downtown.

New apartment blocks being built.

(Enlarged and ‘HDR-edited’ section from the same photo to show you the decoration on the green wall.)

The sky still looked rather dramatic when I got down to the river in the town centre, and I decided to take a bus the last bit back home.

All in all this was a Good Day for me, though; because what happened at the hospital in the first place was that I had that ‘mole’ thing on my neck removed, which had been a kind of hovering cloud on my personal sky for months. When at long last I finally got to see the dermatologist, diagnosis and treatment only took about five minutes! It was not a cancerous growth, but a benign sebhorreic keratosis. Most of it came off easily and then she applied cryotherapy (liquid nitrogen) on the rest – and now, 4½ days later, it’s all gone.

So honestly – it hasn’t really bothered me that the Midsummer weekend too has been rather cloudy and rainy and on the chilly side. It’s been good anyway!

 

Friday My Town

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections