The best laid plans

As we all know, even the best laid plans can go astray, so when I get a call on Saturday to say that Dad is being taken into hospital I just know it’s going to be a case of all change. My plans focused on getting Mark set up with a load of new gear so that he can comfortably and safely commute between home and university on his scooter, as planned. Winter is coming (this week if the weatherman can be believed) and he needed some proper boots (to replace trainers) trousers (to replace thin walking waterproofs) helmet & jacket(old ones are 3 years old, tatty and the helmet has a bit of a niff) and gloves (tin/cold and leaky). Well we managed to get everything except the gloves sorted before getting the phone call from mother. It was then a dash back to Derby, drop Mark off, get down to the bungalow and help get dad on the stretcher and into the ambulance. Then, with mother on board I followed the ambulance up to the hospital and went in to check dad in.

Now everything had gone smoothly and really quite well (this is the 4th time we’ve done this so we are getting well practised at it) until the point where the doctor comes and starts quizzing dad. He’s hardly coherent, but, the (Italian/Spanish doctor – I’m not sure which) isn’t interested in listening to mum or me until we start being a bit forceful. Then he treats us as if we are crying wolf and making a fuss about nothing. As far as he is concerned dad can have a new catheter fitted and sent home. We know it’s not that easy, but then, what do we know. Turns out we do know. The doctor tries fitting the catheter and dad screams out as never before, so doctor decides further inspection is required. We leave dad in their hands, and I take mum home to wait on a phone call, which comes saying they are still going to sent dad home that night, except, they can’t get an ambulance to get him home in time for social services usual daily visit to put him to bed, and as the ambulance staff won’t put him to bed they decide to keep him in overnight “for observation”.

So Sunday morning mum gets a call. In the night Dad had a raging temperature, so they have administered some antibiotics and are going to keep him in for at least 24 hours for observation. Mum & I agree, we have been vindicated and we aren’t impressed with the attitude of foreign doctors who don’t appear to (a) know what MS is, and (b) have time to read medical case notes before jumping to (wrong) conclusions. Still, this is the NHS that Gordon Brown wants us to have. Impersonal, inhumane, uncaring but financially very efficient. I bet he has private health care, of course he does, he’s labour!