What a week it has been! I got my first negative test yesterday, So happy! I’m feeling so much better today too compare to how I was! Not 100% as I’ve still got a cough, fatigue, sinus trouble, and a bit of short breath. But am I ever 100% really? I suffer most days with fatigue and sinus trouble, hence why I live off so much caffeine! Yes, if you didn’t know I am a caffeine addict! I guess this also relates back to New York, and how I survived doing everything I did while feeling so poorly. I’m kind of just so used to feeling ill and getting on with life.
Treatment
I’ve had a bit of a nightmare regarding treatment! Thankfully, I’ve been ok without it. But this is not the point!
Before I go any further, I’m not having a dig at any of the nurses or doctors. They all do such a wonderful job! I’m also not complaining about my local hospital. My hospital is a great hospital! It’s the NHS system that is struggling! Without money and resources, it’s impossible to run smoothly. It’s impossible for doctors and nurses to give the full care they want to the patients, no matter how hard they try! It’s the government that needs to be doing more!
The Friday before New Year, after logging my positive Covid test, a paramedic rang me and accessed me. He made an urgent referral for some monoclonal antibody treatment at the hospital. He said CMDU will be in touch with you over the weekend.
The whole weekend passed and I heard nothing. So Tuesday morning, I gave 111 a call. They were brilliant with me and chased things on with CMDU. Wednesday morning I finally got a phone call from CMDU. By this point, it was too late to receive the treatment! For anyone who doesn’t know, the infusions have to be given within a certain time window from testing positive.
I was so annoyed!
Luckily, as Covid is currently quite mild, and I am fully vaccinated, I was ok without the treatment. But that’s not the point! It shouldn’t have taken nearly a week for them to get back to me. I’m not blaming the nurses or doctors at CMDU. They were probably just too busy to keep up with the demand, short-staffed, or maybe my referral got lost somewhere in the system! I’m not sure what happened! But as a patient, it is very frustrating not being to get urgent care when you need it and having to chase it on when you’re not well. The NHS is struggling and it’s scary being a patient! All I can say is, I really wish the government would do more to help the NHS!
Methotrexate Stopped
This week I got in touch with my Rheumatology nurse to let her know I’ve got Covid. She cancelled my appointment with my consultant which I was meant to have on Thursday. She also mentioned how I must stop my Methotrexate for two weeks, to allow my body to fight off the virus. A bit frustrating as I don’t want my illness to flare but also makes sense. My Methotrexate suppresses my immune system, and I need a strong immune system to fight off the virus.
Missed Appointments
Annoyingly Rheumatology wasn’t the only appointment I missed this week. I also missed my monthly bloods and chest X-ray. Then annoying, Gynecology rang me to see if I could come in for my long overdue yearly Colposcopy this Saturday just gone. On Friday, when they rang, I was still testing positive for Covid so I had to say no to them. In the end, I actually tested negative on Saturday, so I could have gone in for it after all. But at the time I didn’t know when I was going to test negative. To be honest, my body has been through enough the last two weeks, so it probably didn’t need to go through a Colposcopy as well!
That’s it from me this week! Hoping to get away in the van next weekend. Honestly, I am desperate to get away after spending a week and a half looking at the same 4 walls in my house! If I do get away, there will be no blog next Sunday.
Until next time,
Goodbye for now
Emma
xox
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