"Getting help in a crisis"

My 25 yr old son became unwell over Easter Weekend. It seemed like covid symptoms but all LFTs were negative. After midnight on Easter Monday he developed worsening symptoms which became a little frightening to watch.  I ran for help at 1:30am, was taken through the protocol and was told he would need to see a clinician, that someone would ring us, but if he got worse to call back.

By 3:00 am he was much worse, behaving strangely and complaining he could not see. I rang 999, was told that I should just wait for clinician from 111 to contact me. He has an underlying renal condition  and I explained this each time. I could not my take eyes off him as he was liable to injure himself as was so distressed with head pain, vision loss, vomiting other ailments. A family member picked up a message from an earlier SOS for help and joined me to support at 4:00am. We tried 999 again, however eventually at 4:45 the 111 clinician rang. He was indeed very helpful and concerned about the situation, apologised for the delay and immediately sent an ambulance which arrived just after 5:00 am.

My son was then admitted into ICU with a condition know as PRES.  I was very upset and frustrated that he'd not got help sooner, I could have managed to take him to hospital by car had someone helped sooner but 2 hours later the deterioration meant he couldn't see or walk safely. We don't like pushing for special treatment or making an unnecessary fuss but the experience was very distressing. 

4 days on and he's still in ICU where he's being stabilised. My main reason for this share is to express my appreciation for ICU ward in FVRH, the team there are absolutely outstanding and couldn't do enough to reassure us that he was being well looked after and that I could now manage to sleep knowing he was safe and monitored, not out of danger but looked after better than any mum could given the circumstances. I hope I can use this method to make sure they get to know that we are very grateful to them, I've never experienced such professionalism in a long time in the wards and we've had a few medical issues to endure as a family in the past 3 years. 

I was very distressed that I struggled to get help initially. I can't bear to think what might have happened if it had gone on longer. But in the end the receiving clinician and ICU staff excelled. Thank you.