"Treatment received"

On arrival i was assessed rapidly by the A&E team of nurses and doctors. Taken through to majors and my treatment started. Was being treated for a respiratory condition asthma; i was put on a nebuliser which did nothing for me. Some blood test's had been sent off for analysis. The A&E doctor looking after myself asked for a blood gas test to be carried out. Following this my treatment stopped for asthma. A referral was made to cardiology team as the test came back irregular.

Very soon afterwards a doctor from the cardiology team came to assess me. I was rapidly moved to AMU then moved to a different bay to be put on a heart monitor. I was rushed to the CT scanner with the cardiology doctor following on because of the seriousness of my situation. The scan showed that i had a large volume of fluid around my lungs and the pericardium of the heart. I was taken back to the AMU cardiology ward until the following late afternoon when i was moved to another ward Duppas 1.

I asked for a number of updates to my condition and to actually be told what was wrong with me! I knew it was serious but did not know how serious and was not getting any feedback from nurses / doctors on the ward. I eventually was told that the condition if untreated could be fatal (but this only happened after i had said i was discharging myself from the hospitals care.)

Up until i was moved from AMU to Duppas 1 the care was very good; especially from the cardiology doctor who admitted me. Her patient care was phenomenal and put me at ease considerably.

I was entertained by the story of how the cardiology team were in communication with Kings College hospital cardiology team asking advice on test results that had come through blood tests and ECG's. The strange method of communication made it an entertaining story, CUH were sending pictures of my ECG tests via WhatsApp messages to Kings College for them to review and provide a plan of action. I would have thought there was a more secure way in which one hospital could share details of test results other than personal social media channels.

I have since had to be admitted a second time for the same condition to an alternative hospital for a 10 day stay and treatment.