"Chemo Day for Dad and reactions after."

This is for the staff, of Ward 7A, whom cared for my Dad and myself, that day, with the high praise both Dad and I have for them, following a quite severe attack, my Dad had, following his trial chemo treatment

Treatment Day

So, roughly by 3:10 pm, Dad's trial chemo treatment, was all complete.  Obs were good and he needed to use the facilities.  That's fine.  A different nurse (sorry, don’t know her name), came in and asked if she could use the room, which I said yes, we have finished and moved our coats and bags out.  We were in a side room with a bed and chair, literally next to Treatment Day room 3. 

Anyway, around 3:15 pm, I was standing waiting for Dad to come out of the WC, I was holding his coats ready, I heard the door lock click and door open - and that was it.

Dad was standing there physically shaking, all over.

OMG. I dropped everything, ran over to him and he told me, when he finished, he started shaking and couldn't control it.  I propped him up against a wall and found a staff nurse, Sharon, in a room next to where we were, asked for help and she helped me get Dad into Day/Treatment Room 3, and a chemo chair, then called for a Ward Doctor and other assistance.

Calling for help

Just to let you know, Dad was fully aware and conscious of himself and where he was, just, could not control this "shaking”.

For about 1 hr 15 mins (with drugs being injected into Dad (Hydro-cortisone I heard being one of them, and nebulizer to breath with), it took Dad to almost stop shaking. Then his heart rate kept fluctuating.

Team work

Treatment

So, Dad was kept in overnight, for observations, even had a x-ray around 11:30 pm / midnight, that night.

The next day, around 5:30 pm, Dad was eventually released from Ward 5B and hospital and I was able to bring Dad home.  This was after some visits, from Oliver, from Pharmacy, checking on Dad’s home medication and some of their dosages, being changed.

To say this was somewhat scary, errrm, yes.  Reading the Side Effects on these documents, doesn't prepare you for the real thing.

That said, if you look at him now/since, apart from being back to how he was (being tired, etc.), it's like nothing had happened. 

The Staff of Ward 7A and the care of Dad

Both Dad and I, since being home, would like to praise, to the following staff, whose names I can remember (there was a lot happening), and I hope I have spelt these correctly; 

> Nurse Sharon (whom Dad and I first met in November/December 2018), was the first one I approached for help, which she was wonderful and she was there almost and up to the point, it being the end of her shift.

The other staff nurses and Ward Doctor’s whom was with Dad and helped greatly:-

> Faith (she had a dark blue uniform on). She was there when Dad was put in a Chemo chair, and even came back, for a short while, when Dad was put into a bed, while still on Ward 7A.

> Krisha - sorry may have spelt that wrong. She helped with administering drugs as instructed by the doctor.

> Shahanara - whom was looking after us, for the day, while our regular Clinical Nurse, was annual leave. She made a few phone calls, to the relevant people, needing to be involved.

> Dr. Roma - she was there about 10 mins after the reactions started and was back and forth, getting information, etc.

> Dr. Hannah - I saw her in the corridor, from the room we were in.  Not 100% sure, but, I feel was assisting with getting a bed, for an overnight stay, organised.

> Dr. Shaw - a young Doctor, but, alas, Dad and I can’t fully remember her name, with what I have typed here.   But, we would recognise her, when and if we meet her again. She took over for when Dad was being admitted, for the overnight stay.

> There was one other ward nurse, whom sadly we don’t know her name, who entered up notes of med’s given to Dad, at the time, and carried out an ECG from the trolley ECG machine, requested from Dr. Roma. 

> Camello - the ward nurse (male), whom administered Dad’s treatment and then was on late lunch break, when we were initially discharged.  When I overheard another nurse, say, to go an find him and they said he was on break, I asked for him “not” to disturb his break, unnecessarily.  He must have been a little shocked, seeing Dad and the reaction, almost straight after treatment.

> Two final people, we would like to thank, but, sadly, I cannot remember their names, due to the late hour of Dad being moved from Ward 7A to Ward 5B.  But, there was a Male and Female nurse, whom moved Dad, in his bed, down to Ward 5B.  I would recognise them, again, I were to pass them

The Night Staff Nurse, for Dad’s overnight stay

> We would also like to stay a big thank you, to, night staff nurse, Nila, from Ward 5B, whom looked after Dad and I, up until I needed to leave that ward and go home. Nila could see I was not wanting to leave Dad, after what had just happened, but, she assured me, in would be in good hands.  She gave me the Ward reception desk direct number and she took my mobile number.  Dad informed me, when I telephoned him, that Nila, was very attentive of him, through the night and found him some nightwear and tote socks, to use.

Nurses

Staff skills

Staff attitude

Both Dad and I cannot thank or praise all these wonderful staff, enough.  They were truly professional, remarkable and caring, and both Dad and I, and the family, would like them to know this.