A WILD RIDE IN AN AMBULANCE - FIVE YEARS AGO

SIMILAR TO THE AMBULANCE THAT TOOK ME TO HOSPITAL

FIVE YEARS AGO TODAY

It was a Thursday. Only three days earlier, I had been released from Hospital after very successful Triple Bypass Heart Surgery a week before that. 

The previous night had been an ordeal, as I felt increasing pain in my shoulder and neck, rising temperature and a severe headache and I could not get comfortable lying down, sitting or standing - let alone get to sleep. Upon waking, my Wife found me draped across the lounge to which I had crept early in the evening, continually moving, seeking relief. Alarmed she got me some clothing and helped dress me and rushed me in our car to the Doctor's Surgery. We arrived as they opened for the day. I must have looked pretty awful because, as my Wife helped me out of our car, I caught sight of some people in the crowd waiting on the Railway Station. They were looking at me with faces registering shock and even horror. Less than encouraging.

My Wife was heroic, managing to get me stumbling and more or less powerless across the road and into the Surgery.

In no time flat, our marvellous G.P. had me out the back of the Surgery in the treatment room and the Registered Nurse assisted him. He gave me an Electro Cardiogram and was pretty certain that it was NOT a Heart Attack. He gave me a moderate pain killer by injection , but told me that he would not give me a severe painkiller(Morphine) because he had called an Ambulance to get me back to Royal North Shore Hospital, and the stronger injection might mask symptoms of a Heart Attack if that was what it turned out to be.

As the painkilling injection took effect, I became more at ease.

Then He arrived!  "Captain" Ambulance: tall strongly-built decked out in Hi-Viz uniform and bringing all his paraphernalia with him So far so good. 

But he began to talk: "Stand aside!" this to the delightful Nurse "I AM A QUALIFIED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL!" - I did not feel much like laughing, but this got me near to it! The Doctor in a very professional manner, related my recent history, the present situation, the treatment given and his estimate of the likely situation. "I will make my OWN judgement. He should have been given Morphine to relieve the pain!"  Clearly, the Doctor saw the problem and that it was pointless to argue with "Captain" Ambulance.-all the Doctor wanted was for me to get to the Hospital ASAP!

Needless to say, my Wife got even less attention than anyone else. It became obvious that for "Captain" Ambulance I was only the means to assert his dominance over all and sundry. I suspect he was a leader in the Ambulance crews' ongoing industrial campaigns.

His Gurney or Trolley was set up and I was piled onto it and out to the Ambulance with scarcely a chance to farewell my Wife. The driver of the Ambulance was a younger fellow, obviously in absolute awe of "Captain" Ambulance. The latter set about "Doing my own Electro Cardiogram" then calling another Ambulance to meet us on the way because his Ambulance had no capacity to fax/email the ECG printout to the Hospital. In due course, we made the rendezvous and in no time at all the ECG was sent off ahead of us to the Hospital. Back on the road, I had just thought to myself that we were making good time ( I am very familiar with that stretch of the Highway) when Junior the driver asked "Captain" Ambulance:"Should I put the Siren On?"

"YES CERTAINLY" came the theatrical response and off we went WHINING AND SCREAMING to complete the journey.

"What are you doing?" I asked Captain Ambulance as he hovered over me with a Syringe - "I am giving you an injection of Morphine because I care about relieving your pain EVEN IF YOU DOCTOR DOESN'T!"    "But I don't want......" BAM it was done. So much for me and the highly- qualified General Practitioner.

ROYAL NORTH SHORE HOSPITAL

Shortly afterward we arrived at the EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT of Royal North Shore Hospital. A horde of Doctors came out and as Captain Ambulance began to recount his Triumph I heard a Doctor say to him - forget it -IT IS NOT A HEART ATTACK AS THE ECG SHOWS! I never saw "Captain" Ambulance again, nor do I care to!

For the next month, I was bound to Royal North Shore Hospital which I had left only days before.  The problem was diagnosed as GOLDEN STAPH infection, which had attached itself it seems, to the metal clips holding my chest together after the Triple Bypass (CABG) Surgery of 20th January. The next month was a blur of multiple bouts of surgery, X Rays, Blood Tests, Ultrasounds, onto trollies, off trollies and untold discomforts. After a while, I came to live inside my head the rest was being wrecked by the infection and the powerful antibiotics that finally killed it.

My slender grasp on reality was maintained through the regular visits of those who love me, notably my Wife and my two daughters ( my poor Son was bound to far distant Queensland and the care of his children). My dear Wife's carefully prepared food was all that I survived on because I could not abide the Hospital food. Her daily journeys to and fro and lonely wonderings how it all might end must have been dreadful. And whenever I was conscious, I was able to pray. Thanks be to God for life. On three occasions the Priest Chaplain came and gave me Holy Communion which was truly marvellous. The difficulties people surmounted to visit me I cannot forget. How I loved singing silently to myself the German Hymn "Behute Mich Gott"("Protect me God" ) so much loved by one who is in dire trouble.

I finally got out at the end of February and began, with my Wife's patient and steady help, the months of rehabilitation. But I will never forget that Ambulance ride and my experience of "Captain" Ambulance!