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Help, emergency Levemir dose

@trophywench No guarantee that her experience in an NHS hospital would have been much/any better. She would likely have been on a ward and not allowed her insulin pens at all and let's not forget that the surgery they performed in France probably saved her life. We have members here whose experience of insulin management in NHS hospitals was nearly fatal if they hadn't challenged it.
 
Well, @trophywench I wouldn't actually call it cruelty. There's been a good deal of pain, yes, but not purposely inflicted. I've no doubts the NHS has it's moments. At least it's immaculately clean here.

I just have an overdeveloped sense of the ridiculous which I was referring to when I mentioned the scenario yesterday in as much as it was silly for the "dinner lady" to expect me to make a decision on whether I'd eat an unseen/unknown meal whilst being tied down in such an uncomfortable position with no opportunity to move. Why not just smile & leave it.
 
Now things have moved on I can do an update. Despite the Insurance Nurse's assurances yesterday morning I received a phone call late afternoon yesterday from a " jobsworth" informing us that the Insurance people had decided that they would only allow me to travel with a medical escort. This, we were told, would take another 7 days to organise, meantime I would remain in hospital.

To say this came as a blow is an understatement. We threw our toys out of the pram. Julian booked us a flight to Bristol where our car is parked on Monday and meantime we booked ourselves into the Hilton, Bordeaux as of today for 3 nights for some decent sleep and food. I was still unsure whether my escape would really take place.

I received a phone call from the Insurance nurse this morning concurring with my decision and telling me that I had Drs' permission to fly and that the Ins decision was based solely on blood oxygen level being a whole 1% less than their requirement. This morning it was up 2%. This is me in the lobby of the Hilton with a celebratory half lager... it's darn hot here
 

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PattiEvans said:
Now things have moved on I can do an update. Despite the Insurance Nurse's assurances yesterday morning I received a phone call late afternoon yesterday from a " jobsworth" informing us that the Insurance people had decided that they would only allow me to travel with a medical escort. This, we were told, would take another 7 days to organise, meantime I would remain in hospital.

To say this came as a blow is an understatement. We threw our toys out of the pram. Julian booked us a flight to Bristol where our car is parked on Monday and meantime we booked ourselves into the Hilton, Bordeaux as of today for 3 nights for some decent sleep and food. I was still unsure whether my escape would really take place.

I received a phone call from the Insurance nurse this morning concurring with my decision and telling me that I had Drs' permission to fly and that the Ins decision was based solely on blood oxygen level being a whole 1% less than their requirement. This morning it was up 2%. This is me in the lobby of the Hilton with a celebratory half lager... it's darn hot here
Click to expand...
Great news Patti. Considering what you’ve been through you look amazing. Salut! X
 
PattiEvans said:
Now things have moved on I can do an update. Despite the Insurance Nurse's assurances yesterday morning I received a phone call late afternoon yesterday from a " jobsworth" informing us that the Insurance people had decided that they would only allow me to travel with a medical escort. This, we were told, would take another 7 days to organise, meantime I would remain in hospital.

To say this came as a blow is an understatement. We threw our toys out of the pram. Julian booked us a flight to Bristol where our car is parked on Monday and meantime we booked ourselves into the Hilton, Bordeaux as of today for 3 nights for some decent sleep and food. I was still unsure whether my escape would really take place.

I received a phone call from the Insurance nurse this morning concurring with my decision and telling me that I had Drs' permission to fly and that the Ins decision was based solely on blood oxygen level being a whole 1% less than their requirement. This morning it was up 2%. This is me in the lobby of the Hilton with a celebratory half lager... it's darn hot here
Click to expand...
So pleased to hear you have escaped the hospital. Wishing you a safe journey home on Monday. I don’t blame you for throwing your toys out of the pram after being told one thing, then that being contradicted
 
PattiEvans said:
Now things have moved on I can do an update. Despite the Insurance Nurse's assurances yesterday morning I received a phone call late afternoon yesterday from a " jobsworth" informing us that the Insurance people had decided that they would only allow me to travel with a medical escort. This, we were told, would take another 7 days to organise, meantime I would remain in hospital.

To say this came as a blow is an understatement. We threw our toys out of the pram. Julian booked us a flight to Bristol where our car is parked on Monday and meantime we booked ourselves into the Hilton, Bordeaux as of today for 3 nights for some decent sleep and food. I was still unsure whether my escape would really take place.

I received a phone call from the Insurance nurse this morning concurring with my decision and telling me that I had Drs' permission to fly and that the Ins decision was based solely on blood oxygen level being a whole 1% less than their requirement. This morning it was up 2%. This is me in the lobby of the Hilton with a celebratory half lager... it's darn hot here
Click to expand...
So pleased for your Patti.

I'm sure, out in the wild, you'll find things taxing - a bit like after flu, but you're a sensible sort and won't want to risk any retrograde steps.

Decent food, sleep and privacy will do you both the world of good.

Enjoy your time in Bordeaux.
 
Great to hear you are out and living it up a bit at last and that your health is improving already. So pleased you have taken an executive decision yourselves and I am sure it will be for the best. Another week of your life in hospital when it is not needed is crazy, especially as that bed could go to someone who does need it. And you can now enjoy some decent food and relax. Hope you can start to celebrate your anniversary a bit now and importantly be together.
 
@rebrascora on the odd occasion I wandered up the corridor in the thoracic department there were several empty rooms that would accommodate one or two persons. I doubt you'd see that here.

Thanks everyone for the good wishes. It's really much appreciated
 
rebrascora said:
She would likely have been on a ward and not allowed her insulin pens at all
Click to expand...
I know that has been the experience of some members but it certainly has not been my experience.
I had a private room and my insulin was with me at all times.
This has been the case for multiple surgeries at at least two different NHS hospitals.
 
helli said:
I know that has been the experience of some members but it certainly has not been my experience.
I had a private room and my insulin was with me at all times.
This has been the case for multiple surgeries at at least two different NHS hospitals.
Click to expand...
I had to have a right hemicolectomy (bless you!) some years ago, and - rather than managing my own insulin as I had done for the past 20 years - I was put on a "sliding scale", which kept my BG level well over 10 and sometimes up to 15. They were really not very good with that.

Conversely, when I was assessed in hospital in October last year for a possible stroke, I could keep and inject my own insulin - but it had to be tightly restricted within the range that I told them I needed ! I formed the impression that in my case they were allowing an exception, perhaps because of enhanced stropitude...
 
PattiEvans said:
I received a phone call from the Insurance nurse this morning concurring with my decision and telling me that I had Drs' permission to fly and that the Ins decision was based solely on blood oxygen level being a whole 1% less than their requirement. This morning it was up 2%.
Click to expand...
@PattiEvans Are you referring to the blood oxygen taken via that "clothes peg" sensor on a finger or thumb?
The one where, if you breathe deeply for half-a-dozen breaths that you can increase the blood oxygen level by several percentage points?!
I always used to do this if the figure initially came out "lower than they hoped", which used to satisfy them...
 
Really pleased to hear you're out of hospital @PattiEvans. Have a safe journey home.
 
John Gray said:
@PattiEvans Are you referring to the blood oxygen taken via that "clothes peg" sensor on a finger or thumb?
The one where, if you breathe deeply for half-a-dozen breaths that you can increase the blood oxygen level by several percentage points?!
I always used to do this if the figure initially came out "lower than they hoped", which used to satisfy them...
Click to expand...
Yes exactly that. Usually they lay in wait outside the door and pounce when you're in the middle of something else, likr a mouthful of food, giving no chance to prepare
 
So pleased to hear that you have escaped and now so much better.
Getting some sleep will make so much difference. Safe travels home.
 
PattiEvans said:
Yes exactly that. Usually they lay in wait outside the door and pounce when you're in the middle of something else, likr a mouthful of food, giving no chance to prepare
Click to expand...
Patti - I recently took part in research where I had, amongst other things, an exercise to exhaustion test, whilst in a gas exchange mask, BP, egc and blood oxygen meter. At the end I asked what my blood oxygen ranges were and was horrified to learn I'd started at 92%.

When queried, I was reassured not to worry that the style of monitor (clipped to an ear, but could easily have been a finger) is notoriously fickle and they were comfortable my levels were absolutely fine.

I'm guessing it's akin to finger prick testing one finger versus another at any given moment.
 
Congratulations on getting out of hospital @PattiEvans It must be such a relief after everything you have been through. Wishing you a safe and comfortable journey.home x
 
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