Recently, I was asked to co-present a presentation for a Delirium study day, run by the Intensive Care Society. Within the presentation, I offered what I felt were useful insights and tips on how to support patients with Delirium, and I thought it might be useful to share them in a blog post. AWARENESS: Whilst... Continue Reading →
Home didn’t feel like home. I felt like I’d walked into someone elses life. Everything looked different. Things were now done differently; new things had appeared. The furniture felt too soft, my dinner was too late (compared to hospital timings!) and far too big a portion. Where was I and more importantly where had Louise... Continue Reading →
When I was told that I could start drinking, I was terrified. I’d lived with a hole in my Oesophagus for so long, all I could envisage was liquid flowing out of me like water running from a rose on a watering can! But I was blessed with a fantastic Consultant and medical team – each... Continue Reading →
31stDecember 2018 – Swallow test number……..who knows! It was a Monday and today was an exciting day. My swallow test on Christmas eve had shown that the hole in my oesophagus was the width of a cotton thread so the expectations of todays test were high! I was in a positive festive mood as I... Continue Reading →
I was a patient on Crownhill ward for 10 weeks. It became my second home. My Saturday nights consisted of writing my name on my bedpans for the week and chewing ice chips and spitting them out! So many milestones were reached along with lots of memories made, most of which are too small to... Continue Reading →
It was the start of a busy day! A nurse told me that I would be seen be a physio who would get me walking. Walking? I didn’t know how to walk!  I had completely forgotten how to walk. How was this possible?  Whilst waiting for the physio, I remember fumbling on my phone, looking for videos... Continue Reading →
I am extremely lucky that University Hospitals Plymouth have an excellent Intensive Care rehabilitation team. Patients are supported throughout their time in hospital and once discharged, continue to receive support in their recovery through follow up communications and multi-disciplinary team appointments. Patients also have access to psychological support through only one of a few psychologists... Continue Reading →
I was now in an old fashioned dormitory. There must have been 20 beds, all with wardrobes. There were nurses walking around, a garden area outside with a bar and a coffee shop inside where patients and relatives could go. I distinctly remember telling my parents that when I was up and about, we would... Continue Reading →
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