Most terrifying experience of my life!!!!
It all started as just a concerned mother taking her 11wk old son to see health visitor, just "in case" I wasn't be one of those paranoid mothers, turns out I was right to go. She referred me to the doctors where even though my HV had rang and asked that they see me straight away I had to wait for 30mins, anyway the doctor then sent me to the hospital, by this stage my heart was in my throat! Although I was trying to be brave as my 21 mth old was with us and I thought breaking down and screaming hysterically was probably not the best course of action. So trying not to do the above, I bundled my now screaming 11wk old and very tired, grumpy 21mth old into the car and went to hospital....hope there's no policemen or women reading this as I sped along the road hitting every red traffic light there was and every roundabout had a 2 mile cue...not quiet but you know what I mean.
Anyway got to the hospital handed over letter from doctor, (stu had joined me by this point having rushed off the bus to the stop outside hospital) and to my surprise they told me the children's assessment ward was closed!!!!!! How can it be closed I asked, staff shortages came the reply. Well we were disgusted!! How can it be closed???
But they said as we had come they would try and find us a bed and see our son... very nice of them... to you know do their job... in their defense its not their fault its the government who is to blame but anyway, they took some blood. This was the most horrid thing I've ever seen they don't use a needle like they would with us they put a tube in and squeezed the blood a drop at a time from my poor sons hand, that they bent right back, he screamed so much and there was so many people round the bed he was on, I couldn't get to him only put my hand in to stroke his other hand. I thank God he was ok and they let him come home after the blood tests came back fine. My deepest empathy goes out to any parent who has a sick child in hospital. I was there for 3 long hours and they were awful. I wish kids didn't get sick it was horrid walking round the ward seeing so many. I just really pray that I will never be in that situation again.