Thumbs up for our emergency services.

As some of you are aware my wife is an insulin dependant diabetic. On Thursday night she started to feel unwell with what appeared to be only a temperature being the start of a cold.

She stayed in bed on Friday and kept feeling nauseous and thus was unable to eat or drink. Unfortunately this had a disastrous effect on her diabetes control so that early on Saturday morning we decided that she would have to go to hospital for stabilisation.

Whilst getting ready she felt so weak that she collapsed and fell to the floor. Whilst lifting her up she collapsed again so driving her to hospital was not an option.

Thus I rang 000. The operator (Telstra ?) stayed on the line after immediately transferring me to confirm my phone number and address to the Ambo operator.

They immediately despatched a MICA ambulance and stayed on the line whilst I confirmed that my wife was okay, etc. The ambos arrived within 10 minutes and after assessing her took her to hospital.

At the hospital emergency department they immediately hooked her up to drips, oxygen, machines and monitors to treat her diabetes.

The staff at the hospital and the ambos were extremely kind and helpful and very pleasant to deal with, notwithstanding that some of them were near the end of a very long shift.

Whilst there are many things wrong with the public health system, and lots more needs to be done, the human face of the system being the people that actually deal with the patients is fantastic.

So my thanks to all the emergency workers, we don't often enough appreciate the work they do, and thank your God that when the chips are down and you need to use 000 it is available.


Peter.

Peter,

I hope that you wife is feeling better.

Glad to hear there was a good outcome to what obviously was a serious incident, best wishes to you both.

John & Janet

Peter

I hope the missus is on the up and that things settle down for you both soon. Yes there are many times when the medical system in this country gets abused due to the absolute lack of common sence and stupidity deservedly so, But in this instance I, like you, applaud our emergency services for a job well done. If only the bureaucrats at the top could be replaced by, or would listen to, the people who have to make all the rules and regulations work in the real world.

Pete

Hi Peter,

I hope your wife makes a quick recovery - please pass on my best wishes.

I second your view on the medical services here; most of the issues aren't with the front-line personnel, but with the management(?) and bureaucratic layers on top.

Thanks guys.

Yes she is on the mend again, and this afternoon she was able to walk again and have an unaided shower.

When these things happen to her, usually as a result of getting an other illness, they blow up quickly but when treated settle down quickly as well. Hopefully she will come home tomorrow or Tuesday.

I wanted to record my appreciation to the ambos, who until the settlement last week on their justified pay claim, were ready to go on strike. Damn the politicians that are willing to raise their own pay with truckloads of cash and not give a small rise to the real important people in our society.


Peter.

Glad to see she is back on her feet and yes, thank god for the ambos.

Good onya Peter for praiseing the ambos.
I hope SWMBO is feeling better.

Al :)

Not matter the problems with the services, noone can hang it onto the people...they are just great.

I'm happy for you both that she is recovering well.

Governments awash with money and the health system underfunded , it sure ain't right

It's good to know that your wife recovered so well, Peter.

I totally endorse your praise of the ambos (and the other emergency services). We don't appreciate them enough. Don't know where we'd be without them.

thank goodness for a good outcome Peter:) .
I agree our often maligned health system, flawed as it may be, is still apparently the worlds most reliable.

Hope the SWMBO is recovered and dancing again soon.

Glad she's back on her pins, Peter :)


Regards to you both.....................cheers................Sean

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Originally Posted by chrisb691

Not matter the problems with the services, noone can hang it onto the people...they are just great.

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Bloody right mate.
Peter, glad to know you wife is on the mend.

It's nice to hear a thumbs up for the emergency services, and good to hear your wife is on the mend. Hope she is back home giving plenty of cheek (meaning fighting fit) soon.

John

Thanks for all your concern. My wife came home today and is now recuperating.

Within a few days she will be up and dancing the night away again :D with me.


Peter.

Great news Peter!

Yep I agree wiyj you Peter, Ambos are a credit to the nation as well as other emergancy staff we need more of them not politikies. Our best wishes to your beloved. Tony

Peter, glad to hear the missus is back on her feet.

We found last year when our daughter was sick that without exception the people who work in the hospitals, ambulance services and care flight were helpful, cheerful and devoted - especially the ones who work with kids. It's the lack of money and poor management that brings about the perceived problems. It must be very difficult for those people who do the job that they have been drawn to with so much going against them. After our experience last year, my wife and I have complete faith in the medical system. Things go wrong but it's not from want of trying.

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Originally Posted by Sturdee

Whilst there are many things wrong with the public health system, and lots more needs to be done, the human face of the system being the people that actually deal with the patients is fantastic.

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Never heard it put better than that, Peter.

Glad to hear your wife is recovering well.

Peter,
great outcome for your missus. Do agree what has been said about those who work in health and other emergency services. They work under difficult conditions and are often used as political handballs. It is just fantastic to once again realise how the human spirit triumphs.
Regards
Les

Glad to hear she is ok :D

Can I suggest you write a quick thankyou note/card to those in emergency and the ambo's. :)

Having worked in ED as a nurse for over 3 years I know we always really appreciated words of thanks as opposed to the words of abuse that we cop from the public on a more regular basis :rolleyes:

Joel

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Originally Posted by JDub

Glad to hear she is ok :D

Can I suggest you write a quick thankyou note/card to those in emergency and the ambo's. :)

Having worked in ED as a nurse for over 3 years I know we always really appreciated words of thanks as opposed to the words of abuse that we cop from the public on a more regular basis :rolleyes:

Joel

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How very true my BIL is an ambo 20 years, and the stuff they have to put up with and still follow all the rules etc, I wouldn't last a week .


Peter Glad to see all went well the call out and the recovery. Your type of call outs are the ones the ambo's etc love to do , where someone is in genuine need and they can use their skills to help. :)

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Can I suggest you write a quick thankyou note/card to those in emergency and the ambo's

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We did one better than that. We rang the local paper and got them to do a story on it. Thought people might like to hear a good story for a change.

I know how you feel, Peter. SWMBO is a type one diabetic. She lost the plot with her sugar levels while sleeping during a flu and started to have fits. What I quickly discovered was that all of the medical knowledge in our house was stored in the same mind that was fitting.

I dialled 000 and the emergency operator talked me towards the fridge and a bottle of SOLO, that I then poured slowly through her lips. By the time she'd had half a (spilled) glass the ambulance was coming through the gate.

What'd we do without them?

Recovery going well? Ambo's and emergency peeps are wonderful......... no doubt about that.

Pete

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JDub

Having worked in ED as a nurse for over 3 years I know we always really appreciated words of thanks as opposed to the words of abuse that we cop from the public on a more regular basis :rolleyes:

Joel

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I was also an Emergency RN for several years, and yep, you cop more abuse than praise. Give em a big thumbs up!

It was really great to hear Peter,that your wife has recovered from a potentially dangerous situation and that the Ambos were as usual efficient & prompt in their actions which probably helped to allay your concerns at the time.
Good to see that the medical & ambo staff get acknowledged for the sometimes trying circumstances in which they not only work but are also put under.
Recently I had Knee surgery and was up and ably about due to the staff being helpful and efficient.On a personal note I like to go back and thank them even if it's just with a note and a box of roses chocolates to let them know that I personally want to thank them.


Cheers:)