So one of the medications I'm prescribed for my seizures is liquid diazepam to take when I'm having a prolonged seizure episode. I'm also supposed to have buccal midazolam but that's a long story (basically there's a shortage and they're only giving it to palliative care patients). Having the diazepam has massively helped reduce my need for paramedics, but last time I put in a prescription request, well twice actually it got denied. To cut a long story short my GP is going to consult with Professor Edwards my neurologist about my seizure medication (I also take clonazepam three times away which also helps), but the diazepam is great for acute episodes.
Well, yesterday now, I had a prolonged seizure with my carer and it went on too long so she had to call for an ambulance as we had no diazepam to give to me.
(Surely giving me a prescription for diazepam would be a heck of a lot cheaper than 2 paramedic crews and a trip to A&E).
The first crew that arrived was a technician crew and they where familiar with me. They read Professor Edwards care guidelines and where happy to follow them and called for a paramedic crew as they can't do IV drugs.
Second crew arrived. I made it clear that I wanted to avoid hospital at all costs. The paramedics hung around for quite a while but when my Uncle came and said he had to travel away for work early tomorrow ad couldn't stay with me and because of the high dose they had to give me and I was home alone it untimely came down to the conclusion that I had no choice but to go to hospital.
The thing I get about A&E is that there's so very little they can actually do as the paramedics do 90% of the work. A&E just monitor me and top me up with any meds if needed and I'd managed to sort my dislocations/subluxations out myself so there was no need for x-ray scans. I literally just laid and listened to an audiobook with someone coming occasionally to do my obs. Thankfully this time I got a room eventually so I was able to be in a dark room. The Dr came and I said my pain was tolerable and back to my normal baseline thanks to the IV morphine the paramedics gave me; I was just feel sick due to the pain and I normally feel sick after a seizure so he wrote me up for some IV cyclizine.
Normally I'd get patient transport home like I get t take me to/from my regular appointments but I'd be waiting until the morning as they were so backed up so a nurse and HCA booked me a taxi and helped me in. I had no wheelchair or crutches but the taxi driver was lovely and gave me a hand to the door.
The paramedic/EMT's and A&E staff where lovely enough given the pressure they're always under and my A&E stay wasn't a bad experience compared to other times I've been in A&E.
Thankfully I'm home now, exhausted and frustrated. I know my carers have a duty of care and my Uncle Mark had work, I just wish I could live a "normal" drama, hospital free life.
Luckily I'm seeing Professor Edwards on Tuesday.
Just hope I'll be okay to go and have my ECG at 10.40am.
For now, bed.