Crazy Week after Stenosis Surgery

[Sangye]

Your experience about that hospital, where you had to wait for hours in ER and no one saw you - is exactly what the NHS is like in the UK!!

And exactly what it's like in the US! I've lost count of how many times I've been in the ER since being dx'ed. For the first 2.5 years it was several times a month, sometimes several times a week. The Flagstaff hospital was smaller and the ER people knew me, so I usually got in quicker. But at my local hospital here and at JHU I've never been seen in less than 6 hours. Wish I were kidding about that.

[drz]

And exactly what it's like in the US! I've lost count of how many times I've been in the ER since being dx'ed. For the first 2.5 years it was several times a month, sometimes several times a week. The Flagstaff hospital was smaller and the ER people knew me, so I usually got in quicker. But at my local hospital here and at JHU I've never been seen in less than 6 hours. Wish I were kidding about that.

I guess we are spoiled then in our area cause I have never waited an hour in an ER or urgent care clinic. When I went into a local hospital the first time with WG/GPA my daughter from NYC brought me to urgent care. They ran about four or five different tests and I was complaining that i had to wait an hour to get into my hospital bed. My daughter told me that in NYC I would still be waiting in a hall way for the first test to be completed. She could not believe how quickly they did all the x-rays, CT scans, heart monitoring, blood work, urine tests etc. before admitting me to inpatient care. To me it seemed a long time since I was very ill at the time but it was probably only three or four hours from when I showed up at urgent care to being in my hospital bed. Of course not being WGs experts they had no clue what my illness was so they started treating me me for pneumonia, bladder infection, and sprained arm, none of which I had.

[Sangye]

Every time I've gone to JHU's ER, I've known I had to be admitted. Even so, I've never gotten out of the ER in less than 12 hours!

[Geoff]

I almost feel embarrased to say that my experience with my hospital, Addenbrookes, is first class. As its only just over an hour away by car, it is my 'go-to' if I have a problem, although there are closer hospitals.

If my blood work throws up a problem then they give me a call and I am straight in, likewise if I feel something is wrong within myself, I only have to give them a call and I can go straight in.

I visited the ward the other day where I spent 2 weeks when first diagnosed. I handed them a plate full of freshly made doughnuts from our village bakery.

How I made the car journey with that lovely smell without tearing open the bag, I'll never know!!