NHS

[ailbhe]

Phone call to 24/7 health advice service: charged at local call rate on our regular bill
Call back from nurse: free
Call back from out of hours doctor: free
Home visit from out of hours doctor at 5am: free
Taxi to hospital: £8, because we refused an ambulance, which would have been free
Two paediatricians consulting: free
Steroids for Astrid's lungs: free
Second dose of steroids when she spat out the first one: free
Teddy bear to cheer her up when she didn't want her pulse oximeter on: free
Balloon to cheer her up when she didn't want a stethescope on her skin: free
Three nurses tending to her and comforting me: free
Two disposable nappies because I forgot to bring any: free
Two phonecalls from hospital phone so I could let Astrid's Daddy know how she was even though there was no mobile reception: free
DVD to watch while she waited for her steroids to work: free
Dose of steroids to bring home just in case we need it again: free

Astrid is fine, and if she has another episode tonight we have steroids, and if they don't work more or less immediately we are to call an ambulance and that will also be free.

The people we met were all completely lovely in every way, too. Kind and friendly and attentive and loving and patient and gentle and competent and firm.

I love the NHS. I know I ended up minced by one specific cog, but that was not the NHS' fault, it would have been just as likely in private care. Except then I'd have paid for it.

Comments

[sfred]

Yay NHS.
I hope Astrid is completely better soon.

[supermouse]

I'm glad for the NHS being there for you and Astrid. So many *hugs* and stay wells and get betters. To all of you.

[ai731.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear Astrid got excellent care. Asthma attack?

[ailbhe]

Croup, like Diana's baby in Anne of Green Gables!

[divulge.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that both of you were well-looked after and Astrid is okay now. Hurray for the NHS!

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Hooray for living in a developed country!

Get well, Astrid!

[mssociallyinept.livejournal.com]

"Astrid is fine, and if she has another episode tonight we have steroids"

I'm assuming these are prednisolone? If so, I think they're supposed to be given a short course for 3-5 which have to be taken whether they seem better or not (similar to antibiotics). As I was effectively told off for not finishing Ty's course because he seemed better :/ They are nasty though and the side effects put me off giving him them when he's on the mend.

Hope the wee ones well on the mend though, asthma can be really scary, in general, nevermind when it's your little ones.

[mssociallyinept.livejournal.com]

*3-5 days

[ailbhe]

No, it's something else, sometimes given as a single dose but we've got two. This is all croup, not asthma.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Yes. Despite the individual cock-ups that sometimes happen in individual cases, I still think the NHS is a brilliant thing and am really glad to live in a country that has such a thing.

Especially if there are staff willing to prescribe teddy bears and balloons when appropriate.

Hopefully the extra steroids aren't needed...