Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2020 13:46:16 GMT
The day before yesterday my husband Burt went out jogging. It was 4.30 AM. I awoke with a terrible pain in my back so I stayed in bed. However I had to go to the loo and it's then that it happened. As I climbed out of bed I found myself gasping for breath. I had never experienced anything like this before. I thought I'd better go down in my chairlift and take a couple of cocodomol tablets which would probaby help. I took them, then sat down in my armchair. I was still having trouble breathing and felt I needed oxygen. However I thought, "I'll just sit in my chair and listen to a documentary on my Chromebook and then probably the pills will take effect."
Just then my grandchild phoned me from America and her lovely face beamed out at me from Facebook's Messenger. "I just want to show you the pictures I drew with those new pens I bought with the money you sent me Grandma," she said.
I smiled and still gasping to catch my breath explained in a whisper that I was having difficulty talking but she could show me her pictures. Well my son must have overheard us talking and he immediately asked what the problem was. I slowly explained what had happened.
"You need oxygen Mum," he said. Get Dad to phone 999."
Still gasping for breath I said, "He's out jogging."
"Well I'm going to call 999," Gary said. So from across the ocean my son tried to call 999. However try as he might he couldn't get our emergency service. I heard an American voice saying, "Please dial 911 for emergency services."
"I'm trying to get 999 in England," Gary shouted.
However the voice kept repeating, "Dial 911"
"Mum, I'm having no luck here so I want you to dial 999 and put the phone up to your Chromebook so I can speak with the operator."
Now in spite of the rather serious situation what followed was hilarious. I dialled 999 and put the phone up to Messenger still gasping for breath. The 999 operator asked what was the problem.
"Operator, I want you to send an ambulance with oxygen to my mother."
"Sir I can hardly hear you, can you please give me some more information."
"Operator I'm speaking to you from California and I want you to send an ambulance to the address I gave you. Do it immediately."
"Sir I need more information."
"Operator all you need to know is that my mother needs oxygen and you are procrastinating." Gary was getting more and more frantic and agitated.
Just then my husband returned from jogging. I handed the Chromebook to him.
"Dad The 999 operator is on the line tell her Mum is having problems breathing".
Anyway Burt took over and told the very patient woman that I was having difficulty catching my breath. The operator asked to speak with me. Burt handed the phone to me and with great difficulty I haltingly explained to her what had happened. I told that my son was very worried, "As I would be Ma'am," she replied. "I will send an ambulnce around immediately I can hear from your voice that you need help."
Gary was still on Messenger when the ambulance men arrived and one of them spoke with him and reassured him. The man explained that they would take good care of me and that Burt would phone Gary later.
Well to cut a long story short they thoroughly examined me and said that they would have taken me to the hospital but because I was in the vulnerable catagory they thought it best for me to stay home because of coved-19. They explained that from all the tests they had done I was in no immediate danger. By now the cocodomol had considerably reduced the pain in my back and both my breathing and my voice had improved. The men said to take 2 tablets every 4 hours and phone the doctor when the surgery opened. We thanked these lovely men, (who had been working all night) and marveled that they had got to me so quickly. It was now 5.30AM.
When we finally got the verdict from Dr Weeks a few hours later he explained that I had a osteopathic fracture in my spine and this will often cause breathing difficulties. He prescribed an even stronger cocodomol. This would stop any further breathing difficulty.
Well since I've been taking the pills I haven't had a re-occurance of my early morning, rather frightening, loss of breath. Burt phoned Gary, thanked him and reassured him, my daughter-in-law Abby and my grandchild Lana that I was much better. He told them that my spine fracture would eventually mend.
3 cheers for the UK's wonderful National Health Service.
But Ah------- the drama of getting old!
Just then my grandchild phoned me from America and her lovely face beamed out at me from Facebook's Messenger. "I just want to show you the pictures I drew with those new pens I bought with the money you sent me Grandma," she said.
I smiled and still gasping to catch my breath explained in a whisper that I was having difficulty talking but she could show me her pictures. Well my son must have overheard us talking and he immediately asked what the problem was. I slowly explained what had happened.
"You need oxygen Mum," he said. Get Dad to phone 999."
Still gasping for breath I said, "He's out jogging."
"Well I'm going to call 999," Gary said. So from across the ocean my son tried to call 999. However try as he might he couldn't get our emergency service. I heard an American voice saying, "Please dial 911 for emergency services."
"I'm trying to get 999 in England," Gary shouted.
However the voice kept repeating, "Dial 911"
"Mum, I'm having no luck here so I want you to dial 999 and put the phone up to your Chromebook so I can speak with the operator."
Now in spite of the rather serious situation what followed was hilarious. I dialled 999 and put the phone up to Messenger still gasping for breath. The 999 operator asked what was the problem.
"Operator, I want you to send an ambulance with oxygen to my mother."
"Sir I can hardly hear you, can you please give me some more information."
"Operator I'm speaking to you from California and I want you to send an ambulance to the address I gave you. Do it immediately."
"Sir I need more information."
"Operator all you need to know is that my mother needs oxygen and you are procrastinating." Gary was getting more and more frantic and agitated.
Just then my husband returned from jogging. I handed the Chromebook to him.
"Dad The 999 operator is on the line tell her Mum is having problems breathing".
Anyway Burt took over and told the very patient woman that I was having difficulty catching my breath. The operator asked to speak with me. Burt handed the phone to me and with great difficulty I haltingly explained to her what had happened. I told that my son was very worried, "As I would be Ma'am," she replied. "I will send an ambulnce around immediately I can hear from your voice that you need help."
Gary was still on Messenger when the ambulance men arrived and one of them spoke with him and reassured him. The man explained that they would take good care of me and that Burt would phone Gary later.
Well to cut a long story short they thoroughly examined me and said that they would have taken me to the hospital but because I was in the vulnerable catagory they thought it best for me to stay home because of coved-19. They explained that from all the tests they had done I was in no immediate danger. By now the cocodomol had considerably reduced the pain in my back and both my breathing and my voice had improved. The men said to take 2 tablets every 4 hours and phone the doctor when the surgery opened. We thanked these lovely men, (who had been working all night) and marveled that they had got to me so quickly. It was now 5.30AM.
When we finally got the verdict from Dr Weeks a few hours later he explained that I had a osteopathic fracture in my spine and this will often cause breathing difficulties. He prescribed an even stronger cocodomol. This would stop any further breathing difficulty.
Well since I've been taking the pills I haven't had a re-occurance of my early morning, rather frightening, loss of breath. Burt phoned Gary, thanked him and reassured him, my daughter-in-law Abby and my grandchild Lana that I was much better. He told them that my spine fracture would eventually mend.
3 cheers for the UK's wonderful National Health Service.
But Ah------- the drama of getting old!
