10.5 hours in A&E.
Thursday 5pm, I came straight home
From seeing a Doctor about a dome
That had quickly appeared upon my face
And another one in a terrible place
It hadn’t been pleasant when I walked
About my case we talked and talked
The walk to school and back was tough
And I’d been feeling rather rough
My hubby’s birthday, his work day off
He kindly did the school drop off
And pick up too so I saw to me
I really couldn’t just let it be
With trip to chemist and pills to take
I rushed right home to ice the cake
In through the door and what do I see?
My poor little boy in pure agon-y
His eyes were hurting, an ache in his head!
With Calpol sent him off to his bed
2 hours later and he’s then wide awake.
I thought to myself “for Goodnes sake”
This was the start of a really long week
which 4 days of those, our prognosis were bleak
Ambulance attended the very next night
When deep in the eve we had suffered a fright
My child was there melting in front of my eyes
And this with no Drs to answer my cries
A temperature rising to forty point eight
We dialed 999, without a moment to wait
After 35 minutes of flashing blue lights,
We walked to the ward in the dead of the night
They told us to sit in this rather loud room
With toys chairs and a telly, and a little leg room.
3 hours then later we were told to go home
Meningitis suspected and we were all on our own
The weekend, was long with plenty surprises
With temperatures going and coming with rises
With meds he had readings of 38 and point 4
At 7:45 I was at my doctors front door
In that rainy day Monday there were 10 other people!
Some who seemed healthy and others looked feeble
Appointment was given for 10 past 10am
Their printer was broken and they hadn’t a pen
I walked on home in the driving rain
Thinking this surgery’s a total pain
Why couldn’t they ever just answer their calls?
Asking us to go down for 8 risk, having falls.
Surely you’re weak when you most need a doctor
And not all old folks have that handy old proctor
The GP took one look at my boy and then said
I’m puzzled, So I’ve booked you a hospital bed
So once more to Redhill, now with our nearly new car
Why oh why ?why? 30 miles is too far
Why do they keep shutting our hospitals down?
Why build more houses in this forsaken town?
Nearest hospitals to us is in the next county!
Those big wigs are up there ‘re collecting their bounty
No one cares yours-truly that’s in Haywards Heath
The closest on call Drs are wearing a sheath
When did they close, our Horsham one down?
What was I doing? Was I even around?
To cut the long story our wait in that doom
Of a place they call hospital was not in a zoom
With soaring high temperatures who really knew
If it was Pneumonia or if he had flu
The old magic cream, was then applied
For 2 hours straight he then screeched n cried.
The time to draw blood had finally come
He then bellowed louder like he'd swallowed a drum
And His face after that I will never forget
His eyes looked so distant and sad as you bet
An Xray to follow to check out his chest
For that we were ordered to take off his vest
Back to the ward once he had managed to dress
feeling phew it’s all over thinking time to de-stress
Nurse popped her head in, said“ as he’s improved”
We need this bed badly so it’s time that you moved
I responded "Will you check on his vitals first please?"
I’d rather be sitting there in somewhat at ease
The temperature read nowhere near thirty seven
If we go out there he’ll be aiming for heaven
You said he was well but it reads thirty eight- four
I said all of this as I sat on her floor
Incase you’d not noticed you’re awfully busy
And he’s really not well as you thought now- Is he?
I need you to give him some medicine please
And return in 2 hours with more like a breeze
In those 7 long hours, we got to see plenty
The waiting room full of heads way over twenty
It makes me feel awful but each man for himself
She moved on quite swiftly and all by herself
The tests inconclusive again, we were sent home
But first medication that we really must own
To give every 8 hours the pharmacist told
us, and gave me an IOU slip to then hold
So what happened next is a story instead
A mix up of sorts for this well needed med
So backwards and forth till it is was finally solved
And plenty was said that I should be absolved
On behalf of this town ten days later I plead
Jeremy Quin It’s a hospital we desperately need
Not thirty miles far, but in the same county
Not even 12 miles, if you’d forgo your bounty
If you have a young child, you most probably see
Why I spent my whole morning on making this plea!
Nice 😊