Jo Jenner's Blog, page 3

HME's - Swedish Nose v Bib - A Patient's view

When you have a tracheostomy you intake all your air through a tube inserted into your throat. One of the problems with this is that the air goes in dry and cold and doesn't have the benefit of the warming and filtering effects of you nose. In order to replace your nose's function a HME (heat and moisture exchange) is required.
Up until a week ago I have always used a Buchanan bib but at my last hospital visit it was suggested I should try a Swedish nose.
After my first week here is what I see...

What would be your first meal?

After 6 months of being fed through a tube, my thoughts turn to which foods I am missing the most.
 I won't have a first meal as such, because food will gradually be reintroduced starting with liquid, moving on to soft food and then eventually back to normal.
With 3 to 6 months left to go these are the things I will be looking forward to once everything is back to normal.

Burger King XL Bacon double cheese burgerSausage and fried egg cob (that's Nottingham for bread roll) with brown sauce a...

Did Feminism pass YOU by?

I don't necessarily consider myself a feminist, but I appreciate I have a good job, I bought my first house by myself and I have holidayed and travelled alone many times. All of these things would not have been possible for an average women not that many years ago.
However this week I have been shocked by the number of my friends who seem to define themselves by the man, or lack thereof, in their lives.
Regular readers will know I have been ill for a long time but whilst that is shit at least I...

Care and compassion - the most important 2 of the 6 C's

Nurses make you better. Doctors chop you up and solve the problem but nurses are the ones who care for you and make sure you get better.
There are many ways in which nurses can make you better and I have been amazed by the difference shown between nurses. They are overworked but still have to treat each patient with care and attention even if the patient before has wound them up or treated them badly.
After I had my first PEG feeding tube fitted I was awake during the night and I couldn't stop...

No counselling you're not dying

I have had five surgeries, two of which went wrong and three of which were to correct the original two. I am now unable to speak and have secretions running out of the front of my neck all over my clothes.
I am a little down and was pleased yesterday when finally it was mentioned that counselling was available.
Today I have been told that I can't be refered for counselling based upon my surgeries because I don't have cancer.
I have to go to my (overworked) GP and ask her to refer me.
I should be...

Is my mental health part of the recovery process?

Having had five operations in the last five months and now being back to where I was four months ago I have been feeling a little low.
 I would not say I am depressed but I am not my usually jolly self and tears flow a lot more easily than they ever have before.
I have now mentioned to a number of different health care professionals that I come into contact with that I am feeling sad, and this has been greated by such wisdom as:
'Yes a lot of patients feel low after surgery.'
'Well we knew i...

What you need to do is rest - In a hospital?

Many people will tell you that when you are ill what you need to do is rest, and above all get plenty of sleep.
However in a hospital this can be virtually impossible.
First you have a drug round at about 10pm, then depending on how much you need monitoring you will need your blood pressure etc. taking at about 2am and if like me you are a trachi patient you trachi will need checking and cleaning during the night. Depending on your feed regime you may need a new bag of feed at around about 4am...

Let's hear it for the boys

Having watched the Lisa Lynch biopic on BBC this week I was impressed by her strength and the amazing way she handled her illness. I am sure no one who watched that would have felt any different.
But how many people spared a thought for her husband. Here is a young man who early on in his marriage has to cope with this horrible illness and potentially the loss of his wife. With few exceptions he was strong and held it together for her. He was there whenever she needed him and what outlet did h...

Confusion in the NHS - Well for this patient anyway

Recently I spent a lot of time in my local NHS hospital - Wiiliam Harvey in Ashford. Due to issues and complications last month I had to spend two weeks in Guy's Hospital in London. I could not believe the difference in the two hospitals and I'm guessing you'll be surprised by which I thought to be the better.
The thing that has struck me the most was the differences between the two hospitals when it comes to discharge.
With William Harvey my consultant wrote me a sick note signing me off work...

The cobbles of remembrance

I had been enjoying the hot Sunday afternoon, lazing in the sun. They were having a birthday party next door and Cheneice was over there and Jim was away on business for another week. It wasn’t often I get to sit and do nothing but today was a perfect day to do just that.
So far I had worked half way down a very weak jug of PIMS and I was had almost finished the Jackie Collins that had been sat on my bedside table for the last few months.
I had heard a few screams from over the fence but that w...