I've tried to write this post a few times now and each try could have filled a small novel. You don't deserve to be bored with such a wordy retelling so I'm trying one.last.time.
If you get nothing else out of this, please understand my intentions are to give heartfelt thanks to Lisa the head night nurse (until 11pm) in the Emergency Department of the Caboolture Hospital, and to the various other staff, nurses, doctors and specialists who saw us during our 19.5 hour stay.
It started with a frantic phone call from Patrick, thankfully the minute I stepped off the train on my way home. Ava has been hurt while playing at the park. Come home now!
There was blood. But no exposed bones, no head injuries and relatively no pain. Ava wouldn't let us check it out, so I figured a trip to the doctor to check all was ok was in order. Since it was early evening, neither our normal doctor or the local medical centre were open. Hi ho, hi ho it's off to ER we go.
I don't have fantastic experiences of ER. Mostly I recall waiting, for hours, and more hours, before being seen. And the last time we waited so long that I figured it would be easier to just go home, get some sleep and head off to our doctors in the morning (about 3 hours after we left ER). But this time was going to be different. For one thing, I wasn't going back to our 'normal' ER department. The Royal would have been my first choice but I never know where to park, and it's about a 45 minute drive. Patrick suggested the Mater, another excellent choice, but it's over the other side of town from us. So I decided on Caboolture. I had recently heard great things about them and the private clinic next to the ER so up the highway we flew.
As soon as we told the triage nurse our story she ushered us through some doors and Ava was being weighed and issued with painkillers. Let the adventures begin!
Once in our little private ER room, the doctor came by to check Ava out. Specialists would be required and perhaps sedation. But these things take time, specialists being so special they were in emergency surgery at the moment. That's cool, we'll wait.
And wait, and wait, and wait. During our waiting, the lovely Lisa came by hourly to check Ava's vital signs (all good) and eventually to bring me cups of tea, cheese sandwiches and the hospital phone so I could call Patrick and keep him posted. Saint!!
The specialists came by, with the head of department and advised that we might have to transfer to Brisbane if there is surgery required. Or we could transfer there first. I requested transferring to Brisbane to save double sedation if surgery is required. But no, Brisbane wouldn't take us and advised we be sent home.
The wonderful people of Caboolture said no, we wouldn't be sent home without being checked out properly and kindly put us up for the night in the Children's Ward. Finally, a bed for me! Ava had slept on and off in ER but I was knackered. It was now 2am.
Breakfast arrived at about 7am which Ava was pleased to see. She hadn't eaten since afternoon tea the day before. After breakfast though, she was fasting in case sedation was required.
Patrick arrived with fresh clothes about 10am. Hooray! I could finally change out of my slept in work clothes from the day before.
Again we waited, and waited, and waited some more until about noon when the team of 3 specialists came back to review. Fantastic news - we were being discharged! No sedation required, no further poking and prodding for Ava and no more waiting!
At 1.30pm we walked out of the Caboolture Hospital, Ava a little tender, but all very happy.
Patient follow up: She's impossible to keep still. My repeated requests to lay on the couch and rest are being ignored. At least she isn't in pain!
Thank you to the staff who had anything to do with Ava's care, and thank you to all who expressed concern and sent messages of love and best wishes.
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