Update on John

Over the weekend, John became very poorly. I took him to the doctor on Monday morning and he immediately admitted him to the private hospital. A nurse to take BP & temperature .. forms to fill, payments to make. Admission and tests/x-rays cost about GBP 250 - a fraction of the cost of private care in UK. And the treatment was very good, taking bloods and xrays trying to find out what was wrong with him. He was completely white and dizzy.

While we were in x-ray, 2 nurses, a doctor and 2 porters barged in and rushed him to ICU. The bloods had come back and he had a very low red blood cell count and haemoglobin had dropped through the floor. No wonder he was white. They needed him to have an immediate blood transfusion but the Botswana government does not allow this in private hospitals. So we had to get Medrescue to take him to the General Hospital. The MedRescue guys were great - only cost P1200 - about GBP 90.

The General Hospital - what a salutory experience that was. I never want to hear anyone complain about the NHS again - just be thankful for small mercies.

First we were put in A&E - another nurse to take BP & temperature, another administrator asking questions, payments to be made, another doctor to prod and poke. No matter that we were only there for the blood. They had a checklist and they were going to work through it. The nurse from the private hospital brought a sample and came with us and tried to get the bloods cross matched quickly but it did not speed up the process.

Eventually they admitted him and put him in general medical ward - wow - that's a place to go to die. There was no space in the ward so they just put the bed in the middle of the ward. The ward looked untitdy and dirty and smelled highly suspicious. There was no private room available. Another nurse to ask questions - take his temperature and BP for the 8th time. Eventually they brought the blood - freezing cold even though they had been asked to take it out hours ago. They wrapped it in a blanket and left it to warm up. They thought I was crazy when I unwapped it and stuck it under my arm. Needless to say it warmed up much quicker! We had to keep reminding them that the blood must be administered very slowly so as not to put a strain on the heart.

The ward was full of very frail looking old men. Their families come in 4 times a day to feed and wash them. They all looked like AIDS patients who were waiting to die. That evening I was told there was a private ward available but we couldn't have it because the people who collect payments had gone home. I made a fuss until they accepted to move him and let us pay in the morning - P150 per night - about GBP11.

Another nurse to take temperature and BP. Another doctor to ask questions. The private ward was much more comfortable for him even though the curtains were hanging off the rails, furniture was broken and the loo didn't flush. it was, at least, clean. Over the night they gave him 2 units. He had to keep calling them to get the flow right and release blockages but eventually it was done.

When I arrived next morning he had been waiting for several hours as they had 'gone to fetch the next bag'. Eventually I shamed them in to going to fetch it - of course it arrive stone cold. I did the underarm trick again and they got very upset - 'it's not supposed to be like that'. I told them I didn't care - I just wanted to get the blood through and then take him back to the private hospital. The last bag took about 6 hours because no-one would help him get the flow right. But by now he is feeling much better.

I asked for a doctor to sign discharge papers and eventually one came. The notes he wrote were completely made up and did not bear any resemblance to what John had told them. After asking several times, I got the line removed and got him cleaned up. Then I asked for a porter and a wheelchair. The bonly wheelchair had taken another patient to physio - we would have to wait.

Eventaully I got him into the car and back to Riverside. Completely different story. Doctors and nurses rushed out to greet him and told him how much better he was looking. They were all so relieved as he had given them a nasty scare.

The upshot is that he is very anaemic and too weak for further tests. He is on bed-rest and drug therapy for 2 weeks then we have to go back.

Sorry to give everyone a scare - but we were also scared :-(

I'll keep you posted.