September 19, 2011 on a cold Monday evening I got admitted into Saint George Hospital (Sydney, Australia) with the patient number 908-17-15 on a wrist ban. The service I received that night and the days that followed had surely blown my mind away on their advancement in the health system and facilities. It was an experience that really shaped my outlook about what my country’s health system is currently in dire need of…
What has happened to my country’s health system???....I leave this question to the experts to elaborate on...
Back to patient 908-17-15 - why I was admitted into hospital….
The week before I got admitted, I was experiencing fever coupled with difficulty in urinating and the excruciating sting that came with it. I was frequenting the toilet with not much success in the nights. The pain was too much that I visited a nearby General Practitioner (GP). After explaining what I was experiencing, I was referred to a Gastroenterologist. For what reason I don’t know??!!!!...
After the visit to the Gastroenterologist it was confirmed that my symptom had no relation to gastrology (diseases affecting the organs from mouth to anus) and he referred me to a Radiology Clinic for ultrasound scan on my urinary tract. That same afternoon at home my urinating got worse. I went from an irregular discharge to dribbling and finally to nothing; I went into complete urine retention. All the while the sting was so painful that I felt like pulling the toilet bowl out of the floor…..Thus, I got admitted into the Saint George Emergency and Medicine Unit (EMU) ward with a Catheter attached.
After the team of specialist doctors had consulted me and the nurses had taken my urine, blood and swap samples and followed up with the Radiology Clinic on my ultrasound result, it was then confirmed that I was diagnosed with:
1. Prostate gland enlargement
According to the website Better Health channel,
The prostate gland is a male reproductive organ. Many men experience urinary changes as they age, which may be caused by inflammation or enlargement of the prostate gland. An enlarged prostate gland, however, does not always cause urinary problems. Troublesome urinary symptoms are rarely symptoms of prostate cancer.
The prostate gland is about the size of a walnut and is found at the base of the bladder. A thin tube that allows the passage of urine out of the penis (urethra) runs through the prostate gland. Fluid produced by this gland helps to nourish and support sperm, which come from the seminal vesicles via the ejaculatory ducts into the urethra.
To understand more about the causes and common symptoms of prostate gland enlargement refer to the following link to the Better Health channel website.
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au
2. Bacteria found in my urine and blood called Staphylococcus
According to the website Better Health channel,
Staphylococcus aureus, or S. aureus, is a common bacterium that lives on the skin or in the nose. It is sometimes called golden staph. In most situations, S. aureus is harmless. However, if it enters the body through a cut in the skin, it can cause a range of mild to severe infections, which may cause death in some cases.
To understand more about how this bacteria is spread and the common infections caused by it, refer to the following link to the Better Health channel website
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au
When the diagnoses were confirmed, two separate specialist teams were assigned to take care of me. The Urology team took care of the enlarged prostate gland and the Infectious Disease team treated the bacteria. After further detailed questioning about my medical history by the two teams, I was sent for MRI scan on my spinal cord, Chest X-Ray and CT scan. They also put a tiny microscopic video camera down my throat to check my heart for any signs of bacterial colonization. All test results came back fine but the CT scan proved that I had infection in my prostate gland which had resulted in the enlargement.
On Friday (23-09-11) morning the Urology doctor informed me on the result of the CT scan and that the infection in my prostate gland was due to a pool of pus, resulting in the enlargement which blocked the urethra causing me to experience urine retention. He then described his planned procedure in flushing out the pus and told me to start fasting as I will be undergoing operation the following morning.
The clock struck 8am and I was wheeled down to level 2 where the operating theatre was and straight to the antistatic team who then got me ready for the operation. The last I could remember was breathing into a mask only to awake and find myself in the theatre recovery room ready to be wheeled back to level 3 North room 7. The operation was carried out very smoothly and within an hour
On the second day, following the operation, the Catheter was removed and I was put on trial to test my natural ability in discharging urine. The trial was a success and I was discharged from the hospital on the 28-09-11 for home with medication for the treatment of the bacteria. I was in the hospital for 10 days straight….
To the guys, if you do experience any symptoms similar to mine, I encourage that you immediately see your doctor. Do not leave it till it’s too late…
The awe factors:
• The hospital was a one stop shop for everything needed to cure, treat or examine a patient.
• The hospital has all the necessary specialist needed to carry out a job; every task is done by a completely different team of specialist. For instance, moving me from one ward to another or to the theatre is a job for a completely different department.
• The advancement of technological equipments from a simple blood pressure pump to a whole body scanning machine. All the processes were done with the aid of electronic equipments with very little manual input.
• Patients do not need full time support/caring from friends and relatives as there are full time nurses operating 24/7 looking after them. The nurses were very friendly and people oriented.
• Talking about cleanliness, this place is spotless sparkles
• The doctors were very descriptive in their explanation of the diagnoses and even drew pictures to clearly explain the diagnosis.
My fast recovery from the hospital would not be possible without the kind understanding and well wishes from my employer and SDM, my family for their positive encouragements and last but not the least the Heavenly father and his spiritual angels on earth for their protection, blessing, influence, decisions and cleansing….AMEN.
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| Saint George Hospital....I was at level 3 of this building.. |
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| My motivational friend - a gift from my two boys and their Mum. |
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| In my hospital room...... |
