No further contact from the stoma nurses so at 9:30am I put in another call and explain that I am now getting worried. Once again, a promise to get someone to call me. This time, though I need a solution. This is the first time I have doubted the support available. I hope it is just temporary.
Afterwards I call my GP surgery to ask for a nurse appointment to check out the drain wound. I get a nice early time at their smaller New Bilton centre.
11.20am with Practice Nurse at New Bilton Health Centre. The nurse examines the wound and does not consider it to be infected. So this is something at least. She redresses the wound and consults a doctor. The doctor is patient and listens to my description of my symptoms. She decides that a low level infection is possible and prescribes some antibiotics.
Unfortunately the nurse’s solution is not rugged enough and the dressing starts to leak less than two hours later. While Lesley is redressing it for me there is a call from a Private Number.
It is from a STOMA nurse I have spoken with often at the hospital saying that she is trying to get to the bottom of what went wrong on Monday evening. Apparently there has been a conversation and I should get a call before Friday. I am reassured, however that the timing is not critical and a few extra days will cause no harm. That, at least, is a relief.
Forget the Rules 