Betterware catalogue junk-mail system offends me.

A few days ago an unsolicited, unwanted copy of the Betterware Catalogue – 'Junk Mail' by any other name – was posted through my letterbox.

Today I found the following note had been dropped onto my doormat – despite the fact it was obvious I was present in the house – by the local Betterware representative.

“Sorry I missed you today when I called to collect the catalogue that unfortunately was not left outside. I very much regret that due to time constraints it is not possible for me to call back to collect the catalogue, but should you wish to place an order, please call me on: xxxxx-xxxxxx” (I've omitted the telephone number as I not offering free advertising for the local representative.)

The wording of this note offends me in two ways.

Assumed commitment.

Firstly it implied I had failed to honour a commitment – one which I hadn't made – by not placing the catalogue outside of my home. I didn't ask for it and I didn't agree to be part of an agreement to store, act as custodian of, act as a poste restante, and then return the unsolicited publication on a predetermined, but not discussed or confirmed as acceptable, day.

Time management

Secondly it implied that the time management of the Betterware representative is more important than my own personal time scheduling. I'm not interested in how busy the representative may be on the day that he (I know the gender from the name on the note) unilaterally decided that I should waste my time putting the mailshot he had put through my letter box outside my front door for him to collect.

Like all unsolicited junk mail, the Betterware catalogue went into the recycling bin on the day it was delivered. As will all future correspondence from the company. I don’t wish to, and I won't, get involved in its catalogue marketing strategy.

©Elliot Sampford 2014.

Home from Hospital.

GOOD NEWS! Natalie has come home from hospital today.

She's passed the point of needing direct medical nursing care.

What's needed now is the recovery period of improving mobility, reduction of discomfort, and rebuilding her strength. This is best done at home in our own surroundings, at our pace, and tailored to her needs. We are looking at an initial period of probably six to eight weeks. There will be regular appointments with the 'Anticoagulant Clinic' (to monitor her blood-clotting reading and determine the daily dosage of Warfarin needed, as she had a mechanical prosthesis fitted this time), and her GP Doctor for general improvement of health.

In six weeks time she has to have a review appointment with the Cardiac Surgeon.

Today has been a very tiring day for her because of the checking-out and long journey home from the Trent Cardiac Centre. As I write, she's tucked-up in our bed, under our duvet, with her head on her own pillow.

That's the combination she's been longing for since the 14th March. when she was admitted to hospital.

© Elliot Sampford 2014

The new Mechanical-Prosthetic Aortic Valve has been fitted

Natalie's operation, in the Trent Cardiac Centre, went ahead as planned, on Wednesday morning (9th), starting at approximately 08:00 hrs.

I received a telephone call from the Cardiac Surgeon, Mr. Naik, at about 2:20pm to let me know that he had done his work; the new valve is seated OK; and that Natalie was being transferred to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. The operation was more complicated and had taken longer than usual for an aortic valve replacement because it was a re-do, as they call it, mechanical-prosthetic replacing failed bioprosthetic. He advised me to wait until the early evening to check-up on her condition. I telephoned the CU at about 19:45 hrs. The nurse allocated to looking after her confirmed that Natalie had woken up from the anaesthetic and that the ventilator tube had been removed. The nurse suggested it wasn't necessary for me to drive to Nottingham last night.

I visited this afternoon. I was very pleased to see that, because of her satisfactory progress and downgrade of risk, Natalie had been transferred from ICU to the High Dependency Unit. A move in the right direction. She is obviously feeling very uncomfortable and in some pain but this is being controlled with morphine, initially, and then less potent drugs, tramadol and paracetamol, backed up with a reduced level of morphine if the other two are not strong enough on occasions. The medical staff are pleased with her condition at this time. She may be transferred back to the normal cardiac ward on Friday or Saturday.

I believe she is coping better this time round than she did in 2006.

She dozed-off (resting her eyes she called it) a couple of times whilst I was with her: it's not surprising given the stress and drugs.

That's all the news for the moment.

Follow-up article: Home from Hospital

© Elliot Sampford 2014

Transfer to the Trent Cardiac Centre.

Natalie's transfer from Lincoln City Hospital to the Trent Cardiac Centre in Nottingham City Hospital took place today – eventually.

I mentioned in my previous article 'My Wife's Bovine Pericardial Aortic Valve has only lasted 8 years!' that the Consultant Cardiologist in Lincoln had sent a priority request to the Trent Cardiac Centre at Nottingham City Hospital for an operation to replace the faulty bioprosthetic aortic valve that is neither opening or closing properly.

We received confirmation a few days ago that the 'Re-do' operation, as it is termed in official correspondence, is to take place on the 9th April, and that she would be transferred today, although we didn't believe it was written in stone. She has remained as an inpatient in the cardiac department of Lincoln Hospital until now.

It was not until 09:50 hrs. this morning that Natalie was informed that the move would definitely take place today. She was told then because I had telephoned the ward to enquire if and when the transfer was to happen and the nursing staff let her tell me.

When I popped in at 11:00 hrs., to collect any laundry and other items that she didn't want to take to Nottingham, she was already to go, bed space tidied and bags packed, and waiting for transport to be arranged.

Transport Fiasco

Transport eventually arrived approximately 6 hours and 30 minutes after she was told she was going. She left Lincoln at about 18:15 hrs. and arrived in Nottingham at 19:45 hrs.

It is important that patients with heart problems are not subjected to unnecessary stressful situations. Today's transfer and transport fiasco certainly hasn't helped Natalie's stress level. I think there has been an appalling failure in the management of the situation. This is not the first time this week that a cardiac-patient has been kept waiting until the early evening before being subjected to a long drive from Lincoln to another hospital; on that occasion a journey of probably two hours.

The one redeeming factor of today was that at 21:30 hrs. the nursing staff at the Trent Cardiac Centre allowed Natalie to use their telephone to let me know she had arrived safely, had a few basic tests carried out, and been settled in. I have not been able to visit, and give moral support to her this evening, because of the ultimately very late arrival.

 Follow-up article: The new Prosthetic Aortic Valve has been fitted

© Elliot Sampford 2014.