Well, no sooner than I post about how there is no-one who is ill, I end up 'blueing' into hospital a 44 year old with a severe asthma attack coupled with an Addisonian crisis. As an almost exact opposite to the rest of the people today, the patient is well known to the local ambulance crews as someone who won't call an ambulance until she is exceptionally ill.

We then went to a nursing home to transfer a patient with Alzheimers disease to hospital so that she could receive intravenous fluids to rehydrate her. She had been treated with antibiotics for a leg infection, and it had upset her stomach, so the patient had stopped eating and drinking. Why this job sticks in my mind is that the patient has been suffering from Alzheimers disease for the last 12 years, and that for every day that she was in the nursing home, her husband had visited her. She was very confused, and could hardly recognise her husband, she was doubly incontinent and unable to have a conversation, yet her husband doted on her. He came with us in the ambulance and spent the trip holding his wife's hand, and talking to her to keep her calm. He seemed very happy to talk to my crewmate, I doubt that the nurses in the nursing time have enough time (or perhaps the inclination) to spend some time talking to him, and it meant that he could talk to someone and have a decent conversation.

It was both touching and sad, the utterly confused state his wife was in, and yet the tenderness which he still showed towards her.

Another 12 hours tomorrow.

I'm on station at the moment, as it seems that the people of Newham are taking a break from being seriously ill. Of the three jobs we have done so far, none have really warranted an ambulance. The first job of the shift was a 50 year old male with a painful elbow - we took him into hospital, and he was a nice enough bloke, so we were quite happy at this.

Our next job was to a 70 year old who had tripped over in the street, the police were on scene (for a pub fight - stopping one that is, not arranging it) and so called us. There were no serious injuries, and the woman wanted to go home, so we dropped her off into the care of her son.

The award for the most 'misunderstood' use of an ambulance went to our last call, a 32 year old female who had painful eyes. Essentially she had swollen eyes due to an infection, and had called us to take her to hospital. She had been to the hospital three times in the past two days, and wanted to go to a different hospital. Unfortunately for her, she lives 300yards from the local hospital.

She then let slip the real reason why she dialled 999 for an emergency ambulance, "I want to go to Whipps Cross hospital, but I don't have any money". As she said this I took a long hard look at the cigarette she was smoking, and the way she held that cigarette between her painted nails. I felt like giving her the "An ambulance costs over £800 per call out" talk, but to be honest I couldn't really be bothered. So we walked her the 50 yards to her GP surgery and left her waiting to see her family doctor.

While some people might be annoyed by this sort of job, I'm not too upset - if the patient walks on and then off the ambulance, and doesn't try to hit me, or spit on me, then I'm happy with the patient.

I'm yet to start working with my new crewmate, as she is on a training course that will last about 8 weeks. And I might not be working with her then, if things go according to plan...

For those that are interested, I'll be at the 'Bell, Book and Candle' for the first London Blogger Meetup of the year on Wednesday. Feel free to turn up.