Project Manager E-Rostering, Supervisor of Midwives Jo Machon tells us about her experience of flu and how in the run up to Christmas it ruined the whole festive time for her.
“I’m not a poorly person but in December 2010 I got really bad flu. I’d never experienced anything like it before, so please get your flu jab ASAP.
“I worked as a community midwife so I was in and out of people’s homes every day, but also worked in the hospital. You know how it is...out in the cold weather, come inside to the warmth and then back out again?
“It started with a normal cold; sore throat, sneezing, red nose, eyes watering. But within 24 hours I quickly became very poorly. I’d never experienced anything like it before. I couldn’t sleep even though I was so very tired. I was uncomfortable, irritable and I couldn’t breathe properly. It was just a horrible feeling.
“I was just so tired – everything was an effort – and my whole body from the top of my head to my little toe hurt.
“I even brought a single mattress downstairs at home so I wasn’t disturbing my husband and children! And I had builders there all day so it was even worse – but I just didn’t know what to do with myself.
“The winter before there had been a focus on Swine Flu, so I rang the GP to tell them how I felt. They agreed that I probably had flu but they weren’t giving Tamiflu out any more. I was ordered to stay at home and just get better….
“It was the lead up to Christmas and I had to stay inside and recover when I’d normally be dashing around getting all excited – I couldn’t go anywhere.
“It just made the whole of Christmas hard work to be honest. What made me feel worse was how guilty I felt being off work, even though I really wasn’t well enough to work. I felt like I was letting my colleagues down.
“Because of that I went back to work, knowing I wasn’t 100% better. What a mistake!
“I worked for two days alongside a new midwife on my team. On the second day she told me I needed to go home, that I looked dreadful and I was out of breath. I went home thinking thank goodness as I felt so awful!
“I remember going shopping for the party. I have 13 steps to get to my door. On my second load I started to become really wheezy and out of breath – I felt absolutely shocking and my husband had to take me to the pop-in clinic at my GP, who gave me an inhaler and a good talking to.
“I still have to use the inhaler when I have a cold. Who knows if it could have been avoided if I’d stayed off to recover fully?
“From that point on I've always had the flu jab as soon as I can. I don’t ever want to feel like that again!”
There is is lots more information on the intranet including next upcoming drop-in sessions (two being held at St John's Health Centre).
| HRI | ||
| Date | Time | Where |
| Tues 20 Oct | 11.00 to 13.00 | Flu trolley on tour! Contact Occ Health if you'd like a visit |
| CRH | ||
| Date | Time | Where |
| Mon 19 Oct | 14.00 to 16.00 | FSS offices(by link corridor to the learning centre) |
| Tues 20 Oct | 10.30 to 12.30 | Flu trolley on tour! Contact Occ Health if you'd like a visit |
| St John’s Health Centre | ||
| Fri 16 Oct | 09.00 to 16.30 | St John’s Health Centre Clinic Rooms |
| Tues 20 Oct | 13.00 to 16.30 | St John’s Health Centre Clinic Rooms |
Please email occupational.healthCHT@cht.nhs.uk to request a visit to your team/department.