This year, “Cloud 9”, “Bradazzle” and “Peculiar Folk”, with various singing and musician friends, concentrated on helping our dementia patients, following their fund-raising success last year for the Seamoor Unit in their “£1,000 Challenge”.
The entertainers from various villages across north Devon ran two evening concerts, an afternoon show, pub singalongs, a cake sale and raffles to raise funds for Fortescue Ward to open a special memory and relaxation area. This will give patients the opportunity to sit, chat, learn and explore in a specially designed cafe-style environment, offering things to do and decoration to bring ‘the outside in’. It will help patients combat confusion and make them feel at home during their stay with us.
Some of the participants visited us on 22nd August and presented their cheque for £1,140. They included Sheila Wright (admin), Shirleyann Andrews (musician and recitalist), Roger Andrews (singer), Linda Atherton (singer and recitalist) and Philip Price (accompanist). They were pleased to be shown around the ward and the area where the Memory Zone will be established, and will be back again next year.
and gave us all a surprise. When he was 6 days old he was admitted back to the Special Care Baby Unit at North Devon District Hospital with jaundice, he wasn’t feeding properly, he was very limp and a little bit yellow. The Paediatricians assessed him and took some blood tests to deter how jaundice he was and what treatment he would need. When his blood results came back his bilirubin levels were dangerously high and he was taken immediately from his his parents and placed under special blue lights, he then took a turn for the worst and stopped breathing, his heart rate dropped so he was immediately vented to help him breathe and he was placed under sedation. The doctor explained that because his bilirubin levels were so high he could potentially have brain damage and would need to be scanned at a later date. My daughter Chalade Hayes and my son in law Michael Hayes were then transferred to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children where Finley was placed in intensive care with a nurse by his side for 24 hours. From previous tests the doctors had discovered that Finley had contracted sepsis which was very serious, but because the doctors at North Devon District Hospital had already started treating him for that he was responding well to the antibiotics. Over the next 48 hours it was a waiting game to get to the bottom of what had caused this and to get him off the ventilator. It took a few days but then once he started getting better there was no stopping him. When he was in ICU he had a lumbar puncture to test him for meningitis which came back with a positive result, again luckily for Finley and us all, our North Devon District Hospital staff had already started him on treatment for that as well and we were assured that Finley was going to make a good recovery, but would need regular checks. They then scanned his brain and found no brain damage, and then they scanned his heart and found no damage here either. Because sepsis shuts down organs slowly, they all needed to be checked.
After 4 days Finley was transferred back to North Devon District Hospital, and was then discharged 2 days later. The rate of his recovery was unbelievable but without the fantastic work of the staff at both hospitals we dread to think what the outcome could have been. Looking at him now you wouldn’t believe he had been ill, and he has now been discharged of any further appointments.
L-R: Over and Above Fundraiser Julie Whitton, Jody Morrell, Carol Manley, Barnstaple Store Manager Nina Hunter. Front: Michelle Johnson and Lorraine Scoines
The staff have been treating patients to mince pies and fresh juice today to get everyone in the festive spirit. Thank you to all our patients, families and supporters for your continued support. Wishing you all a Happy New Year and a festive season.