"A negative attitude"

My 4 year old had chicken pox, by the fourth day he was absolutely covered in spots. I had him seen by a GP in the morning as I was worried with him being so unwell. They checked him over and were happy that all his symptoms were normal. 

By that night, my son's temp just kept increasing even after recently having a dose of calpol, and that had been his 4th dose in 24 hours. He kept waking himself up as he was jumping in his sleep and shaking. I was really concerned about him so I phoned 111. His temp was about 39.2 at that point. I was on the phone for about an hour and 15 minutes, most of that on hold. They ended up putting a request through to Grampian out of hours to phone me within the hour. It was about 1.5 hours later when they phoned, this was after 12.30am. I told them everything and they asked questions. Then asked for me to bring my son up to The Oaks. I explained that I also had a one year old fast asleep and that I was a single parent and dont have a car, so it was suggested that I take a taxi, or see if a family friend can drive me over. They said they would leave it with me to arrange something and a time to come up for. They said they would call me back after speaking to another patient to see what was happening.

My parents live about 10 miles away and although my dad drives, he had been having a few drinks that night and was unable to drive through. My mum can't drive but they said they would get a taxi through to stay with my one year old and save waking him up. I said I would just manage myself but they insisted. On their way through, out of hours phoned me again. I explained about my parents and that they were coming through in a taxi at that moment and that they would stay here with my youngest and then I'd come up in a taxi. At that point, they said I can't get a taxi up with him having pox, that they would speak to a colleague and phone back.

By this point it was 1.20am and my son's temp was reading 39.7. My parents arrived 10 mins later and OOH hadn't phoned me back. Their taxi driver was happy to take my son and I to The Oaks so I just went up with him. Once we got let in the door, the staff member came through and said in a horrible tone that the plan was for me to stay home until I was phoned back. Repeated that I shouldn't have come up in a taxi. We were told to stay in the waiting area for a little bit before they came back through to take us to the room for examination.

When we got in the room they said they weren't trying to seem like they didn't want to see him, but that I shouldn't be taking my child in a taxi with an infectious disease. They still weren't very nice afterwards, and certainly didn't seem like a fan of children. My son was absolutely screaming his head off. He doesn't like going to the doctor anyway and is always an anxious wee thing but he had barely slept and was so out of sorts, but the reaction was seeming unimpressed and not understanding. His temp was 40.1 when checked but everything else they said was normal for having chicken pox. I'd said I'd given the 4 doses of calpol in 24 hours already, the first one being at 7am yesterday and the last one at 8.45pm last night. They said there was nothing else they could give him and it was just a case of keeping him cool by a fan or leaving windows open until he was able to have another dose of calpol at 7am.

They then said they would have to see about getting us home and went away to speak to the gmeds driver. When they came back again I was told that he would take us home. Then said again that they didn't want to seem as if they hadn't wanted to see my son but that coming in a taxi was the wrong thing to do. I said I was sure it had been suggested to get a taxi in the first phone call. They admitted that they did, but then thought against it. Thought... but didn't say to me! I was told I should have waited for the call back as they could have arranged for someone to come out to the house. Why they didn't just suggest that beforehand when I said I was on my own and had another young child as well instead of having to take my 4 year old away up there and receiving a negative attitude.

I was grateful that it was arranged for us to be driven home but I didn't appreciate the way things were handled at all. The driver took us home but I realised that my son didn't have his blankie that he took with him. The driver said he would look when he got back, and told my son he would find it and put it in an envelope for us to go collect the next day. My dad went up to collect it the next day so thankfully my son got it back and I am very grateful to the driver for doing this and for his kindness.