Episode 3 Secret Life of the Hospital Bed


Episode 3

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Hospital beds in the NHS have never been under more pressure...

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It's just unrelenting at the moment.

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..with more patients to care for than ever before,

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and only 150,000 beds to go round.

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It is a fast-paced job. It's a non-stopping conveyor belt.

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In this series,

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we use special cameras on beds in four very different hospitals...

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Comfy bed.

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..to see the world through the beds' eyes.

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Left at the lights.

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SHE SOBS ..as they share the most challenging...

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-SHE SIGHS

-Oh, it's coming again.

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Don't get upset. We'll look after you, OK?

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Are you OK, pet?

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..most intimate...

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That's good.

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..and most rewarding moments of our lives.

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So, so happy.

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Coming up...

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In Newcastle, on Resus bed five,

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65-year-old David is fighting for his life.

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We're treating him as definitely being septic.

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It's massively serious.

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In Birmingham, on day surgery bed 40,

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44-year-old Lisa needs an operation for her serious heart problem.

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I exercise regularly. I eat well. I don't smoke. Why me?

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And in Romford, on maternity bed six,

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49-year-old Shola is getting ready to give birth to triplets.

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Today will be the last day of being two. From tomorrow, we are now five.

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Is that not amazing?

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Your bed's like an extra member of staff, almost.

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This is The Secret Life Of The Hospital Bed.

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Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital has 9,000 staff,

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working around the clock to look after anyone who falls ill.

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Can I have one of your beds, David?

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This is the hospital's day surgery unit.

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It treats around 500 patients every week.

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Just closing some of his stitches.

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The day surgery beds are intensive shift workers,

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on duty 12 hours a day.

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Today, bed 40 will be with Lisa,

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who's here for a life-saving procedure.

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ALL TALK

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All right, then.

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I had to get the dash in there

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-cos I pronounced it wrong, so I do apologise.

-Oh, don't worry.

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-You get that a lot, don't you?

-Yes, yes.

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-Own-ions. Onions.

-LAUGHTER

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-But I answer to O'Nions.

-I had to ask. I was like...

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we weren't too sure.

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Lisa has a serious heart defect and needs a pacemaker to keep her alive.

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She's just 44 years old.

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Sometimes, I do get a little bit angry with myself,

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I suppose, really. Cos I think,

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well, I don't drink, I don't smoke,

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I exercise regularly, I eat well - healthily.

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Why me? But, at the end of the day, you sort of have to deal with it.

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It's there. It's not going to go away.

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And, actually, it's keeping me alive now,

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so just get on with it.

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Today, Lisa is having the battery changed on her current pacemaker.

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Do you have a list of medication?

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I don't have any.

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-No meds?

-I'm a good girl.

-Ooh!

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Nurse MacDonald is dealing with Lisa's pre-op care.

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-Just a bit about your past medical history.

-OK.

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So, the reason the pacemaker was put in?

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Sick sinus syndrome.

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Is that from a child, or...?

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Well, they found it when I was 23.

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-Oh, OK. Just irregular heartbeat?

-Just irregular heartbeat.

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I was just going for a routine check-up for some medication

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and my GP found that I've got an irregular heartbeat.

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-Oh, OK.

-And it picked up from there.

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-Rhythm.

-Mm.

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Only 2% of pacemakers are fitted in people under the age of 45.

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If Lisa's condition hadn't been picked up by her GP,

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she wouldn't be alive today.

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THEY TALK

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And your next of kin?

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Stuart O'Nions. That's my husband.

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-Is he coming with you?

-He's going to come up

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-once I've had the procedure done.

-Yeah, yeah. That's fine.

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Cos I said, "Well, you'll probably be...

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-"so to speak, in the way".

-NURSE LAUGHS

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I didn't know that my hubby could be here, you see.

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-Yeah, yeah.

-That's why I said...

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-Has he got a job where he can just nip out, then?

-Yeah, yeah.

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It might keep you...

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When am I scheduled to go down?

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I've just got to double-check the list.

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I don't know how I'm going to let him know.

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Do I just let him know afterwards?

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Do you want to text him now, the number?

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-Oh, do you mind?

-Yeah, of course.

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Lisa married her husband, Stuart, 20 years ago.

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She wanted him to be here.

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But, for now, she's facing the operation on her own.

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Can your wedding band come off, or do you want it taped?

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-I'll have it taped, if that's OK.

-Yeah.

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And the one on my toe, as well, please, if that's OK.

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-Is that a wedding band on your toe, too?

-Yeah.

-Is it?!

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Is it like a special ceremony you had?

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-LAUGHTER

-Is it not?

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We went into the wedding ring centre in Florida

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and he said, "I've never sized up somebody's toe before."

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LAUGHTER

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I've never seen a wedding band on a toe, I'm not going to lie.

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-LAUGHTER

-It's very unusual.

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I've just never seen a wedding band on a toe. Honestly!

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That's it. It doesn't come off.

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LAUGHTER

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Professor Leyva, an expert in cardiac devices,

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will be carrying out the operation.

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We know that, when you are not pacing, you just stop.

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-Isn't it?

-That's right, yeah.

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So, to be absolutely sure, we'll just put in a temporary wire.

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And that just covers us

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-during the process of changing the box.

-I know, when you're switching.

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OK. I wondered how that was going to work, cos I thought, you know...

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-Yeah. No, that's the safest way to do it.

-That explains it.

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Changing a battery on a pacemaker

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is an intricate procedure that can take up to an hour.

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And do you know whether you'll be using the same scar?

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Yeah, I'll just use the same scar.

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I'll have a look.

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If I need to add another one, I might have to.

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-OK.

-But I'll try not to.

-OK.

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-OK.

-OK?

-Thank you.

-Very good.

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-See you soon.

-Very good.

-Thank you.

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It's 2pm.

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Husband Stuart hasn't arrived yet,

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but Lisa's friend Kay, from school, works at the hospital.

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-THEY MURMUR

-I'll go and get it now.

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-You've done this before.

-I know.

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I know. Thank you. Thanks for coming to see me.

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Day surgery bed 40 takes her to theatre.

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We'll rejoin Lisa as she has her pacemaker renewed to keep her alive.

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Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary.

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Here, the state-of-the-art A&E Department has more than 40 beds and

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six specialist Resus beds which all have life-support machines.

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I've just got a lady who I'd like to pop a tube in

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and get a CT head done on.

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She's an alcoholic, hypotensive collapse, GCS about four or five.

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A hospital cannot function without beds. Beds are vital.

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We are responsible for beds 24/7, 365 days of the year.

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There isn't an unlimited number of beds.

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We do come up against pressures, especially in winter.

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Our phones don't stop ringing.

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Constantly, all day, we just try and keep the flow going as much as possible.

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The unit's Resus beds are reserved for those

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with life-threatening illnesses or injuries.

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It's 11 o'clock in the morning.

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Staff are on high alert,

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as there's a patient coming in with a very serious condition.

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He's taken straight to Resus.

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Hi, Rosie, it's just Gemma.

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Do we have another cubicle round there?

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Yeah, the patient's only just got here.

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Resus bed five is standing by.

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65-year-old David has been rushed in with suspected sepsis,

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which is the body's reaction to a severe infection.

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Sepsis can kill.

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David needs to be injected with antibiotics.

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Hello there.

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My name's Pixie. I'll be your doctor today.

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What I need to do, my love, is listen to your lungs,

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and your heart and all that, OK?

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Then we'll take some blood. All right?

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You're feeling weak?

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Within minutes of being on Resus bed five, Dr Lamping Nam gives David

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the potentially life-saving treatment.

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If it is sepsis, she can't afford to wait for test results.

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Nurse Campbell has been working in the A&E department for 12 months.

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We haven't definitely got the results back from his urine analysis,

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but all the indicators are there to say that he's got urinary sepsis.

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-Will I just run the rest of that fluid through?

-Yes, please.

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As doctors try to stabilise David,

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health care assistant Mel sheds light on his condition.

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This gentleman's query sepsis.

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Until we have the bloods, doing routine tests, we'll not know

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where the sepsis is.

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It's massively serious.

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All over the news everywhere, at the minute.

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It's one of our biggest "watch out for" is the sepsis now.

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75 systolic.

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David has now been in Resus for half an hour.

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One of the symptoms of his sepsis is getting worse.

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Let me lie you down a bit. Are you feeling dizzy at all?

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His blood pressure is low, hence why we've tilted the bed.

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Has his blood pressure been so low en route?

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I'm just going to pop a little scratch on the end of your finger so

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we can check your blood gases, OK?

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Just keeping you flat for a little bit,

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because your blood pressure's a wee bit low.

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Up to four in ten people with severe sepsis will lose their battle to

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stay alive.

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Later, we'll be back with David to find out if his sepsis has been caught in time.

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Across the UK,

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an increasing number of women are having children later in life.

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And at Queen's Hospital in Romford, Essex,

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more than 50% of first-time mums are over 30.

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Do you know where the maternity triage...?

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Yes, yes. She needs to come to the checkup, all right?

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OK, bye.

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The hospital's maternity unit has 25 beds which never rest.

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Each one helps deliver around two babies every day.

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Hello, little lady.

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Maternity bed six is joined by first-time mum-to-be Shola,

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who is 49.

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She's having triplets.

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When people see you're 49, you're pregnant, they say, "Wow!"

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Carrying triplets? "Wow!

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"How are you coping? How are you doing?"

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I just cope, carry very well.

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I say, "I'm young, it's just all in the mind, isn't it?"

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Do you need some water or something?

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Shola and her husband Ike have been trying for a baby for 20 years.

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This is like a 19-20 years journey for us,

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we've been trying to have children.

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The couple are devout Christians.

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Their church pastor predicted they would have triplets.

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"By this time next year, you will come,

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"you will carry one child, your husband will carry another one

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"and the grandmother will carry another one,"

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so when he said that, that's when I realised that God had a plan.

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Shola's pregnancy is high-risk because she is carrying three babies

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and she's almost 50.

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Midwife Alexander is on duty today.

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Hello.

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Shola has been admitted to the prenatal ward for monitoring.

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One of the babies is seriously underweight.

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Midwife Alexander has to check every six hours

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that all the babies' hearts are still beating.

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We're doing a cardiotocogram.

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Three babies' heartbeats can be hard to find.

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Right, so that's the first baby.

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It's a good baby!

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The most important thing is that they all have

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a different heart rate, so we know they are all different individuals.

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The baby we are most worried about, he's smaller than the other two.

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They will all need support, all three of them, yeah.

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I'm trying to look for the second baby.

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She's struggling to find the smallest baby's heartbeat.

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I haven't got all three of them yet.

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I'm just going to feel her tummy and see if I can feel their backs.

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If we're struggling too much,

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you will have to have another scan done.

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Let me see if I can feel this one.

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There we go. At last!

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So, we've got 139, 140, and 136.

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The heart rates are normal.

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With one baby seriously underweight,

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Shola's triplets will be delivered more than a month early

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by Caesarean section.

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I'm looking forward to going home with my babies, so, yeah,

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that's the most important thing now.

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Today will be the last day of being two.

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From tomorrow, we are now five.

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Is that not amazing?

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Maternity bed six will stay with Shola until her babies

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are born in less than 24 hours.

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Even if it's an elective Caesarean section,

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there is always risk with surgery, so, yes,

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it's always a risk when it comes to Caesarean sections.

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We'll return as she get ready to meet them.

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Back in Birmingham's day surgery unit,

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bed 40 is taking 44-year-old Lisa for her heart operation.

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-Sorry.

-Yeah.

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She's having a new battery fitted to her pacemaker.

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Aged just 44, she needs it to keep her alive.

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-You OK?

-Yeah.

-All right.

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Well, we're just going to have a look at the device

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and see what it's doing.

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Local anaesthetic will be about three milligrams...

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If you're anxious, we'll give you more.

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Yeah.

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-I think that might be better.

-Yeah.

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-Don't worry. You'll be fine.

-OK.

-Good, excellent.

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Cardiologist Professor Leyva is in charge.

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Lisa will be sedated, but awake throughout.

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'This lady has had a pacemaker in for quite some years, since 1998.'

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And what we're trying to do

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is just to change the battery.

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We take out the whole pacemaker and put a new one in.

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'It's less common at her age.

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'It's mainly in the 60, 70, 80-year-olds,

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'it's much more common to have pacemakers.

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'So, we're just checking, at the moment,

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'that her own heart is actually beating'

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when we take the pacemaker out.

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So that, when we change it, the heart just doesn't stop.

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The team reduce Lisa's heart rate.

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They're on standby, in case her heart stops beating.

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How are you feeling there at the moment?

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As long as it's not for too long.

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What we'll do is we'll leave you like that just for a moment,

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just to give you a bit longer to adjust,

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having been at 60 beats per minute

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and now you're down to 40 beats per minute.

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It takes you a minute or two to adjust to that, OK?

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So we'll check with you again before leaving it.

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Lisa's husband, Stuart, has arrived at the hospital.

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'She doesn't whinge at all.

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'She just does take it in her stride. This morning'

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she put the girls off to school as normal

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and I went to work. I was told to...

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be as normal as possible.

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But, no, your mind's not at work.

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Your mind's elsewhere. You're worrying.

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And then, as soon as she tells me...

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..you know, that there's a time for her theatre,

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I just jumped ship from work and came straight here.

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And then it's just a worry, then, making sure everything's OK

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and you're here for her when she comes through from the operation.

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All done.

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All right?

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Good.

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'So, we didn't have to put in a temporary wire'

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because, actually, her heart was beating quite well.

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Although, it stopped for a little bit,

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it was a very quick change of the box.

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-STUART:

-'She's in good hands.

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'A very good hospital. Very good surgeons.

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'They've transformed her life. She couldn't breathe properly.'

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Her heartbeat was sort of stopping for four to six seconds sometimes.

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She needs this pacemaker.

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Lisa is transferred back to day surgery on bed 40.

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We'll be back with her as she's reunited with husband Stuart.

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The Great North Children's Hospital in Newcastle

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has its own emergency department for children who are 16 and under.

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-PHONE RINGS

-Hello, Paed A&E.

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Its nine A&E beds may be small,

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but they work nonstop around the clock.

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We have nine beds in total.

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We've got six cubicles

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and then we've got three monitoring beds behind us here.

0:19:310:19:35

The monitoring beds are used as a step down from Resus,

0:19:350:19:38

so for sick children that need a bit more one-on-one care.

0:19:380:19:42

Today, paediatric A&E bed 27 is expecting a four-year-old.

0:19:420:19:47

-So, if I can get Theon to have a seat on the bed.

-Yeah, sure.

0:19:490:19:52

Parents Sarah and Mark have rushed their son, Theon,

0:19:520:19:55

to the emergency department with stomach pain.

0:19:550:19:58

Less than a month ago,

0:19:580:20:00

he had emergency surgery to remove a bowel blockage.

0:20:000:20:04

He's being assessed by Nurse McGee.

0:20:040:20:07

Whilst on holiday in Dubai, we thought he had a little tummy bug...

0:20:070:20:11

-Uh-huh.

-..which turned into something a bit more sinister.

0:20:110:20:13

-He actually had a intussusception in his bowel.

-Uh-huh.

0:20:130:20:16

-So, he's had part of his intestine removed out there.

-OK.

0:20:160:20:20

And everything's been doing great up until last night,

0:20:200:20:23

when he started getting a bit of

0:20:230:20:25

-loose bowel movements, with no pain.

-OK.

0:20:250:20:28

But today he's complained quite a lot of the pain

0:20:280:20:30

and on the scar tissue across.

0:20:300:20:31

-And has he had loose stools this morning, as well?

-Yeah.

0:20:310:20:34

The thing is, it's a similar colour to what it was

0:20:340:20:36

the day before it all kicked off.

0:20:360:20:37

-Right.

-So, that's why we're just...

-It was quite mucus-y.

0:20:370:20:40

So we just want to make sure he's all right.

0:20:400:20:43

Can we take your jacket off, darling?

0:20:500:20:52

-I don't want to...

-ALL TALK

0:20:520:20:54

Oh, don't cry. It's OK!

0:20:540:20:57

Oh, listen. It's the tickly one.

0:20:570:20:59

-Do you remember the one you liked?

-ALL TALK

0:20:590:21:02

It won't hurt. I promise it won't hurt.

0:21:020:21:05

This one won't hurt.

0:21:050:21:06

Intussusception is the most common cause of bowel blockages

0:21:060:21:09

in young children.

0:21:090:21:10

If left untreated,

0:21:140:21:15

this condition can be extremely serious.

0:21:150:21:18

Wow. That's OK.

0:21:180:21:20

MACHINE BEEPS

0:21:200:21:21

-HE SNIFFLES

-You've been very brave.

-Don't cry.

0:21:230:21:25

'We were just at the pool and it was a normal day'

0:21:270:21:31

on our nice holiday, and he started saying he had a bit of tummy pain

0:21:310:21:34

and felt a little bit sick, so Mark took him out of the pool

0:21:340:21:36

and he was sick and we thought,

0:21:360:21:38

"Oh, maybe he's just had too many milkshakes."

0:21:380:21:40

-The hotel had a...

-Medical centre.

-It had a medical centre,

0:21:400:21:42

so we just went down to see them.

0:21:420:21:44

They didn't even check him.

0:21:440:21:45

They just said he needs to go to hospital straightaway,

0:21:450:21:47

something's not right.

0:21:470:21:48

The surgeon came out and said he needed surgery there and then,

0:21:480:21:51

cos the situation he was in, it was like a life-saving operation,

0:21:510:21:55

it was urgent surgery.

0:21:550:21:56

An X-ray is the only way of determining

0:21:590:22:02

four-year-old Theon's condition.

0:22:020:22:04

You worry. You hope to God that it's not...

0:22:070:22:08

we're not going down the same route as before, with this obstruction.

0:22:080:22:13

We'll return to Theon as he gets his crucial X-ray results.

0:22:140:22:18

Coming up on The Secret Life Of The Hospital Bed...

0:22:260:22:28

On Resus bed five, the battle is on to save 65-year-old David's life.

0:22:310:22:36

It's a bad infection, and it can kill patients quite quickly,

0:22:370:22:40

especially the elderly and the young.

0:22:400:22:42

In Birmingham, on day surgery bed 40,

0:22:450:22:48

Lisa's reunited with her husband Stuart.

0:22:480:22:51

And in Romford, on maternity bed 6,

0:22:560:22:59

49-year-old Shola faces surgery to give birth to her triplets.

0:22:590:23:03

Multiple pregnancy is high-risk.

0:23:040:23:06

No matter how many babies, it's high-risk in itself.

0:23:060:23:09

Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary.

0:23:150:23:18

Resus bed five has being occupied by 65-year-old David for over an hour.

0:23:180:23:22

He's being treated for sepsis, a life-threatening condition.

0:23:240:23:27

His blood pressure is dangerously low.

0:23:290:23:31

I think we'll have to make him well enough to go to monitoring.

0:23:340:23:38

His blood pressure still keeps dropping.

0:23:380:23:41

Sorry, my darling.

0:23:410:23:43

Sepsis is the body's reaction to severe infection

0:23:440:23:47

and has to be caught early.

0:23:470:23:49

Without quick treatment, it can lead to multiple organ failure,

0:23:490:23:53

meaning David could die.

0:23:530:23:54

All that fluid gone through, is it?

0:23:550:23:57

Yeah, that one's gone. The gentamicin's just about finished.

0:23:570:24:00

-Do you want another bag?

-Yeah, we can have a further 500.

0:24:000:24:03

-Another 500?

-Yeah.

0:24:030:24:06

He's had IV fluids and IV antibiotics, which he's had as well,

0:24:060:24:10

so we're treating him as definitely being septic.

0:24:100:24:14

Hospital staff are on high alert for sepsis cases.

0:24:140:24:17

Sepsis, it could be anywhere. It's a bad infection anywhere, and it can

0:24:170:24:22

kill patients quite quickly,

0:24:220:24:25

especially the elderly and the young.

0:24:250:24:27

David has now been in Resus for an hour and a half.

0:24:280:24:31

The antibiotics are starting to take effect

0:24:350:24:38

and he's showing signs of improvement.

0:24:380:24:40

He does look a little better now and he's ready for his sleep now.

0:24:410:24:45

-Won't be too long.

-He does, he looks a hell of a lot better.

0:24:450:24:48

Does look a lot better.

0:24:480:24:51

It appears the worst may be over.

0:24:510:24:53

There's a bed on the assessment suite. Do you want to go now?

0:24:540:24:56

Yeah.

0:24:560:24:58

David is finally stable enough to be moved off Resus bed five and onto a ward.

0:24:580:25:04

It seems the antibiotic injection caught the infection just in time.

0:25:040:25:08

From our point of view, he's a lot more stable than what he was when he

0:25:100:25:13

first came in. So we've got a monitored bed for him on the

0:25:130:25:16

assessment suite where he'll be under the medical team.

0:25:160:25:19

They will just carry on treating his sepsis and get him a little bit more stable.

0:25:190:25:23

They normally stay on the assessment suite for 24-48 hours.

0:25:230:25:27

I'll get you right in here.

0:25:290:25:31

We'll get you comfy and we'll get you sorted.

0:25:310:25:33

With a comfortable few hours on the ward, he's starting to rally.

0:25:370:25:40

When I first woke up I was a bit disorientated, the first time.

0:25:430:25:49

Then it came back to us after a little while where I was.

0:25:490:25:53

I'm fine.

0:25:530:25:55

David will have to stay in hospital overnight to continue his treatment.

0:25:550:25:59

Back in Romford, at Queen's Hospital,

0:26:040:26:07

maternity bed six is with 49-year-old Shola.

0:26:070:26:10

Today she is having triplets by Caesarean section.

0:26:100:26:13

-Morning.

-It's a very risky and complicated birth.

0:26:140:26:21

Shola's husband Ike will be with her in theatre.

0:26:210:26:24

-I'd like to take you down to the labour ward, please.

-Yay!

0:26:240:26:28

Do I go with all my notes?

0:26:280:26:30

-Everything.

-I'm ready.

0:26:300:26:32

I'll just get the midwife to come and get you.

0:26:320:26:34

OK. Am I walking down?

0:26:340:26:36

Less than 200 women in the UK gave birth to triplets last year.

0:26:360:26:42

-Pleasure to meet you both. You're in good hands.

-Thank you.

0:26:420:26:44

Thank you, thank you very much.

0:26:440:26:49

The mortality rate for triplets is ten times higher

0:26:490:26:52

than for single births.

0:26:520:26:54

Midwife Pattinson will be one of more than a dozen medical staff

0:26:590:27:03

helping to deliver Shola's three babies.

0:27:030:27:05

We will have three midwives

0:27:070:27:09

so that there's a midwife to take each baby.

0:27:090:27:11

We have three of the Resuscitaires,

0:27:110:27:13

so the equipment to Resuscitate the babies, if we need.

0:27:130:27:16

We will also have three paediatricians present,

0:27:160:27:18

one for each baby, and then on top of that,

0:27:180:27:21

we will have the normal theatre team, as well.

0:27:210:27:24

After trying to have children for 20 years,

0:27:250:27:28

Shola is now carrying two sons and a daughter.

0:27:280:27:31

Have you got hats for baby, your hats?

0:27:320:27:35

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

0:27:350:27:36

Consultant gynaecologist Mr Opemuyi

0:27:380:27:41

is in charge of Shola's Caesarean.

0:27:410:27:43

The average pregnancy lasts around 40 weeks,

0:27:440:27:47

but triplets are often born prematurely.

0:27:470:27:51

We've had to adjust the timing of the delivery

0:27:510:27:54

and she is only about 33 weeks today,

0:27:540:27:56

and what is important is the safety of the babies.

0:27:560:28:00

It's 8.49am and time to go into theatre.

0:28:000:28:03

Maternity bed six will have to stay on the ward.

0:28:040:28:09

OK? All right?

0:28:090:28:11

Would I be allowed to take pictures in there?

0:28:110:28:13

Yes, of course, yes.

0:28:130:28:15

We have a waiting game.

0:28:150:28:17

The prayer warriors!

0:28:170:28:19

Hello, morning.

0:28:190:28:21

So, just before you step up, my name is Susan,

0:28:210:28:23

-part of the anaesthetic team here.

-OK.

0:28:230:28:25

So, if I can just get your gown undone here.

0:28:250:28:28

So, what you are going to do is step up onto this stool,

0:28:280:28:30

turn around and face the wall there.

0:28:300:28:32

Excited and elated.

0:28:340:28:37

Yeah.

0:28:370:28:39

Shola's friends, Olushola and Stella,

0:28:390:28:42

are waiting in her room with maternity bed six.

0:28:420:28:46

I'm so happy for Shola that she has got this, God has been good to her.

0:28:460:28:50

Yeah.

0:28:500:28:52

To know that she is going to be a mother of triplets today,

0:28:520:28:56

it's amazing.

0:28:560:28:58

She has waited a long time.

0:28:580:29:01

-Sir, you are about to have three babies, come on!

-All right.

0:29:010:29:05

Yeah, come on, then.

0:29:050:29:06

-She's doing very well, all right?

-Oh, thank you.

0:29:060:29:09

-She's fine.

-All right.

-Follow me.

0:29:090:29:12

Shola's two friends know the risks involved with multiple births.

0:29:140:29:18

They're praying for healthy babies.

0:29:180:29:20

We'll rejoin Shola later in theatre.

0:29:230:29:26

Back at Newcastle's Great North Children's Hospital,

0:29:350:29:38

four-year-old Theon has left paediatric bed 27.

0:29:380:29:41

He is on his way to X-ray.

0:29:450:29:47

Wow, look! The toys!

0:29:470:29:49

Around a month ago,

0:29:490:29:51

he had life-saving surgery to fix a bowel blockage.

0:29:510:29:54

Mum Sarah and dad Mark fear the blockage has returned.

0:29:560:29:59

We've had some blood taken.

0:30:000:30:02

That's just to check for any infection, anything like that.

0:30:020:30:05

Hopefully, they'll come back soon.

0:30:050:30:07

And, in the meantime, we've been sent here for an X-ray

0:30:070:30:09

of his abdomen to check everything, all the bowels and intestines.

0:30:090:30:13

We are just concerned, obviously,

0:30:130:30:14

until we have the X-ray done and the bloods back to know what's going on.

0:30:140:30:19

There's the worry about the operation

0:30:190:30:21

that he had done out in Dubai.

0:30:210:30:22

Is there some complication that has arisen since that?

0:30:220:30:24

Or is it something else going on?

0:30:240:30:27

There's still a lot of anxiety until you know.

0:30:270:30:30

Radiographer Wilson will be carrying out the X-ray.

0:30:320:30:35

There you go, big boy.

0:30:370:30:39

Right, Theon, I'm Nicola.

0:30:390:30:41

I'm going to take your X-ray, OK?

0:30:410:30:43

-Are you speaking?

-How old are you?

-How old, Theon?

0:30:430:30:45

-Four.

-Four!

-SARAH LAUGHS

0:30:450:30:47

-Right, are you ready?

-Yeah?

0:30:470:30:49

Ooh!

0:30:490:30:50

The last time Theon was on a hospital bed,

0:30:550:30:58

he needed a life-saving operation.

0:30:580:31:00

That's it. Breathe in.

0:31:070:31:09

-Breathing in.

-And out!

0:31:090:31:10

And just hold your breath. That's it.

0:31:120:31:15

The X-ray will determine

0:31:150:31:17

if four-year-old Theon is at risk again.

0:31:170:31:19

Oh, bless him.

0:31:190:31:21

Yep, you're all finished!

0:31:250:31:26

Looking at his bowel...

0:31:290:31:32

-He's had previous surgery. Is that correct?

-Yeah.

-Yes.

0:31:320:31:34

Three-and-a-half hours after being admitted,

0:31:370:31:39

Theon is taken back to bed 27.

0:31:390:31:42

Why are you moving up here, Mummy?

0:31:420:31:44

-To sit next to you.

-To sit next to you.

0:31:440:31:47

If that's OK with you.

0:31:470:31:48

LAUGHTER

0:31:480:31:50

Hm?

0:31:500:31:52

How beautiful are you, Theon?

0:31:520:31:54

LAUGHTER

0:31:540:31:56

How beautiful are you?

0:31:560:31:58

-What's the time, Mummy?

-The time?

0:31:580:32:00

The time is 1:10.

0:32:000:32:03

So we can go home now?

0:32:030:32:05

Not much longer now.

0:32:050:32:07

Hello, how are we doing?

0:32:070:32:09

How's your tummy?

0:32:090:32:10

-OK.

-Is it feeling OK?

0:32:100:32:13

Nurse McGee has the results.

0:32:130:32:15

His X-ray is all clear.

0:32:150:32:18

Four-year-old Theon does not have a blocked bowel.

0:32:180:32:21

Lovely. If you have a little seat in the waiting room.

0:32:210:32:24

OK? Okey-dokey.

0:32:240:32:25

Theon and his parents can go home.

0:32:260:32:29

Well, that's good news. His X-ray looks absolutely normal.

0:32:290:32:32

Everything's healed from the previous surgery that he's just had.

0:32:320:32:35

His blood tests were all normal.

0:32:350:32:37

And it's fine for us to go home and just keep a check on him.

0:32:370:32:39

Things look good for the future for him, so we're happy.

0:32:390:32:42

And you've no more pain, have you? You're doing good.

0:32:420:32:45

Do you want to go home now?

0:32:450:32:46

-LAUGHTER

-I think he's absolutely delighted

0:32:460:32:48

to go home to his own bed. He can't wait.

0:32:480:32:50

-And neither can I.

-LAUGHTER

0:32:500:32:52

At the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham,

0:33:080:33:11

bed 40 is heading back to the day surgery ward.

0:33:110:33:13

Its patient, 44-year-old Lisa,

0:33:170:33:19

has just had a new pacemaker battery fitted.

0:33:190:33:22

THEY TALK

0:33:240:33:25

You can come on in. You can come in.

0:33:250:33:27

Husband Stuart is by her side as she comes round from sedation.

0:33:270:33:31

Take care.

0:33:310:33:33

THEY TALK

0:33:330:33:35

SHE SOBS

0:33:580:33:59

'Lisa's a very brave, lovely woman.

0:34:140:34:18

'Lovely mother. Couldn't wish for a better wife, or mother.

0:34:180:34:22

'The children are her world.

0:34:220:34:24

'She looks after me and the children more than enough

0:34:260:34:30

'and it's our time to repay her.'

0:34:300:34:33

Lisa has a serious heart condition.

0:34:330:34:36

This is the third heart operation she's had to keep her alive.

0:34:360:34:40

Lisa's friend, Kay, is back to visit.

0:34:420:34:45

-They brought you a coffee.

-Ooh!

0:34:450:34:48

A woman after me own heart!

0:34:480:34:49

You know, don't you?

0:34:490:34:51

How are you?

0:34:510:34:53

All right. It was just the box change,

0:34:530:34:55

-so it was quicker than anticipated, which was good.

-Yeah.

0:34:550:34:58

Do you notice a big difference once they've changed the box?

0:34:580:35:01

Not yet. I will do...

0:35:010:35:04

-In a few days?

-Yeah.

0:35:040:35:06

Yeah.

0:35:060:35:07

Oh, thank you, Lisa!

0:35:070:35:09

Thank you ever so much, chick.

0:35:090:35:12

You're a star.

0:35:120:35:13

So, if you're feeling up to it after this,

0:35:130:35:16

-we'll go for a little stand and see how you're feeling.

-OK.

0:35:160:35:19

Lisa's pacemaker is now fully charged.

0:35:190:35:22

Her life can begin to return to normal.

0:35:220:35:25

She'll be released as soon as she can find all her belongings.

0:35:250:35:28

They made me take my underwear off in the theatre.

0:35:280:35:31

So, somewhere...

0:35:310:35:33

I don't know where...

0:35:330:35:36

-Is your...

-Undercrackers.

-There'll be some undercrackers.

0:35:360:35:39

They'll turn up the end of the day!

0:35:390:35:40

-LAUGHTER

-Oh, no!

0:35:400:35:43

-Normally, they're under here.

-Oh!

0:35:430:35:45

So, I'm just apologising to the cleaners.

0:35:450:35:48

-LAUGHTER

-Oh, no!

0:35:480:35:50

Don't worry. I can get...

0:35:500:35:52

-They weren't special pants, were they?

-No. I can get home...

0:35:520:35:55

-Anniversary pants or anything?

-LAUGHTER

0:35:550:35:57

I can get home commando. You're OK.

0:35:570:35:59

-LAUGHTER

-I know, but...

0:35:590:36:01

Oh, has she put them there? Has she?

0:36:010:36:04

Bless her. Yeah.

0:36:040:36:05

-LAUGHTER

-Do you recognise them?

0:36:050:36:07

LAUGHTER

0:36:070:36:09

-Anyway...

-Right, then.

0:36:090:36:12

I'm just going to get you up, OK?

0:36:120:36:14

Problem solved, Lisa is now ready to leave day surgery bed 40.

0:36:140:36:19

-Thank you for all your help today.

-You're very welcome.

-You've been a star.

0:36:190:36:23

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-You really have, you've worked really hard.

0:36:230:36:26

Thank you ever so much. Thanks to all your staff, as well.

0:36:260:36:29

-Thank you.

-OK? Bye.

-Bye.

0:36:290:36:32

'I can't explain the feeling.

0:36:320:36:34

'It's sort of like a heaviness'

0:36:340:36:35

that I had before and just felt, you know...

0:36:350:36:38

But I do feel lighter.

0:36:380:36:40

Rest up for a few days.

0:36:400:36:43

Easy exercise to begin with.

0:36:430:36:45

And then, gradually, build up back to my three times a week.

0:36:450:36:49

-She's in good hands.

-You've done it before.

-Yeah, I've done it before.

0:36:500:36:53

-He is quite domesticated, so...

-Yeah.

-..you'll be OK.

-Yep.

0:36:530:36:56

Well, we'll see if he can look after the house and the girls.

0:36:560:37:01

Obviously, he won't be as good as me, but I shall...

0:37:010:37:05

rest up for a couple of weeks and I'm sure he'll do a grand job.

0:37:050:37:09

At Queen's Hospital in Romford,

0:37:210:37:22

maternity bed six is empty and will be for a while.

0:37:220:37:26

Keep coming back until I ask you to stop.

0:37:260:37:28

Keep coming back. Well done. That's perfect.

0:37:280:37:30

49-year-old Shola is having triplets by Caesarean section.

0:37:310:37:36

Gosh, you're brave! Three of them!

0:37:360:37:38

-I know.

-Oh, dear, you're brave.

0:37:380:37:41

-Buy one, get two free.

-Oh, lovely - Tesco's don't do that!

0:37:410:37:44

Shola is one of the many mums giving birth later in life.

0:37:450:37:48

In the last decade,

0:37:510:37:52

the number of women having babies over the age of 45 has trebled.

0:37:520:37:57

Husband Ike will be by her side throughout.

0:37:570:38:00

-Are you all right?

-I'm all right.

-You're all right. Good.

0:38:050:38:10

There will be three midwives in theatre today, one for each baby.

0:38:100:38:14

Midwife Pattinson is one of them.

0:38:150:38:18

Multiple pregnancy is high-risk.

0:38:180:38:20

No matter how many babies, it's high-risk in itself

0:38:200:38:23

and the triplets will be delivered at 33 weeks,

0:38:230:38:25

so obviously that is quite a bit

0:38:250:38:28

before they're classified as term babies,

0:38:280:38:30

so that makes them then high-risk.

0:38:300:38:33

Today's procedure also carries danger for Shola.

0:38:340:38:38

She has a greater risk of haemorrhaging during the delivery.

0:38:380:38:42

At the side of maternity bed six, Shola's friends,

0:38:470:38:50

Olushola and Stella, are waiting for news.

0:38:500:38:53

They're up and running, Shola - just wait and see who comes first.

0:39:120:39:16

At just 33 weeks, the triplets are being delivered prematurely.

0:39:200:39:25

There are concerns one of the babies is very small.

0:39:250:39:28

Shola has been in theatre for 25 minutes.

0:39:370:39:39

BABY CRIES

0:39:390:39:43

The couple have waited nearly two decades for this moment.

0:39:430:39:46

The first baby is born.

0:39:490:39:50

It's a boy.

0:39:520:39:53

Then, one minute later...

0:40:020:40:04

BABY CRIES

0:40:040:40:05

There we go, number two. There we go.

0:40:050:40:09

Crying, that's a good sign.

0:40:090:40:12

Another boy - he is only 2lbs 4oz.

0:40:120:40:17

Crying, so that is a good sign.

0:40:170:40:20

We just wait for number three now.

0:40:230:40:27

This baby needs extra medical help and is placed in an incubator.

0:40:370:40:41

Finally, after just five more minutes,

0:40:490:40:52

baby three, a girl, is born.

0:40:520:40:54

-BABY CRIES

-This one has to be a girl now.

0:40:540:40:58

Congratulations! Three babies!

0:40:580:41:00

Sorry, boys.

0:41:120:41:14

All the babies have been delivered safely.

0:41:140:41:16

On the ward, with maternity bed six,

0:41:190:41:22

are Shola's friends, Olushola and Stella.

0:41:220:41:25

# Perfect God You are excellent, God

0:41:250:41:29

# Perfect God You are excellent, God

0:41:290:41:33

# Perfect God You are excellent, God... #

0:41:330:41:36

Good to get that done now, babies out. It's a relief,

0:41:390:41:43

isn't it, that they're out?

0:41:430:41:44

-They were all crying well, weren't they?

-Yes.

0:41:440:41:46

Good, lovely.

0:41:460:41:48

BEEPING

0:41:480:41:51

Go with him, Molly, go with him.

0:41:510:41:54

-Yeah, and then...

-This the girl?

-The girl!

0:41:540:41:59

This is the little girl, yeah.

0:41:590:42:00

To see them...very cute.

0:42:020:42:05

Lovely babies.

0:42:050:42:08

Wow, I'm so happy, I'm so happy!

0:42:080:42:11

# You are wonderful, God

0:42:110:42:14

# You are perfect, God... #

0:42:140:42:17

As the triplets are premature,

0:42:200:42:22

they'll be taken straight to the neonatal intensive care unit.

0:42:220:42:25

Shola and Ike will visit them later.

0:42:250:42:28

Our hospital beds have given us intimate access

0:42:370:42:40

to the work of the NHS.

0:42:400:42:41

Shola and Ike were soon able to visit their three new babies.

0:42:430:42:47

They're all now back at home, and doing well.

0:42:470:42:50

Theon had to go back to hospital again with tummy pain, but is now OK.

0:42:530:42:57

And Lisa's heart is beating well. She's back at work, and enjoying family life.

0:43:020:43:07

The beds are now back on their wards,

0:43:100:43:12

ready and waiting for their next round of patients.

0:43:120:43:15

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