Pennod 7 Ward Plant

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-Ysbyty Gwynedd has been caught up

-in Hurricane Ophelia's high winds.

-But even in the roughest weather...

-It's windy!

-..the nurses cope.

-Many have had to go home

-because of the wind...

-..and the bridge is closed.

-We shared a car, didn't we?

-We shared a car, didn't we?

-

-Yes.

-I was traumatised after sitting

-in your passenger seat!

-Despite everything, the patients

-continue to arrive on Dewi Ward.

-A three-month-old boy with breathing

-problems is coming straight here.

-These tonsils are massive.

-I felt it straight away

-and heard it break as well.

-Every morning on Dewi Ward

-tends to be the same.

-The night shift comes to an end.

-See you later. Ta-ta.

-The day shift takes over

-and the work starts again.

-We've been quite busy overnight.

-We've had a lot of admissions

-but most have gone home...

-..after seeing the doctor.

-I think we only have about

-two new patients this morning.

-So it's not too bad

-for the day staff.

-And I'm looking forward

-to seeing my bed!

-It's nine in the morning.

-This is the assessment unit.

-Every child that is referred to us

-from their GP or from A&E...

-..comes in here first

-to be seen by a doctor.

-This unit's been here

-for about a year.

-It's been a great help for the ward.

-It stops the ward

-from getting full of children...

-..who don't need admission

-but need time to get better...

-..or time to decide whether

-they're well enough to go home...

-..or if they need more treatment.

-But with Hurricane Ophelia...

-..and the highest winds

-in a century on the way...

-..this is not a normal day

-for Ysbyty Gwynedd.

-We might have fewer children

-coming in...

-..because they may not go

-to the surgery.

-The biggest challenge for us

-will be staff needing to go home.

-But one little boy has managed

-to arrive before the storm.

-Ophelia can't come between

-Calum and his tonsils.

-He's been in and out to see

-the doctor for about five years.

-His tonsils touch each other.

-He always has a secondary infection.

-The first time, it was in the knee.

-The second time, the hip.

-Last week, he had a secondary

-infection on the bowel.

-That created some problems for him.

-So we're happy

-that he's having them taken out.

-My tonsils are massive.

-But the storm is even bigger.

-She has her eye on the toys

-in the Dewi Ward play area.

-We'll put all the toys in the corner

-before they go out of the gate.

-It's windy!

-But Ophelia

-is only just getting started.

-I've had a text message

-from the school...

-..to say

-they're closing at one o'clock.

-Unfortunately, I can't hold

-of their dad or their gran...

-..so I'll have to pick up the girls,

-drop them off at their gran's...

-..and then come back to work.

-Other members of staff

-can't come in...

-..because they haven't got anyone

-to look after their children.

-So we're quite short-staffed.

-This nurse has just enough time

-to take Calum to theatre...

-..before having to pick up

-her own child from school.

-But on a day like today,

-everyone understands.

-The staff have been really good.

-They've had problems

-with the weather.

-Many have had to go home

-because of the wind...

-..and the bridge is closed.

-But everyone who's here

-has been fantastic.

-The GP has sent Andrew in because

-he suspects he has appendicitis.

-The poor lad brings a bucket with

-him because he can't stop vomiting.

-Claire brings Andrew to a bed.

-She doesn't want an old paint bucket

-on her ward.

-Which nurse would?!

-But she can't get rid of it

-because Andrew's dad...

-..says the bucket

-is a family heirloom.

-Hmm!

-There you go. OK?

-Shall I grab that for you?

-They've used it all their lives

-as a vomit bowl...

-..but you could get rid

-of the contents for us.

-Be careful with that bucket, Claire.

-I thought I just had a bug.

-I have a little bit of pain

-and I feel a bit sick as well.

-There we are.

-Calum is feeling a bit light-headed

-after having his tonsils out.

-But moving beds

-can make the world spin.

-Aah!

-Aah!

-My lips are so dry.

-My lips are so dry.

-

-Are you OK to come across here?

-I think so. Waa!

-Whoa.

-Nice and careful there.

-Dizzy?!

-Well done.

-You have a lie-down now.

-All the best now.

-Thank you.

-I don't want to...

-Try and go back to sleep.

-I want to stay with you.

-I want to stay with you.

-

-I'm staying here. I'm staying here.

-The night shift's

-come in early to help...

-..because so many nurses

-had to go home.

-Everyone has their story.

-A Tesco Bag for Life

-hit my windscreen.

-That's it really.

-That's the only traumatic thing

-that happened.

-The electricity in the house went

-off about an hour before I came in.

-My dinner was in the oven and I

-wanted a shower before coming in.

-So I was a bit behind

-and it was a bit of a rush.

-Then it was windy as well.

-I haven't been driving for long

-so I was a bit nervous driving in.

-What did you have to eat?

-I had salmon in the oven.

-And the new potatoes

-were a little bit on the raw side.

-So it was a bit of a rush

-to come in.

-We shared a car, didn't we?

-We shared a car, didn't we?

-

-Yes.

-I was traumatised after sitting

-in your passenger seat.

-No!

-The wind has stopped people from

-travelling and seeing their GP...

-..so it's quiet on Dewi Ward.

-But Andrew is still here.

-The surgeons have seen him and they

-agree he must have his appendix out.

-There's a toilet here.

-He came in

-about three o'clock this afternoon.

-He's had blood taken

-and he's been nil by mouth.

-They've given him IV antibiotics

-already.

-He's been in a bit of pain.

-So he's had some painkillers.

-He's also been having IV fluids.

-I think they'd planned to take him

-to theatre this afternoon.

-But it was about ten o'clock tonight

-when the doctor came to see him.

-They're hoping to take him

-to theatre tonight.

-For those children in real need...

-..there's always a way

-of getting to Dewi Ward.

-It's 10.55pm.

-We've just had a phone call

-about a three-month-old baby...

-..with breathing difficulties.

-They're coming straight to the ward

-in the ambulance.

-That's all we know at the moment

-so we'll see.

-This little man is Logan.

-He's given his mother a fright

-and he's only 12 weeks old.

-And he didn't improve at all?

-No. He's been the same all day.

-He started to get ill last night.

-I waited until this morning and then

-I took him in. He had a high temp.

-He was crying in pain.

-I had a lift up this morning.

-I was home until about 4.30pm.

-Then he started getting worse.

-I've assessed him. He looks OK.

-Mam was a bit worried

-because he wasn't drinking much...

-..was a bit snuffly and had a cough.

-He's got progressively worse

-all day.

-So we're just waiting now

-for the doctor to assess him...

-..and we'll see then

-what the next step will be.

-While Logan waits to see the doctor,

-and as the clock passes midnight...

-..Andrew is on his way to theatre

-to have his appendix out.

-They need to wrap up warm

-to protect from Ophelia.

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-Two days after Hurricane Ophelia

-and Andrew is still in hospital.

-They found that the end

-of the appendix was gangrenous.

-He was there for about two hours

-in total.

-He came back and now he has to be

-on antibiotics for 48 hours...

-..to make sure

-he doesn't have an infection.

-He's finding it difficult

-to eat at the moment.

-During the treatment,

-they handled his bowels...

-..so it takes a while for everything

-to get back to normal.

-There we go.

-Someone else who's been having

-trouble eating is Seren.

-But for completely

-different reasons.

-She's been feeling light-headed

-and vomiting since first thing.

-It's because her diabetes

-is out of control.

-Her blood sugar levels are too high.

-Her pancreas

-doesn't produce insulin...

-..so her body can't use the sugar

-to produce energy.

-Instead, the cells use fat...

-..and that creates ketones

-which poison her body.

-One of the first tests we do

-is what we call blood gas.

-We can then see how acidotic

-or alkalotic the blood is.

-Seren's blood had started to

-creep up to be more acidotic.

-It's normally neutral.

-She was breathing a bit differently.

-She was sort of panting.

-That means that the level of C02

-in her blood is raised.

-Her body's way of trying to

-get rid of the C02...

-..is to make her breathe like that.

-The ketones

-that make the blood acidotic...

-..affect many organs

-and systems in the body.

-Seren has diabetes type 1,

-an incurable genetic condition.

-Her family use

-the latest technology...

-..to keep it under control.

-She has an insulin pump

-so instead of injections...

-..she wears this pump which gives

-a constant infusion of insulin.

-She has to manage it.

-She also has another machine

-on her body...

-..called continuous glucose monitor.

-It's a sensor under the skin

-which measures the blood sugar.

-The reading from that

-goes to her phone.

-Seren is responsible for this -

-not me.

-She has to work out all the time

-what she needs to do...

-..and whether she needs more

-insulin, more sugar, less insulin.

-She has to work out

-the carb content of her food.

-As you can imagine...

-..it's quite a big responsibility

-for a young woman.

-But she does a fantastic job

-and we're very proud of her...

-..for being so responsible.

-It's supposed to be between 4 and 8.

-So let's check Seren's phone.

-As you can see, it's 18.7.

-This can be read on any phone...

-..so when my husband's

-working in Botswana...

-..he can check Seren's

-blood sugar levels.

-When you come home

-with a child who has diabetes...

-..it's like coming home

-with a new baby.

-Diabetes type 1 is completely

-different from type 2.

-You can't cure type 1 diabetes,

-just manage it.

-Peer support is so important.

-We're part of a group for parents

-and carers in North Wales.

-There are around 100 children

-under 18 who have diabetes type 1.

-We meet up every month,

-we help each other.

-I'm going on a girls' night out

-with about ten other mothers...

-..this weekend -

-if Seren is well enough, of course!

-It's an important part of our life.

-Rugby is what's important

-to Gethin.

-That's why he's here

-for the second time.

-Last April, I broke my leg

-in a rugby match.

-I've just gone back to playing rugby

-about two or three weeks ago.

-I've just broken it again

-in training last night.

-I felt it straight away

-and heard it break as well.

-I've broken both bones now.

-I knew straight away I'd broken it.

-Seren's father also knows straight

-away if his daughter's in trouble.

-Thanks to her mobile phone.

-Once you go below the red line, 4,

-you go into hypoglycaemia.

-You need to aim for it to be

-between the red line and number 10.

-You don't want it to go much over 10

-in the long term.

-People like us who don't

-have diabetes are around 7.

-But for someone

-with type 1 diabetes...

-..the blood can be

-all over the place.

-It can be too low, hypoglycaemia,

-or too high, hyperglycaemia.

-So now, you can see

-that her blood is at 13.

-So if we input that information

-on the machine...

-..it will work out

-whether she needs a correction dose.

-Yes. It says 1.40 units.

-Say yes, Seren.

-Confirm.

-So the machine now automatically

-tells the insulin pump...

-..that she needs 1.40 units

-of insulin.

-They explain that type 1 diabetes...

-..is like walking along a tightrope

-with a blindfold...

-..with a spoonful of sugar

-in front of you.

-That's the balancing act required...

-..to make sure your sugar levels

-don't go too high...

-..and that they don't fall too much

-either.

-You try to keep it constant.

-We're still not sure why Seren's

-blood levels were so high.

-We did exactly what we normally do.

-It's important to remember

-that insulin is a hormone.

-Other hormones can affect

-your blood sugar levels.

-For example, if you're nervous,

-adrenaline can raise the levels.

-It's just one of those things.

-You can't really solve

-the mystery that is diabetes.

-We know some things and there

-are other things we don't know.

-In order to live a full life

-and keep healthy...

-..you just have to keep checking

-all the time.

-It might be an idea for Gethin

-to steer clear of the oval ball.

-He's on his way to theatre

-to have his leg fixed - again.

-The surgeons are still perplexed

-about Andrew's condition.

-There is a problem to be solved.

-The appendix has come out

-but the lad's no better.

-He just doesn't feel too well.

-He's been sick a few times...

-..and this afternoon

-he had a lot of diarrhoea.

-It is something that can happen

-after an appendix operation.

-Especially if the appendix

-has gone bad...

-..or if there's pus in the abdomen.

-We've tried lots of things

-but he's not himself.

-So we've phoned the surgeons and

-we're waiting for them to come down.

-We'll see if they want to try

-something different.

-But he's not feeling too great.

-And he can't walk much either.

-He's in a lot of pain.

-I've been throwing up.

-And the colour?

-And the colour?

-

-Orange and frothy.

-Do you feel sick now?

-You're still feeling sick.

-First of all, I would ask you

-to stop eating or drinking.

-We'll replace this with the fluids

-to replenish the fluids.

-The surgeons

-have been to see Andrew.

-They think he just had a good day

-yesterday immediately post-op...

-..and that he's having

-a bad one today.

-They think it's just

-part of what happens...

-..and that he probably has

-an ileus in the bowel.

-When you have

-an appendix operation...

-..the bowel is taken out

-of the body.

-It even has to be cleaned

-if the appendix has burst...

-..and there's pus on the bowel.

-If anyone touches the bowel,

-it tends to sulk!

-It doesn't want to do anything.

-Andrew started eating and drinking

-yesterday.

-The food has gone through

-his stomach and into his bowel.

-It's reached the part of the bowel

-that is inactive and it's stopped.

-There is no peristalsis

-as would normally happen.

-So Andrew's been throwing up

-and having diarrhoea.

-With diarrhoea, you can lose

-vital salts and potassium and so on.

-Things you need in your body.

-You lose them much faster

-than when you vomit.

-They think he's dehydrated. He's

-going to have two bags of fluid.

-One fast-action one

-over four hours...

-..and another

-for the rest of the night.

-He's not allowed to eat or drink.

-They hope he'll be better tomorrow.

-Gethin is back.

-His toes are pink and healthy.

-It's a good sign

-for a speedy recovery.

-I have two bandages.

-One is to stop scarring.

-They opened my leg there

-to insert the pin.

-They've also opened the bottom

-to put screws in...

-..to hold the pin in place.

-I also have two scars on the side...

-..where the screws

-are holding the pin in place.

-I think the pin will be in forever.

-Hopefully,

-it will keep my leg strong.

-I'm worried

-about going on aeroplanes.

-I'm not sure if I'll be able

-to go through security.

-I last broke my leg in April,

-about six months ago.

-I didn't have a pin so I was

-in a cast for three months.

-This time, I don't have a cast.

-So it'll be a little bit nicer.

-I'm sure it'll take less time

-to get better.

-I hope to be able

-to do more sooner...

-..rather than sitting at home

-watching TV.

-With the pin, my leg will be

-stronger in the long term.

-Obviously, it's a piece of metal.

-Hopefully, I won't break it again.

-Touch wood.

-The doctor has advised Gethin

-not to play rugby for a year.

-Seren keeps an eye on the latest

-developments in the diabetes world.

-Calum is breathing and sleeping

-better after having his tonsils out.

-Logan was allowed to go home

-that night.

-After 5 days in hospital,

-Andrew was allowed to go home.

-S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

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