I can't be hospitalized ... "I might die"

I can't be hospitalized ... "I may die" January 18, 21:38

"Can not breathing, chest is painful, not stand, consciousness recedes, to fluffy. Still can not hospitalized, can not even visit to the hospital, really made to have to think that I'd die,"

was posted on this SNS is , A woman in her thirties who lives with three elementary school children in Tokyo.

The PCR test revealed a positive result, but I couldn't be hospitalized immediately, so I posted it during my 11-day home recuperation.

Some of the people who receive medical treatment at home are elderly people in their 70s who say that they could not find a medical institution to accept them even if they were struck by a high fever of 39 degrees and 5 minutes and could not be transported by emergency.

From SNS, you can hear the sad cry of people who can't even want to be hospitalized.

(Network News Department Reporter Daisuke Narita Mihoko Tanii)

Anxiety about collecting daily records from SNS after the infection was found ...

The post was made by a single mother woman who lives with three elementary school children in Ota Ward, Tokyo.

It was December 30th of the year that women began to experience symptoms such as coughing and chest pain.

I started posting on SNS from January 3rd, hoping to keep a record of what I felt infected with the new coronavirus and how it was cured.

The post is spelled out with anxiety waiting for test results.

Posted on January 3

"I'm worried about the results of the PCR test ... I'm worried that my lungs hurt and I can't sleep easily."

On this day, I was told by the hospital that I was positive.

Women are said to have high blood pressure and asthma.

In the worst case, when the symptoms worsen and it becomes difficult to breathe, it may suddenly change and become severe, so it is said that the health center initially recommended hospitalization.

At this time, the woman replied, "Please give priority to the worse people."

Initially, the fever sometimes exceeded 39 degrees Celsius, but he had no symptoms of losing consciousness or having difficulty breathing, so he thought he could survive even at home.

As of January 3, there were more than 3,000 people in Tokyo taking care of themselves at home.

I wanted to give priority to hospitalization for the elderly and those with more severe symptoms who could not be hospitalized.

Although the woman refused to be hospitalized once, she had a chronic illness and was preparing for hospitalization just in case.

My physical condition is getting worse day by day "I may die"

Posted on January 5th

"Suffocation, headache, pain in the back of my ears, abdominal pain, diarrhea. Just going to the bathroom makes me feel like I'm out of breath and collapse."

My physical condition is getting worse day by day.

On January 5, when the health center contacted me to confirm my physical condition, I asked again if I could be hospitalized, and the situation changed completely, and I was told that I could not be hospitalized immediately.

Posted on January 5th

"I don't know when I can be hospitalized. I wonder if it's so tight."

At the health center, it is difficult to adjust hospitalization to find a place to accept infected people, so it is possible that they will continue to receive medical treatment at home until they recover without being hospitalized.

The woman posted her feelings at this time.

Posted on January 5th

"I have been adjusted for hospitalization, but please understand that it may end without being hospitalized. I thought for the first time that I might die."

The three children will be sent to their ex-husband, who lives apart.

January 6th.

It is said that he gradually became difficult to breathe and sometimes became unconscious.

Posted on January 6th

"I can't breathe, my chest is painful, I can't stand, I'm unconscious, I'm fluffy. Still, I can't be hospitalized, I can't even go to the hospital, and I'm starting to think I'll die."

"Food runs out today"

And I'm worried about the ingredients at home.

All that was left was throat lozenges, kelp, and energy drinks.

I had no choice but to eat with a little food.

Posted on January 6

"I can't buy or prepare food. I have no appetite, but if I don't eat something, I lose consciousness again. Food runs out today."

Still, on this day, the woman posted a word that inspires her to try to overcome this situation.

Posted on January 6th

"I don't want to lose to Corona. I'll definitely recover whether I can't be hospitalized or eaten. And two weeks later, I'll hug the children."

"Tears don't stop at night"

January 7th.

For women whose children are a big support, there was growing anxiety about not being able to meet.

As a result of the PCR test, I was informed that all three children entrusted to my ex-husband were positive.

Women continue to post, suffering from ever-changing symptoms.

Posted on January 7

"Symptoms change every few hours, not every day"

"I lost 5 kilos after I got positive ..."

Posted on January 9

"I have difficulty breathing and my chest or lungs hurt ... I can't stop tears at night."

Tears to insert an acquaintance

Six days after I posted my anxiety about the ingredients, my acquaintance sent me a food offer.

I was filled with gratitude and my tears didn't stop.

Posted on January 12

"I just received food from an acquaintance. I'm just grateful for delivering it even though the weather is bad ..."

I was able to be hospitalized on the 12th day after the positive result was found.

During this time, the woman asked the health center if she could at least go to a medical institution if she would continue to receive medical treatment at home, but she was told that she needed to make adjustments to see her and that it was not possible immediately.

After all, I couldn't see a medical institution during my home recuperation.

The woman was hospitalized on the 12th day after she was found to be positive and started home care.

Woman

"I was relieved to be hospitalized safely. Before the new corona epidemic, I thought I'd been careful about washing my hands, gargling, disinfecting, and wearing a mask. Even in December when I was infected, I bought food and daily necessities and went to the hospital. I didn't go out except for that. I thought the infectivity of the new corona was amazing again. If there is a risk of sudden changes in physical condition during home medical treatment for those who need to be hospitalized, at least a doctor's consultation or medicine is recommended. I hope I can get it. There are reports that it is too late for home medical treatment, but I am really scared when I think that the situation may have been the same. "

Ota Ward “The number of infected people is increasing rapidly and the staff cannot handle it”

We asked the person in charge in Ota Ward, Tokyo, where the woman lives, why she couldn't be hospitalized immediately.

It is said that "hospitalization adjustment" to find a place to accept infected people is difficult at the health center in Ota Ward.

The number of people undergoing PCR tests is increasing, the number of infected people is increasing rapidly, and the staff of the health center are busy with the response.

The number of people who underwent PCR tests at medical institutions in the ward during the week until January 10 was 4,576, an increase of more than 2,000 compared to the previous week.

Of these, the number of people who were confirmed to be positive was 611, which almost doubled.

In addition, it is said that the bed is tight and it takes time to find a hospital.

According to the Ota Ward Infectious Disease Control Division, elderly people and people with severe illnesses are given priority in hospitalization, and they continue to wait for their beds to become available.

When asked how many days it would take to actually be hospitalized, he said, "Since we are dealing with each individual, it cannot be said that it is a general number of days."

Ota Ward is called a "pulse oximeter" that measures the oxygen concentration in the blood by putting it on your finger so that people who are undergoing medical treatment at home or waiting at home can quickly notice deterioration of functions such as lungs and heart. We rent out medical equipment.

However, due to the limited number, it is not perfect for everyone.

Person in charge of Ota Ward

"Although the number of consultations about wanting to be hospitalized is increasing, we give priority to elderly people and people with severe symptoms. Corona does not have a silver bullet, and hospitalization does not always cure it. This is a difficult place. For those who are waiting for medical treatment at home or hospitalization, there is a 24-hour telephone consultation service, so I would like you to make use of it. "

From the end of this month, Ota Ward will distribute food to people waiting at home and work on new support.

Some people are not transported by emergency even if their physical condition suddenly changes at home

Some people say that while they were waiting for hospitalization at home, their physical condition suddenly changed, but they were not transported by emergency.

A woman in her 70s in Chiba prefecture, who has emphysema, underwent a PCR test on January 5, and was notified positive on January 7.

He wanted to be hospitalized, but he said he had to wait at home because his breathing was stable.

However, the heat of 39 degrees 5 minutes came out that day, and the oxygen saturation of the "pulse oximeter" dropped to the 80% level.

Generally, the standard oxygen saturation is 96 to 99%, and if it is 90% or less, there is a possibility of respiratory failure.

He called an ambulance to find a destination, but he said that he couldn't find a destination even after two hours because there was no vacant bed.

On that day, I was refused by 17 medical institutions and had to return to my home.

Two days later.

This time, the oxygen saturation dropped to 75%, so when I called an ambulance again, it was judged that I was in a serious condition, and I was able to find a hospital to accept and be hospitalized.

The woman's daughter lives nearby, but her PCR test was positive, and she is said to have been receiving medical treatment at home with a fever of 39 degrees.

Woman

"I was prepared to give up my mother's life when I couldn't find a recipient when I was transported to the emergency room for the second time. The health center, medical field, and ambulance crew are doing their best, but those who can receive medical care. I want you to know that is limited. "

Medical institution “I have to refuse when the floor is full”

Medical institutions continue to be unacceptable for new patients.

At Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital, the beds for corona patients have been almost full since November last year.

In particular, since this hospital accepts many critically ill patients, there are many requests to transfer patients who have become severely ill while being admitted to other hospitals, and even if there is a vacancy, it will fill up quickly in about an hour. about it.

According to Dr. Yoko Nukui, the director of the infection control department, the number of patients requesting an ambulance has increased rapidly due to worsening symptoms during home medical treatment, but they have to refuse acceptance because they are still full. It is said that there were times when it was not.

Dr. Yoko Nukui, Director, Infection Control Department, Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital

"The number of patients who have to put up with it at home and finally request an ambulance after their respiratory condition has deteriorated considerably. At the hospital, the aging of inpatients For example, the time it takes to treat one person is very long, and even if I want to accept a new patient, I continue to be unacceptable. I have a lot of desires to accept new patients, but I am now. I have no choice but to prioritize the treatment of the patient, and I am really sick. "

"Breathing" is the most important thing to pay attention to during home medical treatment

Dr. Nukui taught us the "signs of aggravation" that patients and their families who spend at home should be aware of.

When infected with the new corona, there are multiple symptoms such as fever and taste / smell disorders, but the most important thing to note is "breathing".

Pneumonia may be exacerbated if you see any of the following signs:

・ The number of breaths is clearly increasing (about 25 times or more per minute)

・ Lips are purple

・ I can't keep breathing when I lie down, and I'm breathing when I'm awake

・ Question Slow response to, more vague than usual

In such cases, please do not hesitate to contact the public health center and ask them to hurry the hospitalization procedure.

Also, if you can't contact the health center at night, you can call an ambulance.

Dr. Nukui says, "In order to prevent the aggravation, it is necessary to take the initiative. I want the person and his family to feel the change in their physical condition as soon as possible."

11-day home recuperation "For the first time in my life, this painful feeling"

As of January 16th, the number of people receiving home medical treatment in Tokyo exceeded 9,000 for the first time, the highest number ever.

And so far, the symptoms have worsened during home medical treatment, and many people have died.

I asked a woman who was forced to take home medical treatment for 11 days what she wanted to convey.

Woman

"I really had such a hard time for the first time in my life. I didn't think that I could go to the hospital and eat naturally, and the day when I couldn't do it would come to me. Tell people who are not infected. The point is that if you are infected with the new corona now, you may not be hospitalized or treated even if you have a chronic or underlying illness, and it may be too late. Keep in mind that the risk of infection is never zero. I realized how important it is to be fully prepared for food and necessary medicines. "