NHS Again

Re: NHS Again

Sal the 1st — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:09:06 GMT

AAAaaarrgh just had the stitches out of the wound on my head, nurse tells me they are 'sticky' - yes they are sticky, lets go a bit further and say it is infected! Went to the docs on Monday was seen by another nurse I told her then that I thought the wound was infected - she basically told me I was worrying about nothing and sometimes wounds do irritate a little when they are healing and as a nurse even tho an animal nurse I should appreciate that.

Well now the quack has seen it and yes it is a bit more than 'sticky' - its pus! So now I get to take 10 days of bloody augmentin which always gives me the rodneys. So instead of having just a sore ear I get to have a bad gut as well.

I absolutely hate the NHS right now and dont go a bundle on nurse practitioners that cant spot an infected wound either

Re: NHS Again

Saskia Quinn — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 20:54:05 GMT

How are things in the rehab home Carolyn? I do hope you are content with it. We are all thinking of you xx

Re: NHS Again

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:28:17 GMT

Well my dad was discharged to the rehab home. When he was there last time it was great so hoping it has kept standards up. I have a stinking cold and feel like sh*t but will go stand back from him, drench myself in hand gel get my mum to open doors etc. I know not ideal but if l do not go my mum will be in a right state and things there are bad enough. I am relaly hoping that the carer group will help her sort herself out.

Re: NHS Again

Caro Laithwaite VN — Fri, 29 May 2009 00:37:26 GMT

Many thanks he was a lot more lucid today. We were asked to go in at 13:30 to see the consultant. Turned up to be told oh they are at am meeting till 14:30-15:00 possibly. I was angry as we made a specail trip and l had put off my 14:00 work start till 15:00.

At 14:20 l went to see any news and could l change it to tomorrow oh no consultant dosn't do the round tomorrow. Finally at 14:40 the 2 first years called us through we wnet in with them and a ward sister they had 2 chairs and asked us to sit while they stood. My mum was glad of the seat she is so shaky l perched on the desk. Found out the fy1 that annoyed me is called Neil. Anyhow he said my dads bloods were better than last week as he has renal problems not perfect but not as bad as they were. I said we had been told last night they were abnormal but not how. He flatly disagreed.

He also said that they think that my dad has a confusion from being in a strange place with his age. Ok l know this can happen it happened to my godfather when he visited Switzerland and his daughter and hub a couple of years before he passed on. The Dr said no he is not admitting him get him back to SA and he will be fine it is a strange place, even though he had been there many times. And it was amazing they said within days he was fine. So l hope they are right about my dad, only he does need respite so we can get things in place and can not go straight home.

The headache they couldn't explain but he is on pain killers for it however he "must be better as he keeps refusing them"
I said not he refuses because l had told him they caused his impaction and to take them but be careful. So he only takes them when it is really bad l would speak to him again as l did not want him refusing pain relief.
Oh then his head isnt bad,.. NO his head is bad but he is scared stiff of impacting again. (this went round the houses for a few mins while they tried to take it in...FFS!)

I got a sarcastic comment at the end from neil that "so it isnt what you said a stroke or a bleed, l did a neuro exam yesterday as you saw." Had he said calmly "So thankfully it was not a stroke or bleed ....."
l would have been fine but no he didn't and l am walking a fine line of worry and temper.
Not a good move l told him in no uncertain terms when l am told that he has abnormal blood, we have trouble waking him, he is so confused he does not know us, he is babbling, he has a severe headache then bloody right l think of bleeds.

I did not add that neil had trouble believing my dad had a problem because he nodded, until l said about a stupid Q and he nodded then he did not know me. At this point mr neil got worried. Also yesterday when he went out the room (after his neuro test) l had my dad pass a small ointment tube from hand to hand to test motor skills, he did this blankly. Later when we went back l had him do the same, and got him to recite the address. Which is more than "mr neil l am a dr did".
My mother has not thought about bleeds and strokes till he threw it at us like he did and she broke down outside in the passage at what was all discussed she hadn't realised. Her sister collapsed many years ago at our house with a stroke. They shoved her on a trolley for 5hours and she died within days.
She asked was that why you made him pass that tube and recite the address. l nodded.

I got to work at 15:30 upshot is l am still not totally trusting as we get such conflicting info as we keep getting different stories but at least he was better today and did know us. So holding onto that.

Re: NHS Again

Vicky RVN — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:27:07 GMT

Rant away, it helps to get it all out! Hope you managed to get some sense out of the docs today.

Re: NHS Again

Helen Freer — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:02:55 GMT

Thinking of you Caro.

Rant all you like it is always best to get things off your chest.

Complain all you want at the hospital to find out what is happening, my father (who worked in hospitals all his life) said if you do not ask and push the will not explain.

Re: NHS Again

Saskia Quinn — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:39:17 GMT

of course no one will mind. Isnt that what it is all about, eh?

I prefer to read it as then I feel I can empathise with you.

You know you will get good support on this forum

Re: NHS Again

Caro Laithwaite VN — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:34:22 GMT

Thanks Paula l just hope no one minds my ranting here just scroll through it l am just trying to get things straight in my mind and unstress a bit so am a bit ramble.

Re: NHS Again

Saskia Quinn — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:27:56 GMT

Carolyn, I am so so sorry for what you are all going through. Unfortunately, there isnt anything I can say other than to tell you I am here for you if you ever want to chat or text. Anytime. xx

Re: NHS Again

Caro Laithwaite VN — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:25:17 GMT

I think he has a brain bleed just rang thr hospital and had talk to the sister l hope to god l got through to her.

They know he has had major confusion when we finally woke him up this morning and we nearly had to hit a panic button to get him awake but of course he awoke before help came in took about 10mins. Then he did not know us, he told the cretin ...sorry dr 1st year (one who l got angry at the other day) l told you l don't want breakfast.
kept pushing my mum and l away and did not know who we were.
no lucid conversation,
After 30mins chasing help the dr came in to check. He was asking my dad Q and he is nodding l said he can not hear you. Ask a pointless question so he said something about the weather snowing and my dad nodded then l leant down and said hi dad. he looked at me blankly dr reaction a quiet.. oh shit, yes l said l agree.

I rang this afternoon and they were oh he is better no he was a bit better in one part that he knew us, he could stand and sit in the chair. This evening when we visited he knew us but he was confused..To someone that doesnt know him a lot of what he said was lucid but it isnt if you listen it is superficial.

Who is paying for all this and how did you build the room onto the house. Took some explaining he was in hospital but he doesnt believe us.
Thanks for the new hearing aides.
Brian ok after knocking down the hut so l could get into the house it just appeared so suddenly.

l made him tell me his address but he did not give the town so l said ok so you are in beckenham (lived there before here since we came over to uk) no we are in wigan he said l made him pass a small item hand to hand to check coordination.

Blood tests were run in the day that were "abnormal" but we were not told how? and they have given no drugs to correct things... thinking potassium.. confusion hit it with glucose.

Crucial of all is pain in his head and he was addamant to the cretin dr this am and to me this evening it was his head. Where he had his arthritis before. A) you do not get arthritis in the head, B) he has never had head pain.

Now it is down to someone taking notice l said to the staff. I know if it is a bleed you can do nothing but l want to know. come tomorrow l get nasty. if l do not come back on l will have been arrested for causing a ruckus yelling for a neuro surgeon and no l am not joking.

Re: NHS Again

chris beasley — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:22:27 GMT

Thanks for the extra back up. By the way got your rant delivered to email box.I dont know what to say- Just keep pressing for answers from Docs. Some are very negative and ignore you when they know what you do for a living, others will take the time to explain more. Its just luck who you catch on a good day.

Re: NHS Again

Caro Laithwaite VN — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:10:44 GMT

Ring your social services ask for the details of the volunteer groups for carers in the area then ring them up and explain the problem It is people in the same boat as your relatives and will be more helpful. This lot up here have meeters and greeters, sitting services, counselling (free) at the house. They can also give you a lot of advice. Also contact a local group for yourselves and ask them for advice.

edited my waffle/rant till all improves do not want to tempt fate.

Re: NHS Again

chris beasley — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:51:50 GMT

so sorry to hear about your dad. Thinks dont seem to be getting any easier for you.

My hubbies parents wont let anybody into the house- we have tried to get a nurse to call after he was last in hospital and his mum would not let her come in. She got a phone call from the hospital asking why and she told them she was quite capable of looking after him herself. My hubbie complained to them but they said they couldnt force there way in!

Have recently spoke to doctors who would only agree to send them home with a note for him after each appointment.

Well we just wait for the next problem. Still awaiting detailos about radiotheraphy for his head. Thats been 2wks so far!

Re: NHS Again

Caro Laithwaite VN — Mon, 25 May 2009 12:59:52 GMT

Oh and they are trying to get him into the local respite care so we can get things sorted and in place at home, has the constipation ended dunno. They say my dad passing faecies he sais he isnt l think he has so much enemas and movelat etc in him he is unaware, He gets griping pains and l think that is shoving stuff through liquid form and l am worrried about bed sores.

He wont let my mum and l help him oput of bed as he doesnt want the nurses in trouble.

Re: NHS Again

Caro Laithwaite VN — Mon, 25 May 2009 12:57:37 GMT

Get in touch with their local social serivces team also there will be a local carers group l am contacting ours this week to sort my Mum out.

My dad is being forced to stay in bed for 3 days as no physios and nurses NOT allowed to help him out of bed. He has an fu*king sodding incontinece sheet under him and has to crap on that. DO l sound angry do l

Re: NHS Again

chris beasley — Sun, 24 May 2009 19:55:16 GMT

I think we are following in your foot steps!

Had call from hubbies parents yesterday. He had been vomitting all morning and was leaking black fluid. Is on so many tablets I was worrried about ruptured gastric ulcers.

He also had not passed anything for about a week , although hubbies mum said it was only wednesday! After lots of phone calls to emergency doctors, we took him to A+E. He was given lactalose and sent home. Things are on the move now!

It turned out he had been taking tablets dutifully given to him by his wife- who doesnt remember giving them to him. Some how things are going to have to change. They will not move nearer to us or have anybody visit them each day. I pull my hair out when I discuss it.

Re: NHS Again

dinkyd — Sun, 24 May 2009 14:39:02 GMT

Hi Carolyn - sorry to hear things are not so well - Bloomin NHS it only takes a couple of twats to ruin the good work their colleagues do.

Re: NHS Again

Saskia Quinn — Sun, 24 May 2009 11:45:03 GMT

Carolyn, I am so sorry to hear of that awful incident. You should not have had to go through that at all, esp given the conditions your dad has. You are a tower of strength to both of them and are coping with a lot at the moment. I hope hubby is there for you?

Thinking of you xxx

Re: NHS Again

chris beasley — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:20:00 GMT

Sorry to hear about current ongoing problems. You do need to complain about crew , otherwise it could happen to you again.

I cannot say I know how you feel as you must be going through hell at the moment.

All I can say is I hope things improve and we are all thinking of you.

Re: NHS Again

Vicky RVN — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:57:22 GMT

Caro, so sorry to hear about your dad, hope he is ok. That ambulance crew sound like right old idiots! I am thinking of you.

Re: NHS Again

Caro Laithwaite VN — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:38:44 GMT

I just thought l would have a quick moan and update about happenings with an amb. crew yesterday l swear l came to a whisker of reading the riot act to l assume them esp the paramedic? god it was close.

My dad not passed faeces 6 days l said up lactulose, lot water, roughage but no luck, l did not know that at the time just told on Saturday he hadn't been to the loo. My mum rang the dr monday morning and he arranged for the nurse to come in and give my dad an enema but f**ked up the script so she was to go backin the evening.

Then late afternoon dad told my mum he had not peed all day, given his renal parameters are awful and with all his other problems. I rang Dr who said he needed hosp. I could take him or they would arrange an ambulance. I decided on amb. as he was so weak. He wasn't happy and preferred me but not this time, l refused. I felt he was too collapsed for that and wanted him taken in lying down and no effort from him.

This is the 3rd time in 3 weeks he has been to a and e. 1) was post ssc removal huge haematoma 1/2 his face and as growing post op 3 days and on blood thinners l felt it needed checking. Advice what l had him doing continue ice pack and pressure. 2) Then last bank holiday (3 days post face visit) Sunday he had a fall, refused hospital as he was walking but l overruled it on the Monday he was so painful and we went in had load x-rays told take Paracetamol. Since then he has been on high doses co-codomol l am not happy but our dr did not actually seem to care when informed.

So back to amb crew turn up and my mum who has anxiety and depression and zings around an emotional wreck is climbing the walls.

I tried to brief the crew before we went in but they pushed past and ignored me. They look at my dad and asked what's up then. Dad is deaf and said sorry what? My mum looked at me and said you explain please almost in tears and apologising for my dad and his hearing.

Obvious that she is extremely upset. I repeat what l said, he is 91 the fall pain, co-codomol 3 weeks, faecal, urinary probs, renal failure, skeletal problems (still worried about # despite x-rays)

They did not look at me in fact l felt l was speaking to myself (and no they did not examine my dad take pulse or anything) in fact barely looked at him just look around the lounge.

I ended by saying in view of the fact that he is so weak l felt a choice of me and the car when l do not think he can manage the 3 small steps down from the front door (disabled ones each about 2inches high rather than a ramp) and that he wont manage a car trip this time l decided to take the Dr on his offer of a taxi and smiled.

Now l KNOW re reference to taxi but l was trying to calm the situation and bring a bit of humour in, It was obvious my dad was very ill, my mum was almost hysterical.

1 turned to other said chair.

Then paramedic? Says have you told the hospital? l replied l didn't know the Dr rang the amb. Well has he told the hospital do they know why he is going in? Sorry I don't know, He pretty much spits at me so all you know is the Dr told you to say he isn't urinating, you don't know much then and turns his back.

I do not take idiots well said so what's your problem then. He turns and said we are not a taxi service and we are fed up of people treating us like one. I swear to god l held my hand cause l near as dammit hit him.

I replied with l was attempting to lighten things up, l am aware as l am email acquaintances with 2 paramedics Kai and Tom (different parts of the country) about taxis and how they feel about it. l was trying to make a bit of a joke, however under the circumstances it is obvious it is not a taxi that my father IS in need of help and l did NOT take the decision lightly.

Twat replies with don't know whoever you are talking about [Kai/Tom], l don't like computers and don't do the internet.

His attitude started when they turned up the pair of them had body language and attitudes that stank, it was not a result of my attempt at a joke.

Once at hospital and him and mate were having a good laugh and chat with the crews who were about in abundance.

As he was going he says bye to my dad (ignored my mum and l) you are uncomfortable aren't you.
Yes l said he is a lot.
So l can see, l'm not blind he snapped at me and walked off.

My dad was admitted. The Dr was not happy with his abdo feel and ordered x-rays. I saw an x-ray up when we went through to obs ward that 2 nurses had been looking at and they then glanced at my Dad. I am 99% sure due to the position it is his (scoliosis) and from seeing his past chest x-rays they are his. If l am right then he has a huge mass abdo chest area.

I don't know how it was missed 3 weeks ago but right now l am still pretty shell shocked and will have to sort that out over the next few days. When she saw me looking the nurse flicked it off.

The other 2 times my dad got blued in last year my mum couldn't have had higher praise for the crews they were wonderful and supportive. My mum wants to report them l passed it off as a bad day but quite honestly they were totally non professional.

So he is back in my fav. local hospital in a new ward, l shall see hwo it goes. They only have visiting 1hr/day in the evening? l will need permission as l am on nights for the next 9 days. Between work, hospitals my mum and lack of sleep l am not going to be to lucid so if l do burble on a sorry in advance.

Re: NHS Again

chris beasley — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:06:31 GMT

Got biopsy results today! Following turning up for a appointment only to be told hospital had cancelled it. My husband unfortunatly (Or fortunatly for us ) complained rather strongly about how far he had come. The manager refused to come and see him and the nurse on reception was very pregnant so he backed off. Got a call this morning offering appointment today, so they went. Told it was a sarcoma! I couldnt go as it meant taking too much time off work, so when hubby got home I asked lots of questions he could not answer.

Has anybody had any experience of sarcomas on the head? Treatment on offer is removal + skin graft or radiotheraphy. No discussion regarding CAT scan or MRI for secondaries. ?

Re: NHS Again

Caro Laithwaite VN — Mon, 11 May 2009 08:35:36 GMT

I cope cause l have to

Re: NHS Again

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Mon, 11 May 2009 08:06:11 GMT

Hi Caro, send them our best wishes and how are you coping with it all?

Re: NHS Again

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sun, 10 May 2009 20:28:27 GMT

very weak and sore. Am struggling to make them understand it will be at least a couple of months before he has his strength back but thanks for askin.