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Letting off steam

Superhero-daughter
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For the past few weeks, my dad's been taking Solpadine for the pain that his stomach has been causing, although as the pain hasn't been too severe, he's been limiting them to just 2 at night... maybe an additional one during the afternoon if having a bad day. The drawback is that they have been causing him to feel constipated.

The Fortisip Complex drinks he's been struggling with, especially since the dose was increased to 6 per day. Yesterday evening and last night he was sick several times. My mother wanted to take him into hospital, but he dug his heels in and said he would phone the CNS at our local hospital this morning. As he wasn't vomiting blood (just all the Fortisip drinks that had been building up), he didn't think it was that big a deal.

Having consulted with someone more senior at the other hospital (where the cancer team are based), the CNS at our local hospital phoned him back and said the other hospital wanted to admit him to fit a stent, and also bring his staging laparoscopy forward (which he had originally been due to have this coming Tuesday).

Prior to this, he had received a call from the medical secretary assigned to the CNS at the other hospital, asking why he hadn't turned up for his pre-op assessment yesterday. He had to explain that it was because he's already had it... when he had been for his first meeting with the cancer team... nearly a fortnight ago! Surely someone would have made a note of that on the system!

Anyway, about an hour ago, my dad received a call from the other hospital to say a bed had been found for him. Apparently, they had been trying to contact him over the course of a few hours, but had no contact details for him. Clearly, this information had not been put on the system either. It seriously beggars belief!

My dad's in no fit state to be making a formal complaint. Neither is my mother. There's a time and a place, as they say, and now just isn't the time.

He's frustrated (we all are) that considering it was June/July when he first started having symptoms, all this time has been passing and he's still no nearer to a treatment plan of sorts... like he's completely missed the boat for that to even be an option now.

  • Hi superhero-daughter, 

    I'm sorry to read what's been going on and I can understand why you're all feeling rather frustrated at the moment.

    I do hope this all gets sorted out soon and that something can be done for your dad.

    Best wishes to you all, 

    Steph, Cancer Chat Moderator

  • Offline in reply to Moderator Steph

    Thank you Steph,

    Unfortunately, the whole farcical situation has been even more farcical during recent days.

    Since Friday, my dad has been at the hospital. Having been admitted to the Upper GI ward (where he needed to be), he was then moved on Saturday evening to a room on the Colorectal ward. No explanation was given as to why. However, it actually proved to be a blessing as it was a 1-bed room with a view, and bathroom, which really helped to calm my dad.

    On Sunday, he had been told his consultant would be visiting on Monday morning to talk him through the laparoscopy he would be having. Monday morning came and somebody else (acting on the consultant's behalf) told my dad that they couldn't find his notes.

    He asked if the operation would still be going ahead and was told yes, but that it had been pushed back to sometime during Tuesday afternoon. My dad said he wanted to know exactly what the surgeon was intending to do, and was told that someone else would be coming to talk to him later on. By 6pm, nobody had turned up.

    In addition, dad got moved back to a 4-bed room (without a view), on the same Colorectal Ward, which stressed him out even further.

    I know the NHS is seriously at breaking point, but it was June/July when my dad had first gone to his GP with symptoms. It's now mid-October and the only 'treatment' he's had to date has been Solpadine painkillers.

    My dad will be 68 in November, and the last time he received any serious medical treatment from the NHS was when he was about 7-yrs-old and had his tonsils out. Up until he retired, his surgery had no idea who he was because he had rarely had cause to visit. He's paid into the system all his working life, and this is the way he's now being treated. It really is like an almighty slap in the face.

    Whilst I cannot complain about some of the nurses who have been monitoring my dad's blood pressure and the likes, it's all rather starting to come across as though he's a major nuisance. 

    Angry doesn't even begin to describe it!

     

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