Operation

becky1412 · 10-24-2014, 08:34 AM

Hey all I want to thank you all for just being on this forum and keeping me occupied and amused. I went in for surgery on my ankle on Wednesday and I'm back in a cast and crutches again and in a lot of pain (due to very poor treatment at the hospital) so pretty much home bound and on here a lot. Actually a few times I've been reading posts and next thing I wake up and it's 2 hours later! tablets and the anesthetic make me very tired :P
Want a little rant about the hospital, I have never been treated so rubbish in my life I was utterly disgusted by my treatment yesterday after major surgery on my ankle requiring a nerve block which lasts around 12 hours last time I got this done I was on iv paracetamol(similar to 5mg morphine) and tramadol every 3 hours alternating the 2 for a day and a half this time my nerve block wore of and they gave me 2 paracetamol that you would use for a headache refused to give me anything else and then 2 different nurses told me to stop crying. I was in agony most of yesterday I signed myself out came home to use my pain relief left over from last time and getting on top of the pain now!
I met a lovely woman in the bed next to me though and we chatted half the night and most of the next day which kept me distracted which was good.

So pretty much thank you all in advance for keeping me sane for the next few weeks/months!

cypher · 10-24-2014, 08:52 AM

Well I'm glad that's over for you, the hospital bit that is, sounds awful, I hope you make a speedy recovery now you're back home.

CPalmer · 10-24-2014, 08:55 AM

i'm so sorry you had such poor treatment.

This really is when I'd say complain. There must someone you can complain to. here is the nhs site, it includes links to northern ireland. Also try your local authorities. There should not be such a difference in 2 similar experiences.

How do I make a complaint about an NHS service? - Health questions - NHS Choices

becky1412 · 10-24-2014, 09:21 AM

Don't worry I've already written a complaint I just didn't want to bore everyone with my moaning that was just the tip of the ice berg trust me I wrote and email and said at the bottom I would be making an appointment to come in and speak to someone in the complaints department because my treatment really upset me and it's not right.
I got a get well soon balloon and lots of chocolates from friends and family not getting as much sympathy this time since it's my second ankle op in less than a year :P But hey I've got great family and friends so a wonderful support system so I'm very lucky no matter what!

Oh the best thing I got was Jelly bean factory jelly beans I LOVE JELLY BEANS in heart shapes from my bf <3

NiceCrocs · 10-24-2014, 09:28 AM

Oh my gosh I would be so angry

you are completely justified.

;_; I have a pretty serious fear of medical procedures and doctors for exactly this reason. I dread the day I have to have any surgery...

I'm glad you're home and starting to feel better though ^_^

Shannonmcn · 10-24-2014, 09:44 AM

That's rubbish Becky, I've only been in the Royal Victoria and the Children's hospital but I've always been treated so well! I had a skull fracture a few years ago and they gave me some really really strong pain meds that I was a bit unwilling to take tbh, they made me so drowsy and sick and I really didn't need them at all.

It's ridiculous that they'd overdose me when I had a stupid accident but they won't give you what you need after surgery that they performed! I think putting a complaint in was a great idea, imagine if that happened to someone who had never had the procedure before and just had to suffer through it

Hope you feel better soon and you end up drowned in Jelly Beans!

moocow123 · 10-24-2014, 10:39 AM

OMG I would be so angry if I was treated like that

. At least you have a great support system of friends and family behind you and you have some lovely hamsters to snuggle with. Get well soon and I wish you a speedy recovery.

becky1412 · 10-24-2014, 10:59 AM

It was the Royal Shannon I think they just wanted my bed I was seen as an obstacle to get rid of rather than a person was horrible.
Thanks everyone

I just couldn't face taking the hams out last night was still really sore but today Penelope got cuddles and Roland should be out soon for his!
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CPalmer · 10-24-2014, 11:04 AM

snuggle the hams, keep the jelly beans for yourself lol

Pebbles82 · 11-01-2014, 02:31 AM

So sorry you had that in hospital, and I hope your ankle heals well and soon. I think they just don't treat feet seriously! I've also been on and off crutches and in and out of aircast walkers all year after a foot injury. I went to casualty three times and they kept sending me home saying there was nothing wrong with it! I couldn't walk! I said - well I have a bone sticking out here - I was told 'that will always have been there'. No it hasn't! The second time they sent me home on crutches 'just in case' and said to go back to the GP to get referred to fracture clinic. GP said she couldn't refer any more, only casualty can refer and sent me back to casualty with a letter asking them to refer me to fracture clinic. Casualty said - you don't have a fracture so we can't refer you to fracture clinic. I said - ok call it orthopaedic clinic then. They just got a casualty consultant to look at it (3 visits and I finally get to be examined by a Doctor!). He said - nothing wrong with it but go and get physio. In the end I paid to go and see a Private foot specialist who did and MRI and said - might be something there but start walking on it and see what happens. That lasted two days and I was unable to walk again. Got a second opinion with another foot specialist who put me in an aircast boot for six weeks, then sent me for physio. Something 'went' during physio and I ended up with my leg up for two weeks! Second specialist then did another MRI scan and said it was a damaged tendon. 5 months to get a diagnosis! I am now wearing orthortic shoes and an ankle brace and hoping it improves.

Becky - I am sure your ankle will heal well - I dislocated mine so badly 15 years ago that I was close to amputation and it is absolutely fine now! Just do all the physio exercises religiously when you get to that stage. But you are right that was not good in hospital. These days I think you need someone with you even for local anaesthetic because surgery is exhausting and painful and you can't fight your own corner. Someone else could have said 'can you get the doctor to prescribe something please'. TBH they do so many things under local as day cases they just want you in and out, will give a couple of paracetamol and reckon you can get something stronger from your GP if you need it, or over the counter. It is shoddy. (I'm an ex nurse and I think it is shoddy!). My Dad is in his eighties and had a similar experience - we made sure one of us was with him most of the time. He had a hernia op under local and was sent home the same day on paracetamol. He was in agony and we had to call the GP as an emergency.

The thing is they probably don't want to give anything stronger than paracetamol because they are sending you home and you might fall over! Ridiculous. They could at least give co codamol. Anyway better to be at home, but it does make you feel like a number rather than a person.

You are not the only one who has signed themselves out of hospital! And yes do complain - but I would advise drafting it and then editing it when you feel less upset - to have more impact. Something official sounding always has more effect - we tend to rant and be emotional on first draft!