General Chat

Just about managed to get him into bed last night as he wasn't quite as weak as after he'd been to the hospital and had a traumatic day,but still can't carry on as I'm tired....so maybe tomorrow will sort something.
I have a slight hernia and find the wheelchair difficult to handle,so that doesn't help matters.Also waiting for the continence nurse,who is on holiday,to sort out a catheter instead of the sheath one which is getting very difficult.
Brenda x

Brenda, so sorry you had such a difficult time and feel sad for your hubby to have been treated so badly especially when you weren't with him. When you look at the cost of all those ambulances coming out it would have been cheaper to have kept him in hospital a little longer and a proper team bring him home later, like today.

If I were you I would contact your MP again now, so that he can look into all this quickly. It could happen again to someone else who might lose their life over the errors, before your letter and investigation starts.

Best of luck to you both, I know how hard it has been and hope the extra help will be good and your o.h. will feel more comfortable with the people coming in, you will get a little rest perhaps.

Take care

Lizxx

Sharron,
There is no point in getting ramps as OH cannot go out,only if I push him,and believe me,he is no light weight,and don't forget he has to have his oxygen and the tubes get wound round the wheels,so the chair is only to get him to the toilet,bedroom and lounge.He relies on me for everything,and I mean everything.

There is an addition to the Saga.

Emergency Home Care rang me to see if I needed help tonight.They asked what time he went to bed,and I said 10-11pm.
She rang back and said they could only come at 7pm,so I said that's no good as he wouldn't sleep through the night and the TV is his only bit of enjoyment.Then I said who would you send,a lady?yes she said,so I asked her if health and safety would allow her to lift...Oh no!!!!!
Well then what would she do?....She would get in touch with the paramedics.....Oh yes,so what's the difference in me contacting the paramedics?...nothing she replied.
Why can't people get the right message and listen to what you say...it takes 2 to lift him!!!
Anyway,big meeting on Monday with Social workers to resolve the issue.....holding my breath!!

A few small adjustments would make a huge difference it would seem. Portable ramps.We had them for the back door which meant I never really knew where the old man was.Still don't,we have an extension now.

OT's butt needs a kick.

Thank you for your replies.
I am going to write a letter of complaint to the hospital.If I don't get service I always do,if only to make them aware that people cannot be treated like this.
I have just had a call from the Careline to say that she is getting in touch with the emergency team to help out over the week-end and our needs will be re-assessed,I told her how disgusted I was and a brief description of what happened...so awaiting a call.We have even contacted our MP before now to get things moving,and must say he was very good.

We do have a wheelchair,comode and raised toilet seat from our occupational therapist,but his lift up bed,walker,massage recliner chair are all our own.

Think this episode and the threat of complaint will get something done....and it is not an idle threat!I WILL DO IT!!

Had to get this off my chest.

Any other advice welcome!

Brenda x

Do you have an occupational therapist? It looks like you need to be re-assessed.

Make your doctor very aware of the situation.They will have a louder voice than you if you complain.

You can ignore small mistakes, but this goes beyond. His life was endangered. You must do an official complaint, stressing the fact that the doctor who saw him did not understand that he has to be on continuous oxygen. He will make this mistake again if he is not reprimanded. I have made it a practice to speak up loud and clear in these situations. If someone is incompetant it should be found out sooner rather than later.

Good grief! I think I'd be putting in a complaint to the Hospital Trust!! It's not surprising you are steaming!!!

But at least it has hi-lighted that you need extra help, and perhaps extra equipment eg a hoist, and someone to come in morning and evening to help get him into and out of bed.

You might/ought to be able to arrange for ramps, either permanent or temporary, so he/you can use the outside doors, even if it is only for emergency use like yesterday.

Yesterday,we had a day of days we could have done without.

My OH who is very seriously ill and getting much harder for me to look after as he has pulmonary fibrosis,on the highest level of oxygen with a mask attached to a bag that inflates.He can hardly stand and I take him to bed from his chair in a wheelchair and have to almost lift him into bed.
I'm constantly checking on him and after we'd had lunch I was in the kitchen and just happened to check him and the bag was deflated and he wasn't concious,so I pressed his careline button and the response was very quick with a very good paramedicwho found out that one of his machines wasn't on and quickly revived him and checked him over.

As his oxygen level was only 60% and wouldn't get better he no alternative but to get him to hospital and sent for another ambulance.I couldn't go with him as had to wait for the oxygen people to check the machine.
I expected them to at least keep him in overnight....WRONG.

A couple of hours later I had a call from a sister in A&E to say could I come and pick him up!I was astounded as you only had to look at him to see there was no way he could get in a car...and he hasn't been able to go out in 3 years.I said he has to come by ambulance.

About 3 hours later he arrives back in ambulance with 2 ladies (don't think they were paramedics) who brought him in his wheelchair,nearly tipped him up,and then couldn't get him over our double glazed porch and then up a step into the hall.So,they had to call for another ambulance to help.THey just left him outside,no coat,I quickly got a blanket and put a thermal hat and scarf on him for 20 mins or so till the ambulance came.
good job it wasn't raining,but even though it was a nice day we are quite high up overlooking the sea and there was a bit of wind.

He was so tired and stressed,only had a cup of tea in hospital.

Later on I couldn't get him into bed as couldn't lift as he couldn't stand,and had to get out another team,this time paramedics,to lift him into bed.

I am now arranging for extra help as his condition has deteriorated....but this hospital was always so good,been in a couple of times myself,but the standard of A&E seems to have gone down,and OH said it wasn't busy and the doctor he saw,foreign,didn't know anything about his condition or his oxygen and tried to take the mask off him.

Had no complaints about the service we get till now as the Chronic conditions nurse,and oxygen nurse who are very thorough and come regularly.Yesterday's episode we can do without!!