So little nan had her third pre-op, due to the length of time between diagnosis and the actual op - date set 09/03, normally mum, my auntie and myself attend almost all appointments and we tend to make a day of it, if it's early we grab breakfast, later in the day we will have lunch on the way back and always round off with a cup of tea back at hers.
Sometimes due to other commitments we cannot attend, like yesterday so my uncle Ian was at the helm, nan was worried about the journey - not a driver and most certainly a nervous passenger she did not like the inclimate weather apparently there were parking issues and much waiting between various tests, no lunch either!!
There was a nurse called Sylvia who helped nan and I could hear the smile in her voice when she spoke of her that makes me warm because when I cannot attend (read keep control) I worry, I worry the right questions are not being asked, that people are not listening, that due diligence is not being undertaken.
We are so very fortunate to have the health care system that we have, the NHS, I realise it is (always has been) under serious pressure but they do the best they can...
When nan had her biopsys a couple of weeks ago they told us we couldn't stay, my uncle Ian took her to the appointment and was told we would be contacted when it was time to collect her the next day, the hospital is a good 40/60 minute drive dependent on traffic, the biopsys were scheduled for the afternoon and we knew she would be out of it for a while due to the anestesia, when my auntie phoned to see if she was awake and able to have a visit they could not locate her, not on the ward nor in recovery - two hours and many phone calls later I received a call my auntie Carol (hereafter referred to as AC) little nan was AWOL, I was given various numbers, extensions etc but all I was doing was pulling on my boots and coat... How can a patient not be located?? Nan is in her 80's ffs, seriously???
Tag teaming we got through at the same time only to be told there were no numbers for us to be contacted, there are at least six, if not eight all recorded in her notes, can they not be accessed on her electronic file?
She was well and safe and going to sleep, the expierance did not boost our confidence, neither did the surgeon who called the day of the biopsys to see if nan was well enough for her operation the next day, he was not amused when informed she was in hospital having biopsys and the operation was off for now, apparently his administration team had not informed him.
There are other mistakes and issues but right now I should be getting ready for work so I am off, I will be popping up to nans after, which I am not looking forward to as when we spoke yesterday she finally admitted how concerned she is, how very worried and scared she feels and I know it will be intense, at least we have the polo mint to look forward to next Wednesday.
