mooandboo Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 That sounds awful Brodies Mum Maybe give Macmillans a miss then, you don't need any more hassle (though I've only heard good things about them ) My Dad's 76 and woe betide anyone who tries to talk down to/ignore him - he's sharper than most of the people he deals with, qualifications or not. He once had to point out to the consultant he was speaking to (who assured him he'd read his notes thoroughly) that he wasn't 74, nor was he a female and he was there to discuss his neck, not his arm - all of which was written inaccurately on his file Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louisebt Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 I can completely sympathise.... we had a similar time with my dad, he found a lump under his arm, they took him in to remove it, doc refused and said they'd send dad a new appointment, dad finally had an op TWO years after as the lump grew and dad got sick of waiting so went back to the docs... they took half the lump out to run tests on, they said it was fine, but 6 months later dad still had a hole in his shoulder.... the original hospital kept saying it was an infection stopping it healing, after 9 months dad demanded a 2nd opinion from a different hospital, so in he went, rest of the lump removed, 4 weeks later he was told it was fine... 2 days later he was recalled, they messed up, it was cancer, in all it was over 3 years to diagnose.... he had chemo and radio therapy but thankfully is clear at the moment.... i hope you manage to get some answers and treament for your dad and soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owl Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 It might be worth giving the Patients' Association a call to see if they can be of any help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clare Posted December 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 Dad had his appointment today, arranged for 11.30 and they were eventually seen at 3pm. It was to discuss if any treatment could be offered, it was sugested last time that he may be able to go on trail for a new chemo drug, and if accepted he could start next week, but as his appointment ran so late he missed the deadline and will now have to wait to find out on 4th Jan. No words really Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 Your family must have the patience of saints. Had I been kept waiting 3.5 hours only to be told that I (not they?) had missed the dealine I think I'd have been threatening an op. of my own - a lobotomy on them . You really must complain - and hard - about this appalling treatment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reds Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 Worrying about getting the treatment you need and then worrying about making a fuss is the last thing your Dad should be having to deal with Thinking of you all for 4th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathyw Posted December 26, 2009 Report Share Posted December 26, 2009 This is disgraceful. I have moaned about the treatment my oh and Mum have got but your experience is far, far worse. Make a fuss and contact all the people who have been suggested. Their GP, the patients association etc and put the complaints in writing. It does get their attention and hopefully your Dad will get the treatment he needs. I can understand you being upset with your Mum - tis only natural but you do need to stand together in your fight for your Dad. Sending good thoughts for Jan 4th and hoping that it will be the start of your Dad getting the treatment he needs to fight this and come home healthy again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslass Posted December 27, 2009 Report Share Posted December 27, 2009 Dad had his appointment today, arranged for 11.30 and they were eventually seen at 3pm. It was to discuss if any treatment could be offered, it was sugested last time that he may be able to go on trail for a new chemo drug, and if accepted he could start next week, but as his appointment ran so late he missed the deadline and will now have to wait to find out on 4th Jan. No words really This happened with my mother too. We drove all the way to Glasgow (two hours) to see someone who was trialling a new chemotherapy drug - only to wait all day in the hospital and be told to return a week later. I refused, made a huge fuss, and eventually the great man agreed to speak to me (in a corridor, in front of lots of people ). He was very cagey about expected outcomes, but I forced the issue. Eventually, he admitted that "some patients had survived as long as 9 months". I asked how long he would expect them to last without treatment and he said "about 6 months". I took my mother home and made sure she enjoyed those last 6 months, without the misery of hospital visits and chemo side-effects. I don't want to sound negative, but please be aware that scientists - and that's how my GP described the man leading the trials - are not particularly concerned about patients' wellbeing. They are conducting a scientific study, that's all. I know some people do benefit from drug trials, of course, and I hope your father is one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kats inc Posted December 27, 2009 Report Share Posted December 27, 2009 Any problems you are having with any aspect of the hospital I would honestly advise you to get in touch with the PALS service who will help you and support you througyh sorting it all out. Hammersmith Hospital PALS details Walk-in PALS office: Ground floor, south corridor (near C-block). Please telephone 020 3313 0088 to check opening hours PALS address: PALS manager, Charing Cross Hospital, Fulham Palace Road, London W6 8RF Telephone: 020 3313 3322, Monday to Friday, from 09.30 to 17.00 An answerphone system operates at busy times and out of hours. Please leave a message and your telephone number and a member of staff will call you back Fax: 020 3313 0087 Email: [email protected] I hope you get some joy from them.You have enough stress without any added extra Good wishes for your Dad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathyw Posted December 28, 2009 Report Share Posted December 28, 2009 I do not have good things to say about the nhs and it's treatment of people but I do know of one successful outcome. A close friend phoned and I couldn;t understand what she was saying she was sobbing. She had breast cancer (48 years old) and was terrified. She had three boys and her sister had fied at 32 from cancer of the womb and brain. This was just before Christmas and the doctor said they would have her in and operate in January. My friend said no I want it done now please. She said she was sobbing and begging them and they listened to her. She had the op two days later. She had chemo and lost all her hair but now three years on she is clear and is one of the success stories and there are some. She honestly believes that her lack of control (crying and sobbing) in front of the doctors was the reason she got early treatment as she said, many people are stoic and just wait for the doctors to tell them when they will treat them but she couldn't do that and believes that was what made the difference. I agree with Scotlass that the people running the trials are scientist and not concerned with the person - only the outcome. Stand your ground but also take Kats advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kats inc Posted December 28, 2009 Report Share Posted December 28, 2009 I do not have good things to say about the nhs and it's treatment of people but I do know of one successful outcome. We're not all that bad Kathy Occasionally people actually say thank you to us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted December 28, 2009 Report Share Posted December 28, 2009 (edited) It's not perfect, we all know that (few organisations are) & thinmgs certainly appear to have gone badly wrong with the o.p.'s but whilst I've no idea whether your friends perception is right or not & I've no evidence to support my own view but I suspect that, rather than "some" the NHS probably produces far more successes than failures. I certainly can't think of anywhere with a better immediate needs healthcare system that doesn't depend on personal wealth anywhere in the world. Edited December 28, 2009 by Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathyw Posted December 29, 2009 Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 We're not all that bad Kathy Occasionally people actually say thank you to us! Oh I know that Kats and I recently spent a few days in hospital myself and cannot complain about my treatment. I moaned and groaned and at one point sat and cried for a couple of hours during the night with a nurse sitting with me and helping me - this was in a unit where it was very busy as it was the floor for infectious diseases. But then as I said I did moan and questioned stuff - no-one seemed to be annoyed about that fact, indeed it seems to have helped as everything was explained to me. I was never rude but did expect (and got) to be treated as a person. I thanked each and everyone who treated me thus but gave a tongue lashing to the pr*tt who was nasty to me. As I got better I started to tell jokes etc and the nurses would come and sit with me to have a laugh! But with my Mum and Ray I cannot say the same. I have had to really get off my bike to get my Mum treated properly. I find it upsetting that people who are very sick to have to fight to get treatment - indeed to get treated with respect and dignity - that should be par for the course not something we celebrate. I have seen the very best of nurses and the worst and the same with doctors - perhaps I have too long a memory when hospitals were places where you went when sick having no fear of catching anything in there and nurses truly were angels. I hope that the op's Dad gets all that he needs and is treated with respect without anyone having to get angry and upset - he deserves it and so do his family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owl Posted December 29, 2009 Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 (edited) Me too, nuff said. I will not bore Fugees with an account of the many years I was pig-in-the-middle between late OH and the NHS Hope the OP's dad can get treatment asap. Edited December 29, 2009 by owl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kats inc Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 If I could begin to tell you of the hell I am going through at the moment because of a vindictive patient you would see the other side of things and what can be done to NHS staff who have done nothing wrong bar provide good care Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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