Friday 7 September 2012

Catching Up

  1. This is the latest photo of the boys. Nathan is now eight and Daniel seven.








 My hospital stay was an absolute nightmare.  I ad a letter telling me which ward I was in = when I got there I found there was no bed for me and I was taken upstairs to another ward where there were only two other people = a lady of ninety who was totally blind and one in her eighties who was totally deaf so not much conversation went on.

I had warned them that in the past I had reacted badly to whatever it is they give you to knock you out but was fine with the one I had for my bc operation five years ago. Obviously it fell on deaf ears as I have never felt so ill and could not stop vomiting for two days and in the end was bringing up blood.  Mad panic.  A doctor was sent for and I was put on huge pills for my stomach.  However I could not eat as my mouth was full of sores from where they put the tube down.  I got no treatment for this as I was told it "was natural".

The following day I had to get out of bed and attempt to walk.  I had never known pain like it but worse I had no energy. felt I could not breathe and the sweat was pouring off me.  I kept telling them but no notice was taken.  There I was attempting to walk to the toilet feeling like I was dying.  Talking of the toilet there was no disabled one on my ward the height was the same as most household toilets with no hand bars.  When I sat down my operated knee was bent back so far I actually screamed with the pain only to be told by the two nurses not to make a fuss.

I could not believe it was the same place where I had such wonderful treatment before.

Day four and my surgeon turned up - the only time I ever saw him.  He leaned on a nearbye cupboard, hands in pockets, looking totally dis-interested and said he wanted to see me walk.  By this time I could hardly stand and was shaking and sweating.  I managed a few steps then gasped out I could do no more.  I was helped back to bed by one decent nurse who told him I looked dreadful so he told her to take my temperature.  Another mad panic and an ordinary doctor was sent for.  He said I had a chest infection and I was put on very strong antibiotics.

It was only when I was discharged and given the paperwork that I was horrified to read I had "hospital induced pneumonia"!

I could go on and on - how there was rubbish under the beds where they were not swept, how the blind lady in the next bed was given her food and utensils and left to it - she had to ask me what was on her plate and she had to eat what she could with her fingers following my instructions, how you could ring for a bedpan and were told they would get you one. only to be left for more than an hour.  There was more than one accident believe me.

when I eventuaaly came home I was still very unwell and had bags of stomach tablets and antibiotics.  My own family doctort came in for two weeks trying to cure my sore mouth so that I could eat again and treating my stomach.  He was furious about it all.

The district nurses were wonderful when they came.  My dressing had not been changed during the nine days I was in hospital and they sorted all that and after fourteen days they took out the seventy staples I had in  the incision.

A couple of weeks later it was the turn of my pysiotherapist to arrive to try and get me walking on crutches.  She asked if I had been doing my hourly exercises.  I did not know what she was talking about.  Yes, I had been sent home with no exercises.  she too was angry.  No exercises so my leg and knee had stiffened up and it was agony when I had to begin.

Everything that happened to me put me back a long way so I am still on crutches instead of canes which I should be by now.

 I have to have the other knee done.  I have told my own doctor it as turned me completely off and if I do have it done I certainly would not consider that hospital.

One positive thing - my oncologist came to see my whilst I was in hospital as my appointment was due.  She has signed me off although I am still waiting for the results of the latest mammogram.

I would like to thank Linda in Washington and Guido for their birthday wishes for me this coming Sunday.  It is so nice to know I have not been forgotten.

God bless you all

Love Jeannette

20 comments:

  1. I am so sorry that you had this horrible hospital experience. Is that hospital under-staffed & very busy? Even then, the treatment you received or didn't receive is unacceptable. I bet you were more than happy to be home and away from there. Again, happy, happy birthday! And my wish for you is that you're feeling 100% soon! Hugs from Linda in Washington

    ReplyDelete
  2. It was great to see you again back giving us the latest news. That really was unacceptable treatment in hospital. I hope that you have written a complaint to the appropriate Dept. I do hope though that you will soon start to pick up and hopefully by the late Autumn you will be walking more freely...
    Thank you for sharing the latest photo of the boys ...my how they are growing up !!...
    Now that you have popped in please try to keep us up to date with your news...
    Love Sybil xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jeannette ,poor you ,all that sounds horific ,as Sybil says you should write to the authoraties,and then to find you ended up with pneumonia is reaaly bad ,Thank goodness you received better treat ment once you got home ,of course it will all be blamed on 'cut backs'! How lovely to see the boys picture ,what happened to those baby boys ? ....Love Jan xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am very sorry to hear that you've had such a rough time in hospital, Jeannette, and reading your post, I can only recommend to file a formal complaint. That's positively disgraceful. I hope you will improve (further) over the next couple of weeks and months; post when you can.

    Guido

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lovely to hear from you again Jeannette but what a lot you have had to go through in hospital ,you need to send a complaint form .
    Lets hope now you are home and getting good care you will pick up and improve and be healthy once more
    Sending healing hugs
    Jean (Nedmoh) xxx

    ReplyDelete
  6. sounds like you
    were lucky to
    make it out
    of hospital alive
    and celebrate another
    birthday
    I wish you
    a happy birthday
    dear Jeannette
    and
    get well soon!

    ReplyDelete
  7. happy birthday,do that first or i forget xxx.ok,hospital.ring and demand a complaint form,then,write everything down rough first,so nothing gets forgotten.if you have any names so much the better.fill in form,as much info as you can,photocopy it,and send it to the manager.also send a copy to local MP,and local newspaper.i had terrible treatment a few years back after a epidural for back.was still waiting at 7 pm having got there that morning at 7.30,finally told i was not going to be allowed home that night if i had it done.having told them several times i am full time carer.i walked out.sent teaming letter.got an apology,and lot better treatment next time round.so sorry to hear you were treated so bad,you tc,love mort xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  8. oh ((Jeanette)) I am so sorry to hear how terribly you were treated. We had a similiar situation with my Mom, she was treated so poorly with her meds it forced her into dementia.We got her out of that place and she is home now, still not herself though. I know it is so important for you to exercise the knee, I know it's painful but try to do it so you can walk again. When I was hospitalized 3 yrs ago I came out of the coma and pulled the breathing thing out of my throat and really hurt my throat inside..I found ice chips to be magical...the nurses wouldn't get the doctors to give me anything either...so I treated myself with the ice and hell, it worked. Glad to see you writing again in the journal..wish you would rethink Facebook as so many former J-landers have come together and so many people loved you and your writings....let us know how you are progressing...love you...Sandi

    ReplyDelete
  9. You have not been forgotten my dear..I wish you would give Facebook a try..we are all on there every day... i am glad to know you are home...and I'm sorry for your awful experience..stay in touch..Many happy Returns for Sunday... :-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. You haven't been forgotten by me either. You have been in my thoughts and prayers often. So glad now you are home and under good care with you own doctor. I hope now that things have been righted all will go well with your recovery. The picture of your grandsons is so nice. My how they have grown. I hope you do have a very Happy Birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  11. So sorry you went through such a horrible time. Hope you are on the road to recovery. Happy Birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh Jeannette I am so very very sorry to hear all this.. totally unacceptable!!! I send prayers.. strength and good vibes. The boys are so grown up!! Very handsome as well. Happy Birthday my friend.. may this year bring good things your way.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Jeannette,
    I do not know you, but I read your blog.

    I am so sorry you have had to go through so much. I can't underatnd how a hospital can keep running and getting paid my people and insurance compainies, wheh they do not provide any decent care. There is no excuse for the way your were treated or that filthy roon, etc. Hope your future medical care is much different. Lot's better! God Blessings and prayers for you. Merry Kenyon

    ReplyDelete
  14. Glad to know you are home and surviving! How horrible for things to be in a hospital. The boys, by the way, are absolutely precious. Love, Barbara

    ReplyDelete
  15. Happy Birthday, so glad you survived that awful ordeal. I have often wondered how you are, my thoughts have been with you. You must put in a formal complaint, the hospital should not be allowed to get away with this kind of treatment to a patient. God Bless Jeanette xxx

    ReplyDelete
  16. I hope you had a wonderful birthday!
    What fabulous smiles the 'boys' have. Thy are real heartbreakers in the making.

    How frightening for you to have, and witness, such neglect of treatment and care Jeanntte!
    I agree that you should make a formal complaint. What on earth is happening in our hospitals? They are becomin scary places for sure. Keep progressng in your rehabilitation. Lovely to see you making an entry again too.

    Hugs xoxoxoxo
    Jeanie (In the Lakes).

    ReplyDelete
  17. Jeannette, I am so sorry about what happened. I am also sorry I missed your birthday. This was been a heck of a summer for me. Get better. It will take a little bit longer but you are strong and can catch up to where you need to be soon. Love hearing from you.

    ReplyDelete
  18. So awful! Sending hugs! Hope you are well soon! Xo!

    ReplyDelete
  19. PS the boys are getting so big and so handsome.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Sad to read you had a very rough hospitalization getting your knee replacement. That is a tough operation when the treatment is good, let alone when it is not. I hope you will not have to have the other one done for a while until you recover well.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for leaving a comment, it means a lot.