Saw GP last night, suspected gall bladder infection, antibiotics prescribed and bloods taken this morning. Nurse practitioner and GP have both called today to check on how I'm feeling.Another call booked for 9am tomorrow Brilliant.
KT, I experienced something like your wife’s situation. All I can say is, doctors are only human. With all the things that can go wrong in a human body it’s a wonder that so many of us function at all. And as for pinpointing the exact cause of a malfunction in some part or other....
Your wife will find an answer, I am sure.
I hope you are right, but this has been going on for years. The underlying problem I believe is a lack of continuity of contact with a single GP. I don't know about other surgeries, but at ours you are asked the purpose of the appointment which is supposedly added to the notes. Get to the GP and they don't have any idea why you are there, and haven't read the notes. With almost fixed 10 minute appointments the time is either taken up by the GP re-reading the notes, or going back to the start to try to explain the symptoms and what has happened to date.
Within our surgery, which is now a combination of 3 previously separate surgeries, there are over 20 doctors on the 'permanent' list plus any number of junior doctors training as GPs (to be fair they tend to be the one's who actually show most interest), and a constant stream of locums. I know the problems with staff retention, but none of it helps to get a resolution.
The latest potential problem is GPs effectively ruling out house calls. Back in 2005 my mother, 86 at the time, was complaining about severe abdominal pain. My brother phoned the surgery and a doctor came out. She was hospitalised immediately and sadly died from liver cancer just a few days later. With the current, and new, systems I doubt she would have even seen a doctor before passing away.
NHS or our reliance upon medical services. No doubt many of us can relate the good experiences and rejoice, also the not so good. Then we moan.
I was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2014. Having seen blood in my urine, I contacted my GP. Within less time than it takes to tell. I had an appointment to see a urologist at the QE Hosp. Woolwich. The cystoscopy done with and the doctor saying. Yes! you have bladder cancer. It was like being slapped across the face with a fresh herring. The word cancer has become so frightening to many. Within days I was undergoing sugery in the PRU. Follow-ups began and continue even now. My Chief consultant at the QE actually too the hospital to court, due to poor care to patients. The hospital has improved so much now. In my case, the cancer has continued to return and back in January 2019. I had another op. Then time passed and no news. I thought I was out of the woods. My daughter decided to go behind my back and she contacted the hospital. The letter came. Urgent appointment. My chief consultant was so full of apologies. He praised Amanda for her actions. My case had failed to reach the team's meetings etc. An internal enquiry is now taking place.
I have been transferred to Guy's hosp. London. Also a teaching hosp. In October I had another op. A stent was left in my left ureta, as it is thought the cancer cells are starting in the ureter. My next urology op is Dec. 19. 2019
Now being under the direct care of GUY's. There is no messing about here. They have a special unit for the care of the older persons. As a result, the Doc; set up an echocardiogram. This identeified an Aortic problem. Tomoprrow 5/12/19 I'm seeing the cardiac professor. Mention has been made of having a bone scan. So 2014 till now. I've had around ten cystoscopies and seven or eight ops. Fair do's. Yes i have at times had enough, but. These teams of devoted medics are doing their very best at keeping me alive.
A downside. My wife Valerie failed to wake up after open heart surgery 9.6.2010 That ended 49 yrs of happy marriage. She had been a victim of diabetes 2. Hospital notes quoted 'badly managed diabetes 2. What can you do?
I thank all medical staff past and present for the love, affection and care i have been given.
I have to say this. Contrary to some opinions. Our mixed nationality of staf and medical providers. IMHO these folk are GREAT. GOD BLESS THEM.
This morning I've had a nurse practitioner call to see I'm feeling, I've had the hospital call to give me an ultrasound appt for tomorrow, and another dept have just called to confirm follow up treatment for Husband in two weeks time.
The gripe I have with the nhs is confidentiality. After being told my dad had lung cancer and taking into consideration of his long term anxiety problem it was suggested he was not told too much of having the cancer. This was on his notes etc at the consultants request. The family's handling of this terrible life threatening illness was hard but everyone managed to keep it under wraps. An hour before I'd requested to speak to the doctors in confidence .I was told I couldn't do this without dads permission..dad managed to let it be known he didn't mind. So here's me expecting to talk in confidence out of dads hearing ,but it wasn't like that. Two doctors came to the four bed ward stood at the end of the bed showing impatient signs asking what did we want to know .? I said I would like a discussion on My dad's condition but in privet. My dad asked what was the huge swelling was on his back . Instead of explaining gently they told him it was the cancer getting bigger.rightly or wrongly this had been kept from him at his GPS request.he knew it would send dad into depths of despire. My dad was sent home to finish his days with love of his family around him. breathing equipment set up he went down hill fast , he was given three weeks. he was with us 2 days. His family doctor of 30yrs said without doubt being told he didn't have very long hastened his death.I
Myself I always thought that requesting a discussion with a doctor was done in private . This is my only gripe with our NHS.
I hold that guilt today as much as I did 13 years ago , guilt has never left me that I was the one to hasten dad to lose his will. because he knew then he wasn't going to make it. While he thought he could conquer the illness (which is how he had referred to the fact something being wrong- but not the word cancer ) he had kept his spirits up. I shall continue to feel I was to blame.
@granma ... I don’t think he ‘gave up’ ... it was a battle he knew he couldn’t win ... he accepted the inevitable ... in his situation I would have welcomed the speedy arrival of the end ... he was with his loved ones ... what good would another three weeks of increasing pain and suffering have done him or you?
In your situation I would’ve done as you did. I don’t believe you have anything to blame yourself for and I’m sure your father who loved you would feel the same.
You are not guilty ... no one is ... some things cannot be beaten and we just have to accept them ((hugs))
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
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The family's handling of this terrible life threatening illness was hard but everyone managed to keep it under wraps. An hour before I'd requested to speak to the doctors in confidence .I was told I couldn't do this without dads permission..dad managed to let it be known he didn't mind.
So here's me expecting to talk in confidence out of dads hearing ,but it wasn't like that.
Two doctors came to the four bed ward stood at the end of the bed showing impatient signs asking what did we want to know .? I said I would like a discussion on My dad's condition but in privet. My dad asked what was the huge swelling was on his back . Instead of explaining gently they told him it was the cancer getting bigger.rightly or wrongly this had been kept from him at his GPS request.he knew it would send dad into depths of despire.
My dad was sent home to finish his days with love of his family around him. breathing equipment set up
he went down hill fast , he was given three weeks. he was with us 2 days. His family doctor of 30yrs said without doubt being told he didn't have very long hastened his death.I
Myself I always thought that requesting a discussion with a doctor was done in private .
This is my only gripe with our NHS.
because he knew then he wasn't going to make it.
While he thought he could conquer the illness (which is how he had referred to the fact something being wrong- but not the word cancer ) he had kept his spirits up.
I shall continue to feel I was to blame.
In your situation I would’ve done as you did. I don’t believe you have anything to blame yourself for and I’m sure your father who loved you would feel the same.
You are not guilty ... no one is ... some things cannot be beaten and we just have to accept them ((hugs))
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.