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Referral

Posted , 12 users are following.

susie74530
susie74530

I hve been able to schedule an appointment with a surgeon that was recommended to me.  He operates privately and also NHS.  I am NHS.  Appointment is not until mid January, and I am wondering, given that NHS is not adhering to the 18 week schedule, how long I am likely to wait for surgery.  I live in Wiltshire, but the surgery will be in Somerset.

I live alone and have no family, other than a daughter living in Somerset who does ot drive, so is unable to get out to here to me.  Usually I pick her up at the rail station, but will not be able to do that post op.  Other than that, I have absolutely no outside support.

Does my situation carry any weight at all with the NHS, or am I expected to manage on my own, both pre op and post op, and in growing pain pre op? 

 

2 likes, 46 replies

46 Replies

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  • sarah1996
    sarah1996 susie74530

    Posted

    Im not sure how it works. Iv been on the list a month now but i was told id be made a priority due to my case. But you could always phone and ask
    • susie74530
      susie74530 sarah1996

      Posted

      Hi Sarah:

      The problem is that NHS is just a big, "grinding" machine!  Uless you can speak to and actual human being, you are just another number in the system! 

      The surgeon whom I am going to be seeing has a very good reputation as "someone who cares."  Having said that, he has to abide by the rules of the game!  

      I hate making myself a pest, but from what I have heard since returning to the UK, this is the only way forward - persistence!  

      Hopefully, I shall know more when I see him next month/year.

      Kindest regards,

      Susie  

    • sarah1996
      sarah1996 susie74530

      Posted

      Yeah i deffo understand luckily the doctor i saw for my consultation was lovely and made me a priority straight away due to my problems. Although im not convinced that will make much a difference but im hoping i wont be waiting till march which will be the full 18 weeks wait
    • susie74530
      susie74530 sarah1996

      Posted

      Many thanks. I think it is a case of wait and see until after the January appointment.  After that, I shall start rattling a few cages!
    • sarah1996
      sarah1996 susie74530

      Posted

      Is than janurary appointment the one they tell you if you need the op?
    • susie74530
      susie74530 sarah1996

      Posted

      Yes.  I do know tht many people oppt for surgery when their exrays show "moderate to severe" arthritis.  In my case, this was the result two years ago.  I have progressed far beyond that point, now.  My overall feeling is that the appointment is more of a formality, and is required by the NHS.  I am in no doubt that I need surgery.
    • sarah1996
      sarah1996 susie74530

      Posted

      Iv been havimg my hip op consultatio s since 17? Because he wanted to to wait till i was a few year older but was always told to contact asap if i couldnt cope so 2 years on im finally on the list and hopefully this will improve my life. All us hippies hope to have a new liece of life from the op
  • marilyn_92910
    marilyn_92910 susie74530

    Posted

    I would contact your surgeons Secretary and see what she can do
    • susie74530
      susie74530 marilyn_92910

      Posted

      God idea.  Probably best to see the surgeon in Januiary, and then call back a week or so later, and speak with the secretary and see if she is able to hurry things along a bit due to my personal circumstances, etc.
  • Thursday_Next
    Thursday_Next susie74530

    Posted

    It varies from hospital to hospital.  I first went to my GP at the beginning of September, he sent me for an X-Ray and once he had seen the results he referred me to my hospital.  I saw the surgeon about 10 days later and then had my operation on 19 November  and might have been a week or two earlier if I hadn't had a holiday in Scotland arranged.  All in all it was about 9 weeks from seeing the GP to having the operation.

    the only help I was offered was 2 visits from district nurse which I refused as I preferred to go to the clinic.  I live on my own and had no further help.

    • susie74530
      susie74530 Thursday_Next

      Posted

      That is very interesting.  Christmas takes about a month out of all proceedings, unfortunately.  I think it now down to "wait and see," once I have seen the surgeon.  Hoppefully, surgery will be sooner, rather than later!
  • sharon09171
    sharon09171 susie74530

    Posted

    Susie, i live alone and could get no suggestions about help from nhs, Social Services or surgery nurse who suggested I keep the same stockings on for six weeks. I was not keen although I would have done so if absolutely necessary. I asked the man who had done some carpentry for me if he knew of anyone and he put me in touch with a lovely young Romanian woman who comes to me a couple of times a week during her time off from  work in a care home. Usually half an hour is enough; stockings off, shower, stockings on. So the answer for you could be to ask people in shops or any work peoplyou know if they can recommend someone. Or go directly to a care home and see if anyone can help you out.
    • susie74530
      susie74530 sharon09171

      Posted

      Hi Sharon:

      Many thanks for your response.  I cannot believe that NHS expects a patient to wear the same stocking for six weeks.  It is unhygienic and impractical.

      I am quite isloated where I am, the only "shop" being a convenience store, and I would not want to have people I do nnot know in my home, as I have far too many valuables and fragile antiques that I would not want touched.   There is a very high crime rate around here, and I have been targetted perpetually.  Police were here, again, just this last Sunday!

      Other than that, most of my contacts are still in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Cape Town and London.  I dont really know anyone locally, other than a lovely Polish family, but they have more than enough to cope with - three children under four years of age.

      My situation is not the norm as I have spent most of my life in America, so have not developed the usual support system in the UK.

  • kevin19230
    kevin19230 susie74530

    Posted

    Susie all I can say to reassure is I had district nurses in for three weeks, of course they did not tend to my every day needs, but if you need medical or nursing assistance nothing was too much trouble .
    • susie74530
      susie74530 kevin19230

      Posted

      Many thanks, Kevin.

      My main concerns are around the day to day activities, once I am at home.  I am quite fit, but not as fit as I should be, before the arthritis limited my eexercise capabalities and cardio vascular work.  Right now, I cannot stand in the kitchen long enough to assemble a salad, for example.   Ready meals, post op, I can ust about live with for a limited time, but we are told not to bend, and my freezer in the lower part of the fridge!  So how do I get to them?  Fresh vegetables, are another problem, they would have to be delivered, but arrive im such bulk, that most of them go off before I can eat them, and then how do I heave a garbage bag out to the bin store?  

      The above is just a sample of the issues that need to be addressed so that I am not left high and dry for weeks no end, with very little or no assistance.

      I am strong, and still do my physio exercises.  Have restarted my pushups to build upper body strength, but you never know just how well  you recover from the trauma of the op, ad what your limitations are likely to be.

       

    • Thursday_Next
      Thursday_Next susie74530

      Posted

      I found that there were things I could do to get round the not bending.  I have a seat near the fridge and this was a help in getting things out of the fridge.  Also, after the first few days I was able to lift my operated leg up behind me so I was able to bend further with my operated leg straight out behind me, thereby maintaining the 90deg rule.  My kitchen bin became full 3 or 4 days after I got home from hospital.  I was able to remove the bin bag and walk outside to the dustbin.  Yesterday, at 3 weeks 4 days, I felt able to wheel the wheelie bin the length of my drive to leave at the road edge for the dustmen.

      i have had a weekly delivery from Tesco.  I asked them to put the delivery on top of the bins at my back gate.  That way I could bring in 1 or 2 bags at a time in my own time without having to pick things up from the ground.

      i have a comfortable chair and small table as well as a lap tray in the kitchen.  Peeling vegetables, chopping etc is done sitting down with this tray on my knee.  You may well be surprised at what you can actually do.  

      Make use of ready prepared vegetables.  Normally I would not buy a bag of cauliflower and broccoli florets, I would buy a head of each and prepare myself but at the moment would buy the ready prepared, even chopped onions and ready sliced carrots.  A week after my operation I had made a large beef casserole in the slow cooker just by putting chopped beef in the slow cooker together with ready chopped onions and vegetables without any preparation.  The remainder went into the freezer in single portion bags.

      good luck and please believe it can be done on your own.

    • susie74530
      susie74530 Thursday_Next

      Posted

      Thank you very much for this great input.  There are some really helpful suggestions here, and it is reassuring to know that in all probability, I will capable of doing a lot more than I had antici pated.

      I am due to meet with the consultant around mid-January, and his secreatry assured me that although this is a private clinic, I could go in as an NHS patient and they adhere to the 18 weeks policy, if not before.  I shall ask for any cancellations, but that of course, means being well prepared weeks in advance.  It will be a question of bringing in the loo seat raisers, grabbers, etc., much earlier than anticipated - and then there is the cat...!

      I have rather stopped fretting about it all now, and will just allow things to take their course.  

      Fortunately, I know the area where the clinic is, quite well, and it is in a lovely position.  There is a lovely hotel just across the road, that had a small golf course, where I first started golf lessons, and then we would go up to the hotel and sit outside for coffee, overlooking Bath.  Wont be taking up the golf clubs for a while!  

      Have a lovely Christmas and a Happy New Year

       

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