Sunday 9 December 2012

Granny.

At 7.30 this morning Sunday, Granny slipped and fell at home. Granny is Tricia's Mother and my extremely handsome son George's Grandmother. She is ninety two years old. She is all there mentally and as bright as a button, but she is tiny, and lately she has become more and more fragile.

She lay on the floor in her flat and unable to move, she began shouting to her neighbour for help. After an hour of calling out with no response Granny managed to drag herself to the table in the hallway where her telephone and address book are. Somehow she got the phone from the table and managed to phone her neighbour who rushed to her aid. The neighbour quickly called an ambulance and the paramedics were soon on hand to help. Granny had broken her hip and they took her to hospital. Accident and emergency department.

At the time she fell Granny as always was wearing her emergency call button around her neck. This button is given to the elderly who live alone. It is a fantastic idea, and I am sure it has saved many lives. Granny did think about pressing the button but she didn't do so because she did not want to disturb anyone because it was so early. What are you going to do? It is just the way she is. A lot of her generation hate the idea of causing a fuss. I suppose she comes from a generation of people who have endured hardships and just learned to get on with things.

At the hospital they x-rayed her and then she had to wait for a Doctor to see her. She waited. It is at least a two hour journey to the hospital, when Tricia got there she was surprised to find that The Doctor had still not seen Granny. They waited, Granny in pain and the nurses put her on a drip. They waited. And waited. Still no Doctor. Tricia went several times to find out why there was such a delay. No answer was forthcoming, except that it was Sunday and they were short staffed. Granny didn't really want Tricia to make a fuss of course, because she felt she had caused enough problems for everyone by falling over in the first place. They waited some more. Nothing to eat or drink, until she had been seen by the Doctor. They waited.

Finally after they had waited for ELEVEN hours a Doctor finally arrived and assessed Grannie's condition. Ninety two years old! Eleven hours waiting in pain. If I didn't know for a fact that it is true I would find this unbelievable! It is enough to make a person weep with despair. I very nearly am when I think of what that lovely old lady has had to endure today.

Can I make it clear that I am not casting blame on the nursing staff or the Doctor, who were according to Tricia marvellous. But there is something so wrong when due to lack of money the hospital cannot afford to employ enough staff. However they can afford to pay millions to 'managers', - a misnomer if ever I heard one - to help save the NHS money.

The latest news is that Granny will have an operation in the morning.  Being somewhat cynical, I will believe this when it happens, and not before. She will be lying in the hospital bed tonight worrying. Not so much about the operation, but about the fact that she might be being a nuisance.

I hope you will forgive me for unburdening this on you. It is a worrying time.





18 comments:

  1. No call for forgiveness, John. More of a wake up call to all of us who weren't aware we need to stay with an injured loved one and make sure help is obtained. Short-staffed or not, they can't expect patients to wait until new doctors graduate before getting treatment.

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  2. Oh John, so sorry to hear about Granny. Poor Dear, not wanting to burden anyone. And then to have to wait that long to be seen, it's appalling! I hope the rest of her stay in the hospital goes smooth and the surgery is a success. I imagine she will have a lot of rehab before she can return home. Sadly, a lot of people can't return home after something happens. My mom has emergency appendix surgery a few years ago and spent a month in a nursing facility. She couldn't go home until she got her strenth back up, so she worked hard to do it. Tell Granny to do what they tell her as far as exercising so she can get back home. Keep us informed.

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  3. I DO hope that all goes well for Granny.
    Tell her blogland is rooting for her.
    Jane x

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  4. Please know that wishes for a speedy and complete recovery for Granny are being sent. I know you will keep us up to date on her. Please tell Tricia I have her and EHS George in my thoughts also.

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  6. Yes, I can relate to what you're telling us. I hope Granny gets some extra treatment for all the waiting. Remember the old times when the doctor would be right on hand day or night? When they would come to the home and make sure you got to the hospital pronto?
    Make a fuss Granny and be a bloody nuisance all you like. Maa

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  7. The exact same thing happened to my mother. She also wore a medic alert button round her neck. On another occasion she was ready to give herself a tracheotomy when an allergy caused her to have trouble breathing. Just because she didn't want to worry the busy ambulance people.

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  8. Oh by the way with my mum they sent her home in a Taxi to a home where there was no one to look after her. Luckily the taxi driver was friendly and carried her inside. I do wish granny a speedy recovery.

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  9. Oh poor Granny, the dear lady must have been very frightened. No one should have to wait that long. Please pass on my best wishes to Tricia and George. And don't worry about unburdening on here, we are here for you.

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  10. Oh bless poor Granny, she is the one you speak so fondly of too. At least she has family who will make sure she gets what she needs, and deserves! I was in hospital once and there were 2 elderly ladies on my ward. One had family, the other had no one. The difference in each's care was heartbreaking, unimaginable, disgusting...very distressing. Granny is lucky to have you all and all your love.

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  11. So sorry to hear about dear old Granny and all that she went through.
    Eleven hours of waiting for attention is absolutely outrageous, although we have to endure LONG wait periods at our Accident & Emergency too because of underpaid and overworked doctors and nurses.
    I hope that her operation goes well, and that she will be on her way to a speedy recovery soon.
    When you visit, give her a hug from me and tell her she's in my prayers.

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  12. I am so sorry to hear about Granny, ER rooms are awful stateside as well, many times, because folks without insurance, use them for routine Dr visits. It is unthinkable that she would have to wait for 11 hours before getting pain meds and attention.

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  13. It makes us all wary of what is going to happen in the future doesn't it.
    My youngest son is a Sister (now called charge nurses ) and I know that sometimes he doesn't get a break all day, that is 12 hours. He continues with the job as he loves it but many don't and find alternative work.
    Until nurses are paid a good salary and accepted as a vital part of our lives nothing will change.
    I do hope Granny will make a good recovery and fully understand your frustration.
    Briony
    x

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  14. Eleven hours is outrageous, John. I had to wait five with a broken ankle, but eleven.... poor Granny. I hope the operation is over and done with in a quarter of the time. Sending therapeutic vibes to Granny right now.

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  15. Oh so sorry to hear about Granny. I can't imagine waiting 11 hours with a broken hip for a doctor. That must have been just awful. I'll be thinking of her and sending good wishes

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  16. Poor Granny! I find that emergency service here can be pretty poor too. My one most serious personal experience left me waiting for 4 hours, during which I almost bled to death while people tried to decide what to do.

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  17. Oh dear poor Granny, I hope she gets good treatment now and makes a speedy recovery.

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  18. My mum in law is also a bit like granny, always worry of bothering others. I don't think I could endure pain for so many hours, she sure is brave. Hope every goes well and she recover soon to celebrate Christmas. Merry Christmas to you and handsome son, in advance.

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