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"What have you eaten" Parallel Chat

Caring still very difficult and I’ve got a social services meeting tomorrow with Nick who is struggling. Mum worrying too. Loz and Hannah have Covid at moment but mainly flu like symptoms as both boosted. George and I determinedly keep going on the Headspace every day though and walk whenever we can. I need the daily lc sweet treats everyday though can’t see me trying to cut this out. Helps with the stress and stress seems to have more impact on my bgs these days than food. Thinking of you and hope all goes well.
 

It’s reassuring that she has such a good relationship with the specialist, it makes such a difference.
Of course, only one person allowed into appointments at the moment! I should have realised this - I’m off to London next week for my 6 monthly post cancer scan. This will be the 4th appointment I’ve had to go on my own for. My whole family used to come with me to begin with so it was a bit scary at first. The medical team are always super and attentive though.
It’ll be a long day for you waiting at the end of the phone, I’ll be thinking of you.
 

Headspace is worth every Penny isn’t it? So are the sweet treats, it’s not as if you are guzzling donuts.
That’s such a lot of worry for you to keep on top of, especially as your mum lives at a distance. Hoping the social services meeting is helpful for Nick’s struggles. And Covid symptoms stay mild for L&H
 
Can't believe it! My SIL had undergone yet another pre op and her covid test. Everything fine and due to go into hospital tomorrow for the many times delayed operation. She got a phone call this morning - they've cancelled it again!! Now waiting for yet another date. They want it to happen in the Western General a SNHS hospital.
 

How disappointing and annoying for her! Hugs for her for all the frustration she must be feeling just now. Did they give any reason? What the hospital administrators don't seem to acknowledge is the arrangements people have to make to allow them to go for their operation on top of the natural anxiety of having to have an operation at all and the potential anxiety over the aftermath of delays. Does it have to be in the Western General? I know it has a pretty good reputation (or did have) but surely, if they can't do it, they could look elsewhere.
 
Happy news!
My friend had a very nice appointment with her specialist, and it doesn't look like cancer, they only want to rule it out to make absolutely sure!

He also apologised for making a mistake when entering the date she was to be able to see those results, he had wanted to open them for her tomorrow, so after the appointment, not before.

They will remove the stone stuck in her duct because it causes her discomfort and because it can cause pancreatitis. But they'll do it endoscopically so no operation. And while they're in there they'll have a look at this suspect spot as well, and possibly take a biopt to thoroughly check it out.
She'll also get a different model feeding tube to see if that one won't escape her jejunum so easily, and the doctor offered to do it at the same time as the rest, sparing her unpleasant experience of having it replaced yet another time, seeing as she'll be fully sedated anyway.

Today they just put the old tube back, let's hope it stays in place a bit longer this time.

So all in all, a very good day!

She also told me to relay her thanks for all your well-wishes, it's much appreciated by both of us. <3
 

It’s wonderful to read this Antje77 what a great relief for everyone. You will both sleep a lot better tonight I’m sure.
 

Oh how frustrating! Did they give a reason? Staff shortages I expect, but to have steeled oneself and mentally prepared for a hospital stay then to be told at the last minute it’s cancelled is so stressful. How many times has it been cancelled?
 

That's great news. So happy for your friend to have reassuring information from her specialist. Hugs to you both for the worry you have gone through.
 
That is such good news. Xx
 
Sorry to but in, as I haven’t always followed this thread, but just wanted to say that I have experienced that in the past. So frustrating. Lost count of the number of pre-op assessments, what a waste of resources that is! I found the hospital PALS team very helpful in ensuring that my surgery was not postponed again. Not sure if you have the same service in Scotland?
Hope it gets sorted soon.
 
Good. You have been in my thoughts today.
 
@Annb , @DJC3 & @Pipp - this is the fourth time it has been cancelled. It's been going on for 4 years now. It dawned on me today that both my brothers and my sister were still alive when this started. That puts quite a timescale on it. Life was a lot better when the local councils were handling health, transport, education etc. They can't even blame covid as this started a couple of years before covid.

The surgeon who was scheduled to operate does so at the Spire (the private hospital) and the Western. They maintain it's just they want the facilities of the Western.I'm not convinced since, if that was the reason, why let her go though all the checks again and have her isolate? As I've said already, the SNHS were going to have to cover the costs of the operation being done in a private hospital. I know Lothian Health Biard is strapped for cash (as are a number of others) so I suspect it's more about cutting costs. If you recall, I lost my test strip prescription as the Health Board deemed it "unnecessary". There's many others in the same boat. The fact this is happening when they have to find millions in savings is just a coincidence?

@Pipp we just have to grin and bear it. I don't blame the SNHS. They do their best but are hampered by their budgets.

It's so frustrating though especially when it's now become a bigger operation as a result of the delay and she'll need a second operation at some future date for a hernia that's developed
 
@maglil55 , that really is a disgrace. Hernias (abdominal?) be life threatening. I know from my own experiences. Please make sure she knows to get to emergency A&E if there is increased pain, etc.
I also know that hospitals are overwhelmed by staff shortages and backlogs, but 4 years is far too long. The stress of all those lare cancellations must be unbearable. I would be putting pressure on to get sorted asap, though. MP, or CAB / PALS.
 
4years @maglil55 ! good grief! and they can’t even blame Covid. It’s terrible to think that it’s now a bigger and therefore riskier op because of the delay.
I agree with @Pipp that complaints to PALS and her MP are definitely in order.
 

4 years! That's awful, especially since it means that her condition is getting worse. She, and you, must be worried about what is happening to her health in the meantime. My SIL in Ayrshire is in a similar situation, except she knows she is going to have to wait for 4 years for her knee operation. It seems to be back to the old "postcode" issue. Here we wait, but not for anything like that long. The Central belt seems to be very bad. My brother (in Swindon) gets attention fairly quickly these days - since the practice was taken over by a new firm of doctors. Before that it was pretty awful. It is partly an admin problem within the (S)NHS but also a problem with the way doctors are now employed.

Understanding doesn't make it any easier though. Maybe her MP/MSP could get something done for her.
 
@DJC3 , @Pipp & @Annb . I think you can all work out which party her MP/MSPs belong to. It's pretty much a waste of time. You're correct Ann, it is a bit of a lottery but the Central Belt has a lot of issues. I have quite a few friends working in the SNHS and they are incredibly frustrated with the situation. One friend who works at the Royal said their biggest issues are the numbers coming to A&E because they can't get appointments with their GP and delayed discharges because the care sector is a shambles. Throw in staff shortages and it makes grim reading. It's not just covid, there have been issues for many years now.
 
One of our doctors - probably in his late 50's - was working late one day and called me to follow up an issue. I asked him why he was working so late after a busy day at the clinic and on call (he also goes out with the helicopter so is pretty dedicated) and he told me it was the only way to get through the work. The problem is that the younger doctors they can get to come to the Island are unwilling to work the hours - they want a 9 - 5 job. And they can get away with it - the established doctors have no choice but to take what they can get from the younger ones. Hence the older, more experienced and (it seems) more dedicated doctors burn out because they can't get through the workload. I don't know if this is the case in the Central belt - young doctors will be more likely to be willing to work there.

The care sector everywhere is in disarray and that does lead to bed blocking (as we've seen twice in our family recently) but that is the same all over the place. I don't know what the answer to that one is - allow more foreign workers back in to take these jobs, maybe. Make the jobs more attractive to some of our unemployed? Give more financial support? It's hard and heartbreaking work they do, and they have to take all sorts of abuse from people who can't help themselves (DIL was bitten a few days ago by an old man who tried to hit her and failing, used his teeth instead!) So do hospital staff, of course. And the pay is pretty poor.

And, of course, my bugbear, administration. Some of these trusts and hospitals or clinics are just badly organised and run which leads to delays and logjams. It also leads to a waste of money which could be diverted to important issues. Our Western Isles Health Board is an example of that.

It's not covid. It has only served as an excuse and to highlight the problem. But the thing is - it's not just a matter of bad organisation, or lack of staff in the right place at the right time. It's about people and how they can cope with their lives as a result of poor service. As both of our sisters-in-law know too well.

Sorry - rant over.
 
Just checking the specials at our local butchers facebook page and he has a couple of funny food related pix on it.

Support your local...




Nice pork roast.



(mod edit for picture)
 
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