Need to go to hospital, can't get there. Fed up with no help

[Notwavingbutdrowningalone]

I had ankle and foot fusions and a leg broken and pinned a week ago today.

I'm in a backslab plaster (plaster round back of leg, bandage over wounds to allow for swelling. Supposed to changed to a full plaster next Friday.

However, I've been given an appointment for Tuesday as he wants to see me sooner and it's "very important" I attend.

The appointment is also in a town 18 miles away, instead of my home one.

I can't attend. DH is working that day, having used leave for the op. Only dsis drives, but she doesn't want to do it

Clearly I can't get a bus and a taxi is too expensive, besides I am very, very wobbly on crutches and would need to transfer to a wheelchair.
I've spoken to the doctor's secretary who told me to phone the clinic, which I did in tears. The soonest appointment is December, far too late for bandage and stitches to be left.

I wanted to cancel the surgery, I knew it would be hard, yet family and friends convinced me, saying they would help...lying fuckers.

I'm just so down, alone and helpless.

Your DH is going to have to take the day off, You dont have any other option. Hope you are feeling better soon

Do you have a local FB group you could post on for a lift?

Get a price for a taxi - call around and see if you can get a deal; you’ve no real choice. If you can’t afford it then ask your family for a loan to cover the cost as they said they’d help you.

What about hospital transport? Is that something they still offer/you are eligible for?

Have you contacted PALS at the hospital? They might be able to help.

Your DH needs to take time off work for it.

Is there a non-emergency patient transport service in your area. Or Community transport minibus?

Your DH is going to have to take time off work

Can your local hospital not see you?
ask about hospital transport
husband takes day off
although your pissed at your sis it’s not her problem, who else said they’d help?

Hospital transport, usually means getting picked up early and getting back late.

Contact patient transport, it sounds like you’d be eligible for it.

Ring the hospital and ask for transport.

No help to you at all but I would be preparing for an almighty grudge against your shitty sister. Let's hope she doesn't ask you for ANY favours in the next few months/years.

I'd see if you can get hospital transport too.

Do you know anyone else with a car? Doesn't have to be someone you're close to I don't think. I would do this for a school mum if it was on one of my non working days.

Bring a bottle of wine or some flowers as a thank you, and give a generous amount of petrol money.

Do you have a local volunteer car scheme or community transport, it may be too short notice as it's a volunteer run but they may be able to help you.

Sympathies, it's a bloody nightmare I have been going through cancer treatment and I am single, and have little income as I'm only able to work part time at the moment, so I've been having to beg lifts from friends fitting it around their work. My 89 year old mum can barely leave the house but doesn't always get hospital transport, so I have to take time off to take her even though I'm having cancer treatment and I'm already exhausted and stressed. I'm really not sure how people are expected to cope if they do not have somebody who doesn't work or has flexibility around work.

Try contacting hospital transport.

Have you tried ring and ride?

Try the red cross

There should be hospital transport.

There is also a form HCT (5) I think where you can apply for the cost of the transport back.

www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/healthcare-travel-costs-scheme-htcs/

They will pay for the cheapest method of transport. Given that you've no-one to get you there, or on and off public transport, I'm presuming (don't quote me) that they will refund the cost of taxis.

at least that’s one less Christmas present for you to buy this year. What a shitty attitude from your sister, OP. I’m sorry. I can’t suggest anything that PPs haven’t already but I just wanted to say I hope you get sorted and your family pull their collective finger out.

As a last resort pay for a taxi. Don't scrimp on your health - you get all the other treatment for free.

But really, your dh should take you.

Who can claim for help with travel costs?
To qualify for help with travel costs under the HTCS, you must meet 3 conditions:
At the time of your appointment, you or your partner (including civil partners) must receive one of the qualifying benefits or allowances listed on this page, or meet the eligibility criteria for the NHS Low Income Scheme.
You must have a referral from a healthcare professional to a specialist or a hospital for further NHS treatment or tests (often referred to as secondary care).
Your appointment must be on a separate visit to when the referral was made. This applies whether your treatment is provided at a different location (hospital or clinic) or on the same premises as where the GP or another health professional issued the referral.

Can your DH not just take an unpaid leave day? His company would be pretty draconian not to allow him to do this.