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.

I'm so sorry.
I'm in Hertfordshire. If you live near me I'll take you. I'm sick of our selfish society!
Do you have any lovely friends who could help?
If you're on certain benefits, you can get help with travel costs www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/healthcare-travel-costs-scheme-htcs/

@medicatedgift lucky you because my 89 yea r old gran can never get the transport when she has tried , not been availible not all hospitals and areas are the same

Update - I have been given patient transport, I qualify as I cannot safely use public transport (including taxis, they've offered a wheelchair from the house as it's quite a walk).

DH has said he would've taken the day off unpaid, I just assumed he wouldn't.

@healthadvice123 I'm so sorry for your gran .

I'm glad it's all sorted

Really pleased for you @Notwavingbutdrowningalone - glad you were able to get the patient transport at such short notice - and also pleased to see DH would have taken the day off unpaid. Difficult to think straight when you are in a lot of pain and feeling down. Hope the appointment goes well on Tuesday

Your DH is an arse, he should have offered that up in the first place to save you the worry.

Lucky you! Obviously your health authority or council provide this.

Where I live, the only way you can get hospital transport is if you are elderly or permanently disabled. Even then, they will try anything to get out of booking it.

Your husband has to take the day off. Why wouldn't he? He has to, as its an emergency.

If you can't get hospital transport which I would have thought is an option then your DH is going to have to step up regardless of whether he wants to or not. I'm sure his employer will be reasonable.

That's good - they were very good with DH as we don't drive and he couldn't actually get in a car due to cast not allowing any bending.

Later on he was doing crutches bus and train there but initially after op that wasn't an option.

Im litrally asking why she so casually dismissed something.

You have made up a whole bunch of stuff, no of which 'stops' her getting the bus. It is the very most obvious way to get there if she doesnt have a lift and needs to get there.

The option of 'not bothering' because she doesnt want to deal with the awkwardness of busses should not be an option shes considering if she has been told she medically needs to go.

Litrally millions of people do it and have for decades theres nothing 'clearly cant' about it.

Bit unfair. She hadn't actually asked him…

Maybe the sister said no as she had not even asked her DH?

Can DH ask for half day unpaid leave?

@Notwavingbutdrowningalone hi OP I’ve just stumbled across your FB post 💐 I saw that you sorted transport but if you need help in future let me know we must be neighbours👍🏻👍🏻 ( it won’t let me comment on the post and I don’t use FB often so you can message me on here)

Why are you having a go at her husband? OP literally said "I just assumed he wouldn't." She didn't say she'd asked him, or that he even knew. We don't know when she got the appointment through - it could have been today, and the first person she called was her sister, knowing that her DH had used up his annual leave. Honestly, people are so anti-men around here. At least gather the facts before judging...

Call the hospital and tell them you need to arrange transport.

@mam0918 are you for real? Seriously???

No I can't get the bloody bus! The bus stop nearest me is a way up the road and across it. I am wobbly on crutches and my upper body strength is such that going to the loo takes over half an hour!

Then there are people who will brush past me - the top of my foot and leg has literally just been operated on and the bones drilled, hammered, pieces removed, metal put in. There is no full cast, so if anyone catches that by brushing past, it will be agony.

Then I'd have to change at the bus station and then walk up a steep hill from the bus station to the hospital, or get a taxi.

I'm a frequent user, so know the journey well, it was bloody uncomfortable, but OK when able to walk with both feet.

I'm supposed to have my leg elevated above my heart at all times, accept going to the loo, to help with swelling (which also causes pain) and prevent infection. Coming home from the hospital in DH's car was bloody awful, going in a taxi just isn't that feasible as my balance is not great and I know damn well taxi drivers round here won't help. I've done it once and DH had to hold me to get in.

Other bus users can be cunts too. I've struggled with a visible limp and mobility problem, but still have had to stand. Even worse, in a full cast at 19, I had to stand for an entire journey as no one would move for me.

Glad you think I'm so much more mobile and pain free than the reality.

Another thing is I'm supposed to keep it dry - that's going to be impossible, trying to stay upright, waiting ages for a bus, in the pouring rain (and no a cover is NOT a sensible idea).

The option of 'not bothering' because she doesnt want to deal with the awkwardness of busses should not be an option shes considering if she has been told she medically needs to go.

Consider reading the OP again...

@Ohcrapp I've messaged you. Was it on the group page or my personal one?

I'm really surprised that after an op such as the op has had for a wound check your very elderly gran can't get hospital transport. You should complain to pals that's shocking.

So glad you’re sorted, you must be feeling pretty crap with all that treatment on your leg.
If I were local to you I would have taken you, I can make the time and it’s not such a big deal to help someone who genuinely needs it.
If my sister needed help, unlikely as plenty of drivers available if she did, I’d take her every bloody week for a year.
I think your sister is a bit heartless but I hope I’m wrong. I also hope your recovery goes the best it can.

@FlatWhiteExtraHot I'm shocked that hospital transport wouldn't be provided for someone such as the op who has recently been operated on and needs a wound check or similar by her consultant.

This isn't a routine appointment it's a review by a surgeon following surgery.

A routine appointment I'm expected to get public transport or a taxi but so soon post surgery I've always been able to get patient transport. Usually there's 2 or 3 of us and you get sailed round the country but they do drop door to door.

Have you asked your GP about available charity transport in your area? There are several here and it's very rural. You still need to pay a fee and book in advance but much cheaper than a taxi.