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Original poster

DS is in hospital

12 replies

Parvolax · 20/07/2023 20:49

He’s just turned 18 so I can’t be with him and it’s difficult going for just 3 hours visiting per day. A few weeks ago I would have been there 24/7 on the children’s ward now it’s two hours in the afternoon and one hour in the evening. They don’t know what’s wrong with him. The doctors strike isn’t helping as they keep saying they’ll do an MRI etc but nothing happens. Doctor came in morning but DS didn’t understand much and I want details! He’s on a ward with people with dementia being irate and a guy telling him he wants to himself. DS is usually laid back but I can tell he felt a bit nervous being left there.

OP posts:
Beautifulsunflowers · 20/07/2023 20:53

Actually he’d probably be on an adult ward from age 16.

Phone the ward in the morning and ask to speak to the nurse in charge. Write a list of questions.

sometimes waiting for scans can take a few days and it’s very frustrating. They have to be ordered, then vetted by the radiologist. Then they have to be fitted in with emergency ones from A&E. when you phone ask about the MRI and what stage it’s at.

Hope he feels better soon.

ArthurPoppy · 20/07/2023 20:58

What are his symptoms

Original poster
Parvolax · 20/07/2023 21:01

Fever and spinal pain

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LightSpeeds · 20/07/2023 21:09

Awww, I hope he's ok.

Some years ago, my (then) 18 year old was admitted with suspected appendicitis. I wasn't happy about leaving her alone on the ward so refused to leave (luckily they let me stay and I 'slept' on a chair next to her bed).

But you almost certainly couldn't do that these days as things have changed so much.

Guinefort · 20/07/2023 21:15

I really feel for you OP, it is such an awful situation, When my DD was admitted as an emergency (age 18 during the height of Covid) I had to leave her at the door to be wheeled away in a wheelchair and wasn't allowed to visit at all. I am still traumatised by the whole thing. I kept texting her and sometimes she would reply and other times she wouldn't and which was terrifying. Even the texts she did manage to send didn't really provide any info as she was dipping in and out of consciousness/sleep and was very very unwell so not really in a fit state to understand what the Drs were saying to her, let alone pass the information on to me.

I phoned the ward and was very upset explaining the situation but luckily spoke to a lovely nurse who put the Dr on the phone (I guess I was lucky I rang just as he was at the Nurses' station). He said he would have to ask my DDs permission to speak to me, so he just put the phone down and went straight to her bed and asked her, she said yes and then thank god the Dr was then able to fill me in on everything that was going on.

I'm sorry you are having such a worrying time with your DS Flowers

JanetandJohn500 · 20/07/2023 21:15

I am a very regular hospital visitor.
It will be a controversial view on here but it's a hospital, not a prison. I always view visiting hours as a guide and not set in stone. If you're not in the way and he wants you there, you're doing no harm!

StravaLather · 20/07/2023 21:20

I agree with @JanetandJohn500 - I'd stay. I'd be unobtrusive and helpful.

JockTamsonsBairns · 20/07/2023 21:34

StravaLather · 20/07/2023 21:20

I agree with @JanetandJohn500 - I'd stay. I'd be unobtrusive and helpful.

I second this, and have been an HCA in hospitals for years. The visiting times are guidelines, designed to stop hoards of visitors coming at all times of the day and night.
You can go and see your son. Take yourself off down to the canteen at mealtimes, and be respectful to the needs of other patients on the ward. But, otherwise, you're fine to stay with your son.

AuntyMabelandPippin · 20/07/2023 21:39

Have you spoken to the nurse in charge on the ward? When one of my DC was in when he had just turned 19 they let me stay with him all day once I had a chat with her. Effectively I did everything he needed doing apart from the medication (he needed a lot of scans, x-rays etc, so I took him for them as he needed supervision) which spared a nurse.

vipersnest1 · 20/07/2023 21:47

I stayed with DC1 aged 16, although it was a long time ago. I was there from around 8am to 8pm. Only one nurse challenged me (a jobsworth), and I pointed out I was a parent, not a visitor. Ultimately I left the ward for about 15 mins and then went back.
I know that trying to call the ward can seem a pointless task, but I've found that if you call the main switchboard (rather than the ward number) and ask to be put through, it seems more likely you'll get an answer. (Maybe because it appears to be an internal call?) Call them and tell them how worried you are, and that you want to speak to his consultant. Hopefully you'll get some information.

Original poster
Parvolax · 21/07/2023 20:08

The MRI has been pushed back to Monday due to the doctors strikes and DS was quite tearful this evening feeling lonely. I spoke to the nurse who said it should be fine to come tomorrow for longer with it being the weekend but said she wasn’t in tomorrow so I’d have to ring and ask. I stayed longer tonight, he’s in the end bed so I pulled the curtain and I’m not loud anyway. Any ideas on entertainment would be good, his phone is getting monotonous now.

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Original poster
Parvolax · 23/07/2023 18:13

DS got his MRI today. He was woken in the middle of the night for another ECG and currently has a telerimetry for last couple of days. Still no idea what’s going on and neither do the nurses by the sound of it

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