to think some people are bloody thoughtless and selfish??

[KaraStarbuckThrace]

DS (3yo) has had minor surgery for a blocked eye duct today. Because it has to be done under a GA, he has had to be fasting since Midnight last night, and no fluids from 7am.
We arrived at the day unit just before 8am. DS didn't get to theatre until 1:15pm, so you can imagine he was both hungry and thirsty and complaining loudly about it.
Around 10am, when there were quite a few children in the waiting area, all fasting, some silly bint attempted to eat a packet of crisps Nurse came and insisted she leave, pointing out the children were fasting and that there was a large sign to say no food and drink allowed in the waiting area. I myself had been sneaking to the kitchen for drinks of water - 33weeks pg and get dehydrated easily, but made sure I was well out of sight of the children).

But worst of all around noon, when DS was really sobbing "I'm hungry" and I was getting upset and talking to the nurse who kept saying "you can put a DVD on for him" I was explaining that no a DVD won't cut it, he is hungry and thirsty but doesn't understand why he can't have anything, some woman sat next to where DS was crying and proceded to start emptying a lunch bag full of snacks to eat
I just turned to her and said "do you mind putting that away my son is already upset!" she immediately got up and the nurse told her where she could go to eat.

But FFS she shouldn't started taking them out in the first place! DH and I had NOTHING with us because DS was fasting and so were other children. When we did get a chance to eat when DS was in theatre we went out of the unit and didn't return until we had eaten!

I just thought what a bloody selfish cow that woman was. And considering her own child would also have been fasting she should have realised the importance of not bringing food into the waiting area

Honestly how I didn't shout and swear at her I don't know but instead I ended up breaking down in tears because DS was soooo upset

[lemmein]

When my DD was in a childrens day unit recently for an op on her knee they brought toast in for some patients - even offered me some (I didn't - I wouldn't have heard the end of it!) and my poor daughter was sat drooling watching others eat. She is 13 though so understood why she couldn't have any and her dad took great pleasure taking the mick out of her because she's normally a gannet!

What about when a child comes round from their op and they're offered something to eat and drink? They're normally on the same ward as those waiting for ops aren't they? They are in my local hospital. So I think you AB'abit'U but understandable under the circumstances. Its just unfortunate he didn't go into theatre till late - it must have been very stressful for you all. Hope your DS recovers soon.

[lemmein]

I reckon toast is one of the most evil things you can bring round on that type of ward because it smells sooooooooooo good. Why can't they bring an oaty biscuit or something!!

[wannaBe]

I think you are being irrational tbh. The woman was thoughtless but she left as soon as this was pointed out to her. 

As for making an official complain, about what exactly?  There are only limited resources available in hospitals, so someone will always have to be last. Instead of thinking only of your own situation, perhaps spare a thought for those children whose routine surgery turned out to have complications. 

After all if that had been your ds I'm sure you would have no hesitation in posting that others were thoughtless to complain that their children had to wait when the reason was that your child had suffered complications. 

I think a couple of packets of crisps pales into insignificance really :) 

[hairfullofsnakes]

I agree with the consensus that the woman was thoughtless and agree with hmc that thoughtless and selfish are the same thing.

[foxinsocks]

Dd had to wait that long when she had her hernia op. She was only 4 and also only got seen at 1 (on the morning list) having fasted from the night before. There were also some complications on earlier ops :( and dd was the eldest so kept waiting the longest.

Unfortunately, I think it is just one of those things!

Hope he recovers well.

[foxinsocks]

To me, selfishness implies some degree of motive to be selfish or reason for it or a deliberate action. You can be thoughtless without meaning to be selfish.

[jester68]

I recently had to be put under GA for keyhole surgery to remove a very large cyst.

Policy was no food after 3am, nothing but water till 6am.

Had to be at day surgery unit for 07.45am, taken for pre checks at 8am. Went down for surgery at 09.40am. (was second on the list to go down, they started surgeries at 9am) Mine actually took over an hour so would have delayed the next one going in. Not a lot can be done about that as they do warn you if something goes wrong with another patient etc then your wait will end up being longer.

M,ind you it felt like a conveyor belt lol

Hope your little one is a lot better now xxx

[sausagesandmarmelade]

Selfish = the girl who sat on the bus next to me yesterday with her Ipod turned up so loud that I could hear it over mine. Asked her twice to turn it down...the face on her!!! If looks could have killled. No apology...just rolling eyes and huffing and puffing! Could still hear it after that...so didn't bother any more.

What's not selfish is someone who once made aware of a problem immediately does something about it...such as the lady at the hospital. Thoughtless indeed...but does not warrant quite the reaction it's getting here. We ALL make mistakes OP...even you.

[jojowest]

not selfish, just thoughtless

selfish would have been to sit there eating it when you moaned

[colditz]

yes, she was very thoughtless - but maybe she was thoughtless because she's diabetic and is used to snacking when she needs to?

thoughtless though, you are right, but you are extra wound up because pregnant, tired and your child has been in hospital.

[KaraStarbuckThrace]

Sorry did mean to come back to this thread.

Thank you all for your advice!

Just to clear things up.

We are putting a complaint in about the layout (As staff were having to walk past fasting children to get to the children in recovery with plates of food and drink) and that the staff should have been more stringent about enforcing the rules about not eating in the waiting area.

We are not complaining about the length of time - I already stated that I understood it couldn't be helped that the two surgeries before DS took longer than anticpated and I completely understood why they were prioritised as they were younger than DS.

The woman WAS selfish. She started taking food out despite LISTENING to DS sobbing about how hungry he was next to me - in fact she walked straight past and LOOKED at him. She KNEW he was fasting, so I am sorry. she could at least have not sat next to him, there were plenty of other places she could have sat out of his way. And possibly being diabetic is no excuse, if she needed to eat she still did not need to be sat near him.
I don't think it was in her favour she stopped when I asked - I was visibly upset and the nurse stepped in and ushered her away. I mentioned it again to DH today and he said he didn't say anything at the time as he didn't want to upset me further but apparently she looked really annoyed at being moved.

Yes I am tired and stressed about the whole experience because I am pregnant and DS was incredibly upset yesterday, he is still not really himself today.

But thank you for all the sympathy :) I'm sure DS will be fine tomorrow.

[StayingDavidTennantsGirl]

Regarding the layout - there may not be much that the hospital can do to improve the situation - if you have to go through the waiting area to get from the kitchen to the recovery area, there is probably little that can be done to change this, short of major remodelling work.

But you are right to say that they could be clearer and firmer about the policy on no eating/drinking in the waiting area.