To think my husband is gravely ill at the wrong time?

[MyOtherCarIsAPorsche]

Masses of confusion.

Husband spoke to GP yesterday morning and described his chest pain. He was advised to call an ambulance. My husband refused because he didn't think he needed one - thought he had chest infection or torn muscle.

He went to A&E - was sat in a corridor from 10.30am - he had ecg, x ray and blood test. He continued to sit on a chair in the corridor all day.

He was told he was waiting for blood test results. These came back at 6pm. Then he had to wait for a CT scan - then rushed to resus.

Dissected aorta from heart level to naval level.

I was called to be allowed to sit with him because I wasn't allowed to be in A&E. Was then told he was being blue lighted to another hospital an hour away for immediate surgery. I asked is this time critical? The answer was - yes life saving.

Paramedics arrived and told me to set off to this other hospital. There were three paramedics. One said 'I'm not taking him because I can't use that bit of kit, I'll lose my job if something goes wrong'. No advanced paramedics available and no doctor available to go in the transfer.

I was 15 min into the journey and then called back to the hospital.

No surgery.

Trying all day today to get him transferred. Nothing available.

He's critically ill.

I'm out of my mind with worry.

There's a saying about not being ill on the weekend. The standard of care is not the same. The 24hr cover appears to not exist.

I feel like we're being fobbed off with poor excuses big style.

Post the name of the hospital, OP. someone here will have contacts and be able to help you.

So sorry you and DH having to go through this.

AgathaMystery- I wish I'd had your list, so ckear and sadly, I completely agree

Definitely siege mentality.

Sorry that should read type A not type 1

@MyOtherCarIsAPorsche

My daughter rang H1 - they will not discuss anything with her. They told her to tell me to ring.

I had this when my dad was in hospital. Mum had to set up a code word that I could use so they were satisfied they had the go ahead to talk to me.

I agree with pp who said to put the name of the hospitals out to see if anyone can find a contact for you. I hope your DH is treated asap. It's beyond outrageous what's happening.

I work in a hospital.

H1 will be aware that he’s unwell and will be very keen to get him to H2.

The two issues seem to be be :
a) getting him to H2 as he will need to be escorted. I’m not in the UK but it may be that getting a transport team together is tricky
b) lack of beds in H2. This is the major issue. He will need an ICU bed post op. If he cannot be cared for they will not take him.

I doubt you’re being lied to about beds being not available than they are, far more realistic that they’re emptying and being filled immediately.

Complaining will help I’d the issue is getting together a transport team but not if H2 has no beds.

As a nurse, I agree with @AgathaMystery's post.

If you refuse to leave, they are not going to man handle you out the door, and hopefully you will get a better explanation as to what is happening.

I've just spoken to the doctor that I spoke to earlier when visiting.

He is saying that there's a bed available and he's arranged transport and he's personally accompanying my husband when the ambulance arrives. He last rang 999 10 min ago to see where ambulance is. He was told it's extremely busy tonight.

I kind of believe him.

I'm starting to wonder if my husband's phone has been taken off him and put into his bag for travel.

It's going to be another long night - apart from the hour we lose.

Good luck Myothercar, I'm glad to hear that the doctor is going to go there himself and praying for an ambulance to reach you all soon and that his operation goes smoothly.

You must be utterly beside yourself with worry & exhaustion

OP- I’m a doctor (not an anaesthetist or a vascular surgeon though).

I suspect you have one of 2 issues (or both at once):
1)H1 know how unwell he is and the issue is getting the transfer team together because the paramedic was right- it would not have been safe to transfer him without the ability to treat him appropriately. If he is unstable, if at all possible, they would want him to be stabilised to some degree before transfer- this is the ideal and sometimes not possible and you just have to cross your fingers or try to judge the “least worst’ time. It could be that the issue is organisational- I.e. nobody co-ordinating properly and that is the barrier to prompt transfer.
Or it might be a more fundamental issue relating to staffing levels and high bed occupancy occupancy. The reduced staff levels at the weekend won’t help, but if my current experience is anything to go by it’s not the biggest problem- chronic staff shortages are. Very few days (or nights) I have worked of late have had a fully staffed rota. We are working with gaps in our rotas at all levels and across all professions- on both a long and short-term basis. I have never known anything like it in my career. It may well be that if they release someone/2 members of staff for transfer team, it will leave the unit dangerously short-staffed which would be a breach of every protocol in the book and put all the patients on the unit at risk. , they It’s all very well saying ‘they should call someone in”- perhaps they have tried but they can’t get anyone.
2) the 2nd hospital have bed issues. They might have an icu bed when the doctor called, but they won’t hold it for long if there are transport issues or if the bed is required by someone already in that hospital who deteriorated or a new admission. It’s hard for you- you want the best for your husband, of course, and he is (entirely correctly) your priority- but bed allocation when there are shortages is done on clinical need alone. Which can be really hard when your loved one is very unwell and needs care urgently, it can feel like nobody is treating the situation with the urgency it deserves.

I agree re writing down your questions as it can feel overwhelming when you are being given lots of information, especially if it’s complicated or unfamiliar, when you are already tired and stressed. I think it can be helpful to write things down to help with understanding/recollection. However, , I think that being assertive without being combative is probably your best way forward in terms of speaking with the medical team looking after him. You can certainly go down the line of noting everything down and asking for full name and gmc number. I don’t think it will help and it can serve as a distraction- it won’t harm your DH’s care in terms of staff being unkind or withholding treatment as some sort of punishment - but having staff on edge (and that would be what you were attempting to achieve) does not usually make for ease of relationship and can make everything more difficult than it has to be. Sometimes making sure everyone is worried to do anything out with the protocol does not prove beneficial.

No advice but couldn’t read and run. How awful for you 💐

If you Google Ceo email there are sometimes hospital trust managers on there xx

I'm so sorry this is still rumbling on.

I really hope the doctor you spoke to comes through and can get your husband to the other hospital with all due care, and that he gets his surgery.

for you - and I suspect that, when they first spoke to you, they spoke of risk of rupture rather than his aneurysm actually being ruptured. However, with a dissection/aneurysm that large, the risk is higher, so he does definitely need this operation ASAP.

I’m so sorry you’ve experienced this OP

Gosh this is awful I hope it will be ok

I’m praying for you and your family OP x

I agree with @jacks11 - staffing at the moment is wild. This week particularly.

I have (finally) succumbed to Covid and am on day 12 in bed. I am getting automated texts every day begging for staff. Literally begging. The enhanced rates now being offered are insane.

Good luck, am thinking of you

Your situation is appalling, I can’t give any further advice as previous posters have given loads. Unfortunately you are right about the timing of your husband’s illness. The NHS barely functions at the weekends, it is not the time be sick. I feel so much for you having been in a similar situation being shunted from pillar to post within the vascular department. I hope and pray that your husband gets the care he needs. Keep watching, make notes, remember names and keep making a fuss. Get someone to be with you for support if at all possible. Hoping he will get treatment very soon. Xx

Thinking of you both tonight, as others have said please try and have something to eat/drink and get some rest. I know that's not easy, I struggle to do anything at all when I'm worried, but it's important to keep your strength up.

Much love

This is horrendous @MyOtherCarIsAPorsche sending good wishes and hugs. It's a disgrace that in this situation your husband deteriorates and yet nothing seems to happen. I can't suggest anything that hasn't already been said. I did have a similar but less urgent situation with my Dad and that was incredibly distressing so I can't imagine what you are going through.

Thinking of you and your DH.

@TyrannosaurusFlex

Also, I hope none of you bemoaning the situation here voted Tory.

I couldn't agree more Tyrannosaurus.

He's arrived.

That was intense.

I am thinking about you and your husband. Sending you my very best thoughts and prayers.

Sending good wishes to you and your husband,hope things move quickly now.

Thinking of you both and sending all the best wishes 💫