I know IABU, blatantly using this for traffic. Emergency situation, no ambulance still, and need advice

[TheChinkOfaGlass]

Hi everyone

My Auntie had a fall this morning and has seriously hurt her hip. Luckily she was close enough to the bed to get herself up on it.

999 said it is not an emergency and to contact 111, she was in severe agony and is 78 years old. I rang 111 who after assessing her, decided she did indeed need an ambulance.

I had originally offered to take her to the hospital but she lives on the top floor of a maisonette, and is unable to sit up (so a car journey would be no good and I would be unable to carry her to the car anyway. I did get help but she declined due to the inability to even sit up).

Her husband is disabled so isn't much use (I mean this in the nicest possible way, he is trying his best) other than keeping an eye on her.

So we could be waiting hours for an ambulance but in the meantime she is soaked through on the bed due to urinating on herself. I am going there in the next 30 minutes.

Is it safe to roll her to change the sheets to make her more comfortable? I don't like the idea of her lying in a soaking bed while she waits. I am also scared of causing more pain/damage by moving her. We do not know what's wrong, she thinks it may he her hip. I just don't know what to do. I have never experienced this kind of thing.

Her partner has managed to change her underwear but when the bed is so wet, it wouldn't really make a difference.

"To make matters worse, when we did get him to hospital the staff told me that had we followed the advice we’d been given over the phone, he could’ve died. They told us that had we sat him up in a taxi the break in his hip would’ve likely ruptured an artery and been catastrophic.”

www.theguardian.com/society/2022/dec/13/man-broken-hip-hospital-strapped-plank-wales-melvyn-ryan-ambulances

But they might not let her in, judging by the state of A&E. so she'll be freezing outside.

honestly, if you don't go in via ambulance doors at my hospital, it's a tightly packed area of fixed seats. When I left my mum (after she'd been admitted) the security guy gave his seat because "you look like you're about to fall down.". There were just endless rows of people and few of them were standing, some with children in their arms.

Omg that's appalling. @TheChinkOfaGlass

I think at this point I'd be reaching out to local fb groups, MP and local press asking for medically trained off duty people to help out.

This is so sad to read. Hope your Auntie gets help soon.

Not much you can do. Move as much as you can despite the agonising pain. Move your arms and shoulders around. Keep wiggling your toes and lifting yourself up to let the blood flow to rear thighs and buttocks as much as possible.

I agree with this. Considering the strikes tomorrow, there's a chance they may not come. If this was my family member, I would at this point get her to the hospital by any means. Do you know anyone with a van? You could slide sheets under her to make sort of a hammock and several people carry her out. Or if you have anything that could be used as a board for her to lie on? Failing that, I would just carry her at this point.

If you can roll her without too much pain, I would just put towels under her. I would not try to change sheets.

Not ime.
FIL had the dr attend last year after a fall and the dr said he thought he had fractured his hip based on the amount of pain he was in and the bruising. The dr called for an ambulance and then just left, no pain relief given. DH sat with FIL until the ambulance finally came. I thought his wait was appalling but it was nothing compared to poor op’s Aunty.

That twitter feed is heartbreaking.

A family member of mine died in the back of his neighbors car after a massive heart attack a few days ago because “there are no ambulances, there’s isn’t one coming”. His terrified elderly wife tried everything she could to get him to hospital 45 minutes away but it was too late. It’s absolutely disgusting what’s happened to our healthcare services. I’m terrified.

Oh god, Wales NHS is worse than England isn't it?

I know it's not what they do, but I'd still call and try:. www.sjacymru.org.uk/

I can't believe this is what's things have come too.

Is this what we want and no under labour it was still horrific I don't want to spam the thread with headlines from that time.
Years ago df was outside in an ambulance for 10 hours ..

So many other systems are so much better.
Isn't it time to lift the NHS out of the political arena, get a crack team analysis on the best systems out there and incorporating them .

Germany's system is brilliant by all accounts and straightforward.

Op I'm really hoping you have had a break through

@Schlaar Lying in one position without moving for hours on end cuts off the blood supply to the muscle. Like when your leg goes to sleep, but for hours and hours. The muscle will die
Is there any action that a layperson in a position like this (immobile ,waiting for help) can take to minimise this happening.?

Not much you can do. Move as much as you can despite the agonising pain. Move your arms and shoulders around. Keep wiggling your toes and lifting yourself up to let the blood flow to rear thighs and buttocks as much as possible.
Thank you Schlaar - that's helpful ,at least I'd know to do it myself or encourage the immobilised person to try .

@TheChinkOfaGlass have you spoken to her GP today?

I think sadly you have to accept that an ambulance isn’t coming. If the twitter reports from paramedics of thousands of calls stacking up nobody will be coming before the strike starts in six hours. Then another 24 hours with nobody coming because of the strike. Then all the backlog to clear.

This is heartbreaking to read. I really hope your aunt is in hospital by now and getting the care she needs.
I find this completely terrifying. It’s like the worst case scenarios are now playing out.

This a heart wrenching thread, I hope you are in hospital with her now. I have no advice, the suggestion upthread of mobilising social media is a good one. If you can get her strapped to a board and enough people to help then slowly slide her down the stairs and put her in a van or seven seater and get her in that way. Better to be outside A and E in case she deteriorates.

I would really really try and get some relatives and friends together and a makeshift stretcher and get her into a car lying down, and estate that you’ve put a mattress in, anyone with a van etc. Then phone the hospital and tell them she’s coming in and how long she’s been lying waiting for an ambulance.

Just checked for an update
I hope the Ambulance has arrived now

@Thekormachameleon spoke to a police officer who says you can prosecute the dad for that and they would absolutely take this on and support you as that’s awful and taken away help from someone else.

My god I went to find this thread again after reading it yesterday fully expecting an update that op's aunt would have been seen to by now. I'm so sorry.

I think asking on your local Facebook groups if anyone medically trained could come and help isn't a bad idea at this point. But it shouldn't have got to this point!

OP ring your MP and your local councillors. They can help amplify your voice (depending on who they are..). My MP has absolutely helped in this situation beofre.

I’d also ring your local paper OP. I work on a local paper and I’d bust a gut to help you in this situation. If you’re on Twitter then get on there and tag anyone in who’ll listen.

This is criminal. Your poor auntie. I despair for you and her and the whole country. This is literally what my nightmares are made of. We must NOT let this continue, it is inhumane and beyond disgusting in 2022 that THIS is what we have become.

Hope she’s in hospital now

This is so sad, hope she's in hospital now.