To ask anyone in the NHS how day surgery lists are determined?

[ScuderiaSedici]

As above

For both times I had an elective c-section, I was done first apparently on the basis that there were no emergencies needing attention before me and my surname begins with an A.

My husband is always first of the day for surgeries, we think because he's allergic to latex! So I assume that's something that gets taken into account too.

Get a grip. After surgery involving a general anaesthetic you’re not sure what you can and can’t do. The least you can expect is a nurse to either take you to the toilet or advise that you’re fine to do it yourself.

Try sleeping propped upright, it’ll really help with any swelling and blockage feeling (had lots of ENT surgeries so speaking from experience!)

Why would you need a nurse to take you to the loo?

Or just ask ‘am I ok to get up to go to the loo?’

you don’t just sit there waiting for someone to take you - you’re a grown adult. You’ve a voice and a call bell

I have a latex allergy and after begging diagnosed with breast cancer I had two separate surgeries in November and December last year - lumpectomy followed by mastectomy, both as a day case. And on both occasions I was first on the list. The surgeon came round prior to surgery, soon after admission to the day ward and advised I was first to be done and when I asked why, he confirmed that because I had a latex allergy it was easier to set up theatre for that first.

You do yes. And if you’ve never been in hospital before, or had surgery before you don’t know what is OK and what isn’t. Anaesthetic has a different effect on different people - some people don’t cope as well as others and are shaky on their feet for some time afterwards. That’s why patients are not discharged until the staff are happy they’re able to cope, so why would you think asking for help with going to the loo is unusual ?

Adults can take themselves to the toilet all hospital toilets have pull cords and you just go steady. Its unusual to be desperate for the toilet as soon as you wake up from surgery as you've been nil by mouth. Minor surgery uses very minimal anesthetic.

My son needed a gastrostomy aged 3. He has severe complex needs and ASD. Arrived at 7am, by 8am a 18 month old baby went down. We waited and at 3.30pm a surgeon came to see us and said the baby's surgery had not gone to plan and my boys needed to be cancelled..... I was devastated as we'd prepared our son so much..he had little understanding.
....imagine the devastation of the parents of that baby though...Still to this day I think about that baby and hope they are okay. Tat was 12 years ago.

She didn’t ask for help. She just sat there waiting for someone to take her to the loo

We were told in advance that DH's surgery would be the last of the day as he had tested positive for MRSA and the theatre would need more thorough cleaning afterwards.

And you’re aware that the OP is ND ?

So pleased that you were in theatre for mid-morning as planned and that your worries about going down at 6pm didn’t come to pass.

I had a haemorrhoidectomy and removal of an anal skin tag back in 1984, and I think I was last on the list for exactly the same reason.

Yes. So if they've had all the blood work, swabs, consent. Everything prepped, patients can be in theatre ASAP and time saved.

40 years ago, our darling 4yr old was prepped and ready for lung-tumour removal at GOSH and, 2 days in a row, had the op postponed very last minute as the 'heart/lung machine' that was needed had been taken by a child with a more urgent problem. It was distressing for us all but even more so for the families of the poor children brought in as emergencies. We were lucky and had success at the third attempt, but I do sometimes think about the others, even after all this time 😥. I would never ever question decisions made by informed medical teams as to the day's list, however stressful! Hope it all went well eventually @IceyBisBack