AIBU to not want to self-isolate before minor operation

[Astressie]

I was telephoned to day with a date for my minor op. Then told I had to self-isolate with DP for 2 weeks prior to procedure. This starts tomorrow!!! One day's notice. I do not have to go into work nor does DP but had no idea I had to do this when agreed to Op. Annoying thing is MIL has a more serious procedure at the same hospital and does not have to self-isolate. We both have to have a swab test 2 days before. We can't even go out to exercise!! Major upheaval with 1 day's notice. How do I give the dog his exercise? shopping thing etc etc I don't know if I can do this!!

If you really can’t self isolate for two weeks (I’ve got friends who have been self isolating since the middle of march and who have only just gone outside in the last day!) then just tell the hospital you’d rather bot have your op just now and to put you back to the bottom of the list. Not difficult.

If you cannot manage to self isolate, and follow their protocol you must cancel, I'm sure many more will jump at the chance.

Why do you think you are a special case? You risk the health of all the health care professionals, their families, the other patients, and of course yourself if you are infected and have surgery. The staff that will be taking care of you have probably spent the last three months going through hell, both mentally and physically, they are drained, and you think your 2 weeks isolation is a major upheaval...

They are relying on you to do as advised, what they wear in terms of PPE will be based on you being COVID free, if you are having a GA that means the anaesthetist will be dealing with your airway, and the team exposed to your "aerosols", do you really have so little care for others?

I despair.

My partner is having an op on Tuesday, he was told he didn't have to isolate. I have stayed wfh when I could have gone to work, but we're going to the supermarket etc.

More mixed messaging.

ohthegoats more likely to be different procedures in different trusts. It's something that's always baffled me about the NHS.

It's not "mixed messaging" it's the fact that different trusts have different rules depending on several factors

If I wasn't so fucking exhausted from trying to educate people who only see the world through their own tiny lens I would explain in detail what they were. But I can't be arsed with the "I'm alright Jack" mentality.

Knowing how long the waiting lists can be for such procedures I don't think you have much option and you're so lucky to have got an appointment that i think you're being very unreasonable. Go for a big food shop this morning and find a friend or neighbour to walk the dog, then stay at home!

YABU.

I wouldn't have a problem with the request but it needs more than 1 days warning. It would mean needing to set up online deliveries, rearrange work commitments and get a plan sorted for childcare which would take me more than a day to sort out - because you know all of those things aren't as simple as in pre pandemic days....

The NHS trust I work in runs 5 hospitals. Each one has different "rules" regarding planned admissions.
One hospital is totally "covid-secure". This means all admissions must have self isolated for 14 days and had 2 clear swabs. This hospital does all of the transplant work & most of the cancer care for the trust. I believe that pts near the top of the transplant list are in permanent lockdown / shielding in case of an organ being available for them.
Another hospital is a major trauma centre, so not "covid-secure" as no hope in hell of expecting trauma patients to wait 14 days before admission
Different rules for different places due to differing needs of the patients.
Can you imagine of someone brought covid into a transplant ward because they didn't think the rules should apply to them?

Ffs covid does not mean certain death for anyone! Not even the most at risk

It’s statements like this that has got this country into the fear induced mess it is in

I went into hospital recently for 4 days.

Had a covid test 3 days before and was asked to self isolate after the test, which I did.

No mention of 2 weeks.

Give someone else the procedure who wants it and can self-isolate. You can go back on the list and be prepared to have to self-isolate - have some basic food stocks in etc.

My husband and I are on day 8 of 14 day isolation for the same reason as the op. It's a private hospital and we knew it was likely a couple of weeks before it started.

My husband will have a CV test a couple of days before the procedure.

It makes perfect sense to us and we don't mind at all. I would hate to be responsible for an outbreak at the hospital or risk the staff any more than is necessary.

My mum is having an op next week and I am terrified, sick to my stomach that other patients will take the same cavalier selfish attitude as you, op. For fucks sake, it’s not all about you. Do something good for others, please.

This is at least the second thread on this subject. The previous op was tempted to lie about having done the 14 days isolation. Honestly!

I imagine that many people are faced with having to do this and the vast majority quietly get on with it and do the necessary, thank goodness.

Thank you for all your responses. I was absolutely expecting the 'selfish' one as I would have probably replied similarly. Got up this morning and first thing DP said was 'you've ruined my life for 2 weeks' . He has just organised several things that he has now had to cancel and we have hardly seen anyone post lockdown. Feel a tiny bit sorry for him. I am interested to read everyone's different experiences of pre- op guidelines and was fully expecting them. We have been told there are different requirements for different departments within the same hospital, but to me it appears the decisions have been made ad hoc and not based on much analysis. That's why MIL does not have to self-isolate. They sent the gov. guidelines to us as DP requested we have proof there hasn't been a cock up in how how the rules are applied as there have been many admin. cock ups in this dept. It hasn't really convinced us as they are just the general gov. guidelines from way back. i can't put off the procedure as it is a biopsy. My main concern is the dog as don't have anyone to walk him. He has just been ill and hasn't been allowed out until now!! I live in the countryside and can easily get to places where there will be no one around. Everything else has been cancelled and shopping sorted, including cancelling seeing my daughter this weekend who I haven't seen since the beginning of March . Trying to organise someone to take money to my other sister who has learning disabilities. She has to be given cash.

Given anyone might need to isolate due to having symptoms or being around someone who has, I really think at this point in time everyone should have a plan for if this happens.

@AnyFucker

It's not "mixed messaging" it's the fact that different trusts have different rules depending on several factors

If I wasn't so fucking exhausted from trying to educate people who only see the world through their own tiny lens I would explain in detail what they were. But I can't be arsed with the "I'm alright Jack" mentality.

I’d appreciate knowing the reasons as I’m going to hospital in July as an outpatient and feeling quite nervous about it all - would be helpful to understand more about why this rule isn’t in place everywhere.

@jillandhersprite

I wouldn't have a problem with the request but it needs more than 1 days warning. It would mean needing to set up online deliveries, rearrange work commitments and get a plan sorted for childcare which would take me more than a day to sort out - because you know all of those things aren't as simple as in pre pandemic days....

But this is exactly what you’ll have to do if you or someone in your household develops symptoms. Surely you know this by now and have a plan in place for such a situation?

zoedoodle, maybe you should contact the specific department and ask them to explain it to you for your particular situation ?

@AnyFucker

zoedoodle, maybe you should contact the specific department and ask them to explain it to you for your particular situation ?

I’m reading their info - was just genuinely curious and would have appreciated you explaining more but have also seen the post above about covid secure hospitals which explains some of it.

Those expressing horror at the not going out for 14 days: this is exactly what shielding households have been doing for the last 12 weeks. And they didn't get much notice either, and were doing it at a time when supermarket deliveries were in disarray and a lot of basic items were unobtainable.

And, as PP say - this could happen to any of us if someone in our household developed symptoms. Everyone needs to have a plan to cover it. But yes even with a plan, it takes a lot of effort to actually get it into action, and I can see why the OP is dismayed.

The dog not getting a walk for 2 weeks is irrelevant in the grand scheme. As if that’s your main concern right now

The RSPCA and other organisations put out lots of helpful information about keeping dogs healthy and stimulated with games at home for the times when owners could not take them out

You could also lurk on the various threads where MNers who are shielding (and have been doing so since March) are chatting about life in strict isolation.

If you have real logistic issues, then see what voluntary assistance is available in your area. Much of it is still in place

It’s a jolt to go from normal, fit, active member of society to completely dependent, but millions of us have done this, whether indefinitely for shielding or for a fortnight for pre-treatment quarantine or for for contact isolation, and there is a lot of help and support (and I would argue that it’s easier now than it was in March)

But if you really cannot do it, you will have to reschedule the operation.

It's going to be unrealistic to expect everyone attending hospitals to self isolate for 2 weeks prior given most people need to take time off after surgery to recover. Employers cannot be expected to go without staff for this long and employees won't be able to afford it. And since I saw a video of a nurse I know who works with cancer patients having a house party at the weekend seems pointless anyway, nhs staff aren't isolating when dealing with vulnerable patients so what's the difference?