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!!

@TakemetoGreeceplease yet some people haven't left the house since mid March.. it's doable. My employer has had to cope, I handed in my shielding letter

Yabu

Put up with or cancel. How self absorbed you are op.

You seriously dont want to self isolate because you want to go out to the shops? There are plenty of delivery slots now op. Covid 19 kills people in hospitals

If you're not willing to isolate then maybe you don't need the op?

Fear mongering from @anotherBadAvatar

That study comprised half over 70's and included major surgery for malignancy.

Why are you misinforming the OP?

If you dont know her individual risk stop making it up.

We have 2 theatres and a ward dedicated to non Covid patients.All patients are asked to isolate and swabs are taken.
We have had patients lie and we have had covid as a result which causes unknown logistical nightmares and operations cancelled for others and anxiety for other patients who have to be asked to isolate post op (with no notice) because they have been in contact with someone selfish who thought it was just about them.

@TakemetoGreeceplease

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?

And especially if the procedure is then cancelled.

[quote QueenCT]@TakemetoGreeceplease yet some people haven't left the house since mid March.. it's doable. My employer has had to cope, I handed in my shielding letter [/quote]
No, it's not for some people . Your very lucky your employer 'has had to cope', for some people, it means they have no money coming in at all.

And it's not bloody shielding, it's 2 weeks of isolation for a procedure which you don't know will go ahead.

Anyone who's had a non-emergency op on the NHS knows there's every chance you go through all that, get there and it's cancelled.

I didn't think about the procedure being cancelled. That would be a nightmare!! As I have said, there will be no interaction with other people, going to the shops etc. This has all been sorted. I have been extremely cautious throughout the whole of lockdown. Got the letter today and it said I have to stay inside. Tempted to phone and ask if i can go in the garden. I think I might go loopy if i can't -very unhealthy physically and mentally.

@DisobedientHamster then you cancel the op and wait until you're not required to isolate
I understand it's affected everyone differently but if people are managing to shield and isolate alone for 12 weeks, 2 weeks is perfectly doable
Or you cancel the op
There's not much choice really, the NHS want people to self isolate, if you can't do it then you can't have the op and those are the two choices

As for lucky I went a month with no food delivery slots, and I've been completely alone since the 17th March with no ability to see anyone. So yes, I'm a little grouchy when someone says they can't do it for 2 weeks
I imagine a GP would do a fit note or the hospital will write saying isolation is needed which is evidence for the employer

Well,we could not have people self isolating which means all ops take longer,bed availability would be cut as we try to keep people seperate and you could wait up to a year for your non urgent surgery.
We're working long hours to keep theatres going and keeping everyone safe but it's a juggling act and we can treat fewer patients.
By isolating you can help us to get a move on with the non urgent surgery as we can run with normal rules and operate on more patients per theatre per day.

Just to reassure the chances of cancellation are small. The volume of patients being done have been drastically reduced and Covid free wards dedicated to pure elective surgical admissions are being set up. Normally we may be dependent on inpatient discharges which could be emergency admissions but elective patients will not be anywhere near those patients now and so far less bed pressures.

It is a logistical nightmare trying to operate on people in the safest possible way for everyone. The surgical teams will be screened everyday with potentially twice weekly testing. For most places there will also be zoning done so that corridors are covid free/no staff intermingling etc. What would scupper a list is someone admitting they haven’t isolated post procedure - that would mean the theatre used would now be considered ‘dirty’ and, depending on the procedure, may take out the surgical team for the remainder of the day.

We are not asking patients to isolate for the fun of it but because at this particular point in time, it’s the safest we can make it.

@TakemetoGreeceplease

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?

People need time off work for all sorts of reasons, employers have to cope.

[quote QueenCT]@DisobedientHamster then you cancel the op and wait until you're not required to isolate
I understand it's affected everyone differently but if people are managing to shield and isolate alone for 12 weeks, 2 weeks is perfectly doable
Or you cancel the op
There's not much choice really, the NHS want people to self isolate, if you can't do it then you can't have the op and those are the two choices

As for lucky I went a month with no food delivery slots, and I've been completely alone since the 17th March with no ability to see anyone. So yes, I'm a little grouchy when someone says they can't do it for 2 weeks
I imagine a GP would do a fit note or the hospital will write saying isolation is needed which is evidence for the employer[/quote]
It's not shielding, it's not about you and your situation of shielding, but you're so obviously unable to see anything outside your own perspective if you believe it's as simply as a GP note - A LOT of people work in places that have NO sick pay or coverage at all, zero hours jobs, you don't go in, you don't get paid and then you get no hours.

And there's no guarantee you'll even get the procedure. It can be cancelled.

@DisobedientHamster I get that
But what if you are high risk and got a shielding letter? Do you say no, I'm not shielding for 12 weeks because I'm on a zero hours contract or shield because you're high risk? That's the options which is my point, you have shit choices to make
You either self isolate or you can't but you can't not isolate AND have the op
If you can't do it, you can't do it and therefore you don't have the op. It's pretty black and white it will have to wait until they aren't asking you to isolate

I say about shielding because the OP is worrying about dog walks and I'm pointing out millions of people have been in this situation for MONTHS

You WILL be in areas with other patients, many of whom are having surgery that is higher risk that yours. For them catching covid increases mortality.

If you are having a GA then intubating you is one of the highest risk procedures and you could be putting staff at risk. For the love of god please just follow the guidance. I'm a doctor and don't work in surgery, but am aware of the epic lengths that they have had to go to in order to keep surgery safe and covid free.

If they can't keep it covid free, people will not be having life saving surgery. You're lucky that yours is minor. Follow the guidance or don't have the procedure.

I apologise! Did not read whole thread. But I'm sure garden is allowed! xx

Umm they won't know if you've done it....

I say about shielding because the OP is worrying about dog walks and I'm pointing out millions of people have been in this situation for MONTHS
Yes ^^

DS (adult) had a minor procedure last week. He had to self isolate completely for 14 days before and had a covid test 48 hours before.
When they offered him the appointment, for which he has been waiting a long time, they said lots of people were saying no.
He didn't leave the house for 14 days. They rang him the day before and grilled him about it to make sure he had complied.

TBH I think you are very lucky to be able to have an operation and many people will be waiting years to reach the top of the list.

Not read the whole post, but in the hospital where I work, the whole household has to isolate for 2 weeks. If you are having somebody else take you if you don't drive, that house hold also has to isolate for 2 weeks. That means no walking the dog, going out for food shopping etc. You will have to get friends and family to do that for you.

You will have to get your mum to double check why she is not having to isolate for 2 weeks while you are.

Tick box NHS exercise just nod and say you've done it

This gross overreacting has to stop it's just a bloody virus ffs

This gross overreacting has to stop it's just a bloody virus ffs

Oww, aren't you hard.

No just not hysterical

@EnlightenedOwl, yes but it isn't a virus that we want taking into hospitals again.

It's true that you could self-isolate for 2 weeks and then the op could be cancelled for other reasons.

Stop telling the OP she is selfish - it's really not that easy to stay indoors for two weeks!

I am sure you can go out and get food tomorrow and then stay indoors as far as possible. You can walk the dog, you can't catch the virus if there is nobody around when you go out.