2 Operations in 16 months - Yes it's a Rant!!

[JohFlow]

Here goes...

Where is the emotional support for people who have had ops in the NHS?
I have had a clean bill of health for most of my life - not even one to suffer with minor coughs,colds. Illness has simply never been a worry.

I have now had two operations in the last 16 months (one open abdominal and then further keyhole two days ago) - similar gynae symptoms.
No hint as to the cause of my messy insides and worries if I will be able to have children - no answer.
I feel battered and bruised.
But more so - violated by the fact that not one staff member has spoken to me about how I am feeling about the changes I have been through.
After 3 hours of surgery a couple of days ago I had to diplomatically campaign to get enough pain killers to leave with - 'no paracetamol will not cover this pain!'. I was then rushed to get dressed (despite being semi-mobile) and my partner was told to rush in as 'the ward has to be cleared by 10pm'.

Staff : 'Oo we've had a terrible day today'
Me : 'My day hasn't been the best either'

It is too much to ask that one member of staff has enough time just to sit with you after such an ordeal to genuinely ask you how you are feeling and see you have enough support to recover well?

This is not to de-value anyone's work. As most hospital staff do a sterling job in difficult circumstances.

But literally; I couldn't give a sh1t if you have had a difficult day. I didn't come into hospital to take your problems away.

I'm sorry but I think your expectations are a bit daft- support for every operation, for every person, even though most people take these things in their stride? There are wonderful, specialist support nurses, for serious problems or ones that require a long term physical or emotional adaptation. Why should someone require support for just having had an operation (or two) and how should the NHS identify which people would need it, considering they have serious operations covered already. I think you need a sense of proportion and to appreciate how lucky you are to have had good health until now and probably were one of the least ill on the ward. If you are now fixed, then you are doubly lucky.

Did you even ask if there was someone you could talk to? You have your partner and other patients on the ward, usually there is some sort of minister hanging around the wards as well that will sit and listen to the non religious. If you need to see a nurse regularly now to change dressings or something, they can talk to you too and questions on fertility and the like can be answered at your check up.

If you have had a surgery for a life threatening condition, or with long term life changing effects, or are looking at a lifetime of follow up, then I'm sorry and you should have received better information and appropriate sources of information. There is probably a support group as well that could help.

The NHS can barely afford the basics let alone providing extra support. I would have thought you'll have a follow up appointment and they will be able to discuss your condition and implications for the future then.