Is this ok from the hospital?

[Freetodowhatiwant]

I’m in hospital after having my appendix out, after having terrible pains yesterday and suspecting (then confirmed by scan) appendicitis.

I stayed in last night and had my operation under GA this morning. I feel ok, sometimes quite groggy and a bit dizzy and nauseous if I move too much and I’ve been in and out of sleep. Pain isn’t actually so bad, three incisions but I’m having to be quite still as it hurts when I move around.

I’m in my local hospital which is very big. The nurses who are here are really lovely but I’m wondering if this is usual hospital behaviour:

They had no standard beds, as is often the case I realise, so I’m in the day care beds, alongside three other people. It’s fine, feels like a normal ward, I’m comfortable etc and the nurses are right outside the door in reception. but it’s now almost 8pm and I haven’t yet seen a doctor after the operation. I would really like to ask someone how it went but the nurses don’t know. Prior to the op they said they would tell me how bad the appendicitis had been and I have had operations before when a doctor will have a chat with you after the op at some point. I realise doctors are busy and rounds often don’t happen until late.

No one has brought me any painkillers for many hours and my cannula is still attached to a drip that emptied several hours ago (antibiotics). I’m not actually in that much pain otherwise I would be hassling someone for some pain relief! But it feels a bit strange.

Obviously I hadn’t had anything to eat for many hours before the operation. When I said I was hungry about 4pm as nothing had been offered since I was out of recovery at midday a nurse brought me some biscuits. I don’t fancy eating much which is good I guess but before the biscuits had felt a bit weak as I hadn’t eaten since the day before. And DH brought me some snacks too when he visited earlier so I’m not going to go hungry. I managed a couple of biscuits which gave me a bit more energy. But it’s way beyond dinner time and nothing has yet been offered.

When I asked a nurse earlier about taking the long-empty drip out of the cannula says said yes but she was currently doing the round of painkillers. This was a couple of hours ago now and as I said previously no painkillers have come my way.

The nurses have all been lovely, I have to say, but is this a bit odd for post op procedure or am I being neglected...? I’m not annoyed, just curious. I know they’re bound to be busy.

Sounds pretty shocking to be honest. They could have offered you a meal at least. I imagine it's par for the course now though, maybe they rely on patient's visitors feeding them etc. I hope you feel better soon.

Thanks Broken! It definitely feels a bit odd. It’s a very big and busy London hospital but I can hear the nurses chatting outside and I think they might have just forgotten me!

That's shocking. You've basically had major surgery with no aftercare not even a cup of tea. No, not okay.

Do you have a buzzer, if so.prezs.it dont worry about bothering them, that is thier job, ask for pain relief, to remove drip and for something to eat. I am a hcp myself by the way, we dint mind answeing buzzers. Sounds shocking tho.

Agree - if you have a buzzer use it!

That sounds dreadful. I think you need to say you've had no food or pain relief and have an empty AB drip and is this normal?

Sounds exactly like our local hospital. Understaffed due to cutbacks.

Hope you're feeling better soon, just call the buzzer and ask the nurse to get you some painkillers, have they done a drug round this evening, also ask if the cannula and drip can be removed. If you're still hungry ask if the staff can get you something to eat, did the supper trolley come round at tea time, did you ask for a hot meal or a sandwich then, maybe the staff thought you only wanted biscuits. Are you in a bed or on a trolley, you may not get to see a doctor, they may still be in theatre, I didn't see my surgeon until the next day. We can't say what is normal for that hospital but if you have concerns do ask to speak to the nurse in charge or the site manager.

Not great.
You need a meal, someone to take the antibiotics down and some basic pain relief.
you might not be seen by the surgical team till tomorrow, almost definitely now as the surgical team will be only the on call ones.
If you are on day stay and staying in then they'll be finding another bed for you. The nurses will be insanely busy with discharging the day stay patients.

Hospital staff here and frequent patient. Not ok AT. ALL. Press your buzzer and say to whoever responds - I'd like to speak to someone as I'm concerned I've not had any pain relief, food, drink, fluids or post op dr review for x hours....appalling to be honest. Probably explained why you've not moved to a ward. Day case beds are just that, for people going home quickly! Your hospital sounds like it's full or something.

That's not good. They definitely should have sorted the empty drip and I'd have thought you should have been on the medication round too - every bed was visited when I was in, even if you didn't need anything. We also had obs (temperature and blood pressure) every 4 hours as standard too. I'm surprised they haven't been checking on you more post op. Definitely press your buzzer and get them to sort you out.

I read this and I automatically thought 'whipps cross hospital'.

I understand sometimes staff are busy but they should still be checking on you.

I just asked a nurse about taking the drip out and she said that the nurses have been busy handing over and they would do it soon (it was the first time anyone has been anything less than lovely to me, and I said it as politely as possible but she was a bit shirty!), The drip has been plugged into the cannula for at least four hours!

The biscuit was at 4pm and I asked what time dinner was and a nurse said 5. I didn’t see a trolley though I think I saw some people being brought sandwiches.

I’m a bit reluctant to buzz the buzzer now I’ve been rebuked a bit but I think I might! I’m not normally one to stand back but I’m a bit out of energy and also don’t want to piss anyone off.

Ok, you know what, I’m going to buzz and see how it goes!

Yes I’m in for tonight (my second night) so that probably means the surgeons will now see me tomorrow. I would like to have been told something about what I should - shouldn’t be doing. I’ve realised I haven’t been for a wee yet and remembered that that was big deal after my laproscopy for endometriosis a few months ago.

Should I make an effort to go to the loo? Should I be trying to walk around? Just lying here...? Who knows!

Can your H not ask someone to look at you? That's appalling. I've actually walked out of place like this and seen my GP instead. At least at home I can get food and drink.

Dh came for a visit earlier but is at home looking after the children. My parents who are usually brilliant are both out of the country.

I just had a chat with someone I thought was a nurse but at the end she said ‘I will ask the nurse’ so clearly she is some other member of the team (don’t worry she was wearing a uniform not a random passerby 😀). (Note: just found out she is a healthcare assistant).

When I got chatting to her anyway I started to cry! She’s a lovely Nigerian lady who said ‘when you’re in hospital you want people to take care of you and you’re not being cared for’ which had me in tears. She then told me a story about how she was in hospital for 6 months once and wasn’t looked after and couldn’t walk otherwise she would have jumped out the window! She’s in fine health now though. Surreal conversation! Anyway she’s taken out the drip, brought me a sandwich and tea and is going to fetch a nurse.

Not Whipps Cross, the Queen Elizabeth in SE London. I have heard friends who have had their babies here say that they have been brilliant for the birth but terrible at the aftercare.

If anyone knows what I should/should not being doing after an appendectomy do let me know!

@zebrapig - to be fair they have done ops for blood pressure, oxygen and temp but the last one was definitely more than 4 hours ago.

Ignoring the food/ drip issue, surely they should be doing obs more often than that?

Freeto If it's anything like our hospital they'll probably do more obs between now and bedtime. There should be a bedtime drugs round and if you're super lucky they might bring the brew trolley round too (only happens at the weekend in ours for some random reason).

Yes it feels like it. The HCA I spoke to said she would get a nurse to come over but one hasn’t materialised yet.

Oh as well as telling me the story about how she wanted to jump out the window when she was in hospital, re the food she says what I needed to have done was smell when it was being served and asked 😀 it’s lucky I’m feeling not too bad really! Well, when lying down. She was very nice about it all though.

Oh bless you OP. It’s a bit of a vulnerable time for you - no wonder you had a cry!

I hope you get settled this evening and that tomorrow is a better day for you

Have you had a wee now?

Thanks Plate. No I haven’t had a wee. I should probably go but would like someone to be here when I stand maybe in case I’m dizzy. I’m starting to feel a bit less dizzy though. Especially now I have tea and a sandwich.

The nurse just came round to do on obs and...wrote down her notes on a paper towel from the hand towel dispenser!! Once again, she was very lovely...

I did ask her if there’s anything I should be doing and she said there is a doctor around so I might just get to speak to one.

Wonder if the notes on the hand towel go in the file or will she copy them over 😀

Sounds similar to my post ( emergency) c section care - no pain relief, no food, no tea for 12 hours.... didn’t kick up a fuss at the time but in hindsight was appalling. DS was in NICU and i didn’t see him at all during that time. Your care is unacceptable. Hope you can advocate for yourself, or ask DH too.

Good luck.

When you need assistance press your buzzer, you will be feeling fragile/weak due to the drugs used during surgery. Going to wee is important after surgery. You may have been given morphine to help with the pain after the operation - this could be why you don’t feel much pain at the moment.

Oh dear @lots that must have been awful. I’ve had two CS and was lucky to have had brilliant post op care. Not in this hospital I’m at right now though! How awful not seeing the baby too.

I’ve had a few miscarriages and one ERPC was particularly awful and I did write a letter of Pointing out the issues afterwards, so I might well do with this.

Just got some painkillers.