Warning - this is mostly self pity and not all AF related.
In the past few days I have had four letters and one phone phone call from the NHS:
Two separate letters from ENT and Ophthalmology discharging me from their care following a tear duct operation. This involved two separate clinic appointments.
A letter with a lot of information which invites me for a routine breast scan.
A cardiology appointment for a year’s time, following on from most recent check up. AF is under control and new valve is working OK.
Phone call from GP’s receptionist requesting 24 hour BP monitor following above check up. Letter has only gone to GP and not me, so should have been five letters in total.
Bearing in mind that this has not cost me a single penny other than NI contributions over the years, I should feel very grateful and cared for. Instead I feel resentful and persecuted. Apart from a current cold which is probably making me feel depressed, I feel extremely well.
Thanks if you have read this far!
Written by
Mrspat
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It sounds like you are sick of being sick. Happens all of us. "this too will pass"
I had 5 letters for the same appointment to see a consultant surgeon for a gall bladder removal over a two week period.
Then a letter to cancel it 3 weeks later, followed by another letter for the new appointment, followed by a phone call last Friday to ask me to attend clinic tonight at 6:45 pm.
Oh dear, Mrspat I sympathise - for me, what you describe is a reminder of
age - not as young as I think I am
health conditions - to be ignored if and when possible
NHS perception of above facts ☹️ (especially if I hear the word ‘elderly’)
Then I try to imagine my family’s life without the NHS and keep going.
Cheer up - the cold and the cr*# spring weather don’t help.
I understand how you feel.
This reminds me of a situation a few months back. I was idly reading through my patient record online when I came across a description for me as 'Moderate Frailty '.(!!) My immediate thought was WTF (sorry)...this thought reinforced even more when I looked up the definition of moderate frailty.
I run a big-ish house, husband works full-time so I cook hot meal each night, do all the decorating, gardening, housework, shopping and look after grandkids as necessary. I phoned the surgery to ask what was going on but was told they just based this on my medical record. I know I have had a few things requiring attention over the years but even so I felt it was a bit harsh.
I've got over it now but do remind my family of my frailty from time to time!
When my AF was diagnosed last year I seemed to be in and out of hospitals and clinics having various tests and somebody was always trying to inject something in to me or take something out of me. Slap bang in the middle of this came a package through the door asking me to do my yearly bowel cancer test. For those of you that have had this test you know how intrusive it is so I ignored it much to the annoyance of my GP. I will do the test when I am ready for it but for the time being enough is enough!
Had the same thing with a phone call .Could the doctor ring re your recent breast cancer. " Good evening how can I help" " Well you wanted to speak to ME" Then discovered GPs get paid extra for this!
I am afraid once they get hold of you they don’t want to let you go 😂 in the last month I have had appointment letters from Harefield, dentist, bowel screening and now awaiting one for endoscopy. Keep them coming, it means I am still alive 👍😂😂🤪 chin up it will soon be Summer 🌞
The bottom line is: I am in charge of my health and everyone else can only advise. As far as I know, I haven’t been certified, so I can still take decisions, which may include the word NO. However, being a well brought up person who was encouraged to obey doctors’ every word, I still feel the need to be polite about it!
At least you are on their radar and are being looked after. Can you imagine how much all this is costing the tax payer? This is partly why the NHS is so short of cash. My husband gets lots of letters for his various conditions and we are pleased that he is being so well looked after. I feel so very sorry for those who are desperate to to see people and cannot get appointments. Just be pleased that you are in the system and it is all working for you. Isn’t that grand?
If it really upsets you have a look at the charges you would rack up if you lived in America. 30 million Americans are not insured- at all. If you are working for a large company they might pay for your health insurance - but you would be expected to make a 'co-payment' of say 15% in the event of a claim beyond your cover level If you look at the costs of heart operations is very easy to get through 200,000 dollars - so your co-payment will be 30,000 please before you get to hospital.
Of course after your operation you will have a pre - existing - condition which means your insurance premiums will go up sharply. One of the largest causes of bankruptcy is an unpaid health bills.
If you lose your job you are on you own.
The NHS is one the cheapest in Europe to run, and about half the price of the american system. Without it I would almost certainly be dead, please consider carefully the pro's and con's carefully
Feeling slightly more empowered today. My copy of the letter to my GP has turned up. I note that my BP is described as “borderline”. The request for a 24 hour BP monitor tells me what result will trigger a suggestion for medication and the type of medication recommended. So I have the opportunity to do some research and have an informed discussion if necessary.
Oh, and they have already changed the date of the appointment in a year’s time made only a few days ago. Separate envelope of course. They GP had the letter by email. Why can’t I?
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