AVR op cancelled again

[Mo44]

What a rollercoaster this is! I was booked in for my op on 23rd February and I was called the afternoon before to warn me that my op might be cancelled and not to go in the morning until I had been called. Got the call in the morning to tell me it had been cancelled.

Yesterday I went again for my op. They got me all ready for theatre - I was due in theatre at lunchtime. At 4.30 they cancelled my op after I had sat about ready all day.

I fully understand the difficulties they are having but my mental state is suffering and I’m not coping very well.

Waiting for a call today to reschedule. Just want to get it done now.

Trying to keep busy and my mind occupied but the nights are very long!

[skid112 Heart Star]

Hi Mo,

i am sorry to hear of your difficulties and delays. These things are always trying and wear patience thin. You might take small solace in the fact that the cases that have taken your slot are more urgent than your own needs but rest assured you will be as soon as possible.

Hopefully you will be in there very quickly

take care

Mark

[Mo44 in reply to skid112]

Thanks Mark.

[Fortepiano]

How terribly frustrating to be cancelled not just once but twice, and when you were all keyed up and prepared too. The trouble is that since you lost your original elective slot they will be trying to fit you in where they can and it doesn't always work out, but that's no consolation.

Since you were cancelled on the day they have an obligation to operate by March 23rd.

My valve replacement was cancelled just once, the day before, and though I understood the reason ( no ICU bed) it was still intensely disappointing. The only silver lining was that when I had my op the following week I was so delighted to actually have it I went down to theatre all smiles!

In retrospect these are just glitches, but they don't feel like that at the time.

Hope it happens very soon.

[Mo44 in reply to Fortepiano]

I’ve been promised a first thing slot next time so that there is less chance of cancellations- fingers crossed. Mo

[Mary_Janet]

Oh you poor thing , how frustrating for you and your family and friends. It's the ripple effect when an operation is cancelled. I hope they manage to fit you in very soon. The waiting is the worst bit when you just want to get on with the surgery and recovery.

As someone who had urgent AVR surgery I now realise someone was probably bumped so I could have my surgery and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. God speed to you and hope you hear very soon

[Mo44 in reply to Mary_Janet]

It was lack of a critical care bed that caused the cancellation. Just trying to think of the poor person that needed to stay in that bed longer than planned. Hope I won’t have to wait too long now. Mo

[Fredders]

I can totally sympathise, I had the same thing happen. First two dates op was cancelled the day I was due to be admitted. Attempt three I actually got into a bed, everything ok, nothing to eat from 8pm, up in the morning for shower and into gown waiting to take my pre-med and they cancelled it again, but hoped to do it in the afternoon, so still not allowed to eat. Late afternoon they finally told me op wasn’t going ahead but hoped to do it next day. My suspicions were aroused though because they didn’t say I couldn’t eat that evening. Moved me to a side ward and the next day they eventually came to tell me it wasn’t going to go ahead now but they would do it the following Tuesday (this being Wednesday) and I could either go home or stay in until I had it, I went home. Thankfully I eventually got my op but it was so frustrating and very stressful, plus I work full time and kept having to muck them about.

Hope you get your op soon and all the waiting will become a distant memory.

Wendy

[Mo44 in reply to Fredders]

My next attempt is Wednesday next week. I'm going in the night before and they have scheduled my first into theatre in the morning as it gives me a better chance of it not being cancelled. All I can do is keep my fingers crossed.

It's really good to know that there are other people who reallly understand how stressful this is.

Mo

[Fredders in reply to Mo44]

My cancellations were due to emergencies taking priority, so although it was frustrating for me, someone else was having an even worse time and needed the bed more than me.

I could understand being cancelled, but what I don’t understand is why after the second cancellation you aren’t given priority. Glenfields work on a two week lead in, so every time I was cancelled it meant a two week wait for the next date.

Hope your op goes ahead this time and you can start on the road to recovery.

Wendy

[clarehealsworldwide in reply to Mo44]

Best of luck Mo. Xx

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

It is very frustrating as there seem to be delays at every stage of the process these days. A friend's son is an award winning anesthetist and gets equally frustrated. As you can imagine he is quite highly paid but has turned up to find he has nothing to do as no bed is available! The NHS has to make savings - a start would be not to have these issues!

Third time lucky - I hope!

[Mo44 in reply to MichaelJH]

The surgeon was very frustrated too. Not good for anyone.

[sandrann]

Hi there Mo I do hope your next appointment is honoured and when we next read your post on here it will be to say all's well and you're on the road to recovery...keep strong...thinking of you.

[Hidden]

It is a sad intictment of the state of our health service that they have to run this way.

I'm as proud as any one could be of our NHS, but not so proud of the politicians who starve it of the necessary funds to operate or the Trust managers who insist on such absurd pay packs etc.

On point, I was whisked in to hospital via ambulance and admitted via A&E, and after a week of NBM they sent me home because they couldnt be sure when they were going to get me tested in readiness for an op.

I'm now at home waiting for a miracle in respects of a date for a pre-op scan (can't have an angiogram cos my AV is too dilated) and then the op. I'm not banking on any time soon despite being reduced to an physcial vegetable (and this is without the Covid 19 requirements).

I wish you well in getting a data dn the op.

[Mo44 in reply to Hidden]

You obviously didn’t see the date of my post. I am now 2 years post-op and healthier than I have ever been. They found a hole in my heart as well and fixed that while I was in. I can’t praise the NHS enough - apart from the cancellations my care was amazing. My recovery physically was very smooth and much quicker than I was expecting but the mental recovery has been much slower.

I wish you luck and hope that in these uncertain times you get the treatment you need soon.

Best wishes

Mo

[Hidden in reply to Mo44]

You are right, i didn't see the date of the post.

Like you , i believe that the treatment i get from front line staff at the NHS is second to none - but i do ponder the state of investment in to such an important service.

One of the reasons i was happy to pay my taxes - because i think it is a worthwhile investment