Please, Admin, police the posts to the site. I am reluctant to post because I do not want to join a slanging match. This is a valuable site, of much use to many people. Do not let ignorant people destroy it. So many of the posts fall into the worst examples of the mis-use of social media. Gossip and opinions unsupported by facts have no place here. If my experience helps anyone my task is done. I do not seek self gratification.
I started running and racing seriously when I was 40 years old. (By seriously I mean 3+ miles EVERY day). I am now 80 & I still run 3+ miles EVERY day. In the 40years I have run 27 marathons and hundreds of shorter races in Europe & USA. For half of this period I have been in A/F , had 2 cardioversions & a stroke.
Many consultants have told me “you can stop taking the tablets, if you wish. The decision is yours”. It is and should always remain so but I have suggested numerous times that I felt the consultant was not fully accepting his/her individual responsibility to provide me with the tools & information I need to enable me to make an informed decision. Consultants would like to be able to spend more time with us. All they need is more staff and thus more money. No medical breakthrough is needed, only the will to create the right conditions.
As individuals maybe our voices do nor carry so far, but collectively let’s support the NHS & help them to help us. This will produce better results rather than constantly criticising the efforts of overworked good people who are trying to help us
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LenaCourt
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I do support the NHS and I'm sure that for the most part the staff genuinely wish to be helpful. You are right that shortage of resources is placing a huge strain on overworked personnel. At the same time looked at from an organisational point of view I think changes need to be made.
I've found there to be good, and not so good medical staff within the NHS. Some like you to make an informed decision, some are horrified if you do.
My partner, who has RRMS, muscular dystrophy and many associated illnesses, was fitted with a feeding peg about 4 years ago while she was still fit enough for the op, since then, she has been persistently bullied by certain NHS professionals to use it and nil by mouth as she had periods of silent aspiration, and hospitalised with pneumonia/sepsis. Some are horrified that she decided to carry on eating and drinking normally, despite the risk.
In the last 2 years, she's been hospitalised once for aspiration, which turned out to be e coli from her gut, so, peg feeding wouldn't have prevented it.
The worst bully is the consultant who told her she would die if she continued.
Personally, I support her decision 100%, and as her main carer, I have rules to what and when she can eat, so it's carefully controlled.
Sometimes, NHS professionals need to work WITH patients, not against them.
Having said that, she's been under some amazing people in the neurology field who have done nothing but support her
When I posted for the first time I told myself I would only post again if my experience could help others. Your post changed my mind.
In all walks of life we meet “good” people and “bad people”. Let’s help the “bad” people to be “good” people. Your partner knows her body better than anybody. Whether to eat normally or not is her decision and hers alone. She needs to be given enough information for her to make an informed decision.
We all have individual responsibility, whether we like it or not. We can have the NHS we want - if we want it enough. We live in a rich country. A minute change of taxation would give the NHS all the resources they need and help them to produce better managers and systems. (And would cost 99% of people nothing.)
The NHS does not exist because of fate, God, luck, chance or any other external reason. The NHS is what we make it. Unfortunately many people, including some who post to this site, appear to be happy simply to moan & criticise . (Admin has already commented on the increasing number of negative posts.)
Thank you for your post. I wish the best for you & your partner
How do you propose to change the arrogant uncaring attitudes of many Drs, their lack of ability to look outside the box, if one line of investigation comes back negative we are dismissed as "there isn't a problem" this happened to me yesterday, one "normal" test and I'm out despite not having found the issue.
My husbsnd has been in hospital for 7 weeks with serious heart problems, surgeon won't operate so he was to be discharged regardless of the fact he can barely breath and cant walk, his treatment in those 7 weeks at 2 hospitals and numerous ward changes has been mainly incompetent and because of this it's probably to late.
I think the problem with the NHS is far greater than "a minute change of taxation".
A change in attitude would be of far greater importance. It's a sad fact that hospitals are under funded and under staffed, I doubt that would change if extra millions are thrown at the NHS.
But I could write a book on the poor attitude towards patients over the last 12 years of looking after my partner, and the number of visits which could have been avoided, had they listened and discussed with us.
Even my own condition was dismissed by a cardiologist before Christmas, his arrogance and narrow-minded view is actually costing the NHS more than it might do, as now I have to go back to my doctor and ask for a second opinion. Putting more money into the NHS is not a cure for poor attitude.
I could go on, but in my experience, retraining and a change of attitude would make a huge difference.
Many cardiologists have attitude issues, particularly towards women ! The one I'm currently seeing is one of the good guys but I still suspect I will get a pat on the head and shown the door !
The NHS Constitution was written in response to the Francis report into the scandal of failing care in Mid Stafford hospital.
It is a very important document that outlines our rights as a patient but also our responsibilities one of which is to raise our concerns so that improvements can be made in care that will benefit other patients.
I have benefited from some fantastic life affirming care .However I have been also been exposed to very poor care too which lives its own negative mark.
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