So for anyone who has read my posts in the past (or remembers them) you will be familiar with my Mum. I am the worried daughter who didn't have anywhere to turn when my Mum was diagnosed with COPD back in March. She fell into a state of depression and was put on antidepressants. These did her the world of good and she has come to terms with her condition, she is doing so well. She is probably reading this now "Hello Mum" anyway I have also posted a few more times regarding her inhalers and some antibiotics she was given recently for a second chest infection in the space of 3 months!
To cut a long story short I needed to rant. She was referred to the hospital back in March when she was diagnosed....she heard nothing. The doctor referred her again....she heard nothing. A third letter was sent in August as apparently they had lost the other two. I got onto PALS they said they would pass on my detail to the relevant person.....they never got back to me. She finally got her appointment on the 12th December, 4 months after the third referal and 9 months from the initial referal back in March. During this time her health hasn't been great. Two chest infections and today the doctor told her she has Pseudomonas and that the consultant will be able to give her the appropriate treatment when she sees him next week.
Mum gets home from the doctors to find a letter from the hospital cancelling her appointment next week and her new appointment will be on the 6th February 2015!!!!!!!!!!! Nearly a year after her first referal. Well surprise surprise, no one is answering their phone at the hospital and the one lady who my Mum did manage to speak to wasn't much help stating they just do the admin. she has passed on her details to the manager and she will phone tomorrow (we shall see)
I phoned the BLF helpline today for the first time. What a lovely lady I spoke to. She gave me advice and couldn't believe the way my Mum has been treated.
What way do we turn if nothing is done?
Anyway rant over. Keep warm everyone and thank you for bearing with me.
Kim
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Kim8060
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I do remember your posts about your Mum, and I completely understand that you need to rant. Have you contacted your Mums gp to explain what has happened, . How about contacting your local MP?
After having seen the doctor a few hours before receiving the letter she did ring him back but by that time he had left and isn't back until Mon. Mum has booked a telephone consultation with him so hopefully he will get onto them. I will be phoning PALS tomorrow and will state that I will be speaking to either our MP or writing to the local paper. This could have all been prevented if she had been seen a lot earlier. Thank you for your reply.x
I know. Hopefully we will get some answers over the next few days.x
Pseudomonas is a bug in the lungs and your mum will be given antibiotics for it.....i have it and have been on different antibiotics for a year which hasn't got rid of it but couldn't your gp get her started on them
you could try ringing the secretary of the consultant directly and explain the situation and get an appointment that way as i find my consultants secretary very helpful
Thanks Mandy. Mum can't speak to her doctor until Mon but hopefully he can help in some way. As for the consultant's secretary, Mum has left a message but she hasn't got back to her and never has done in the past, useless. BLF helpline recommend we email complaints as at least then we have a record of it. Thank you for your reply and wish you well.x
I completely understand your need to rant - I am so furious for you. Are you going to contact your mums gp to get his help? So frustrating thank goodness your mum has you. The very best of luck TAD xxxx
Hi Kim grrrr so infuriating for you.You are doing all the right things ,your just brilliant.You shouldnt have to badger these people so unfair.When you ring pals tell them your gp was expecting the hospital to treat your mum for the pseudomonas !!! Do you have another doc at your gps that can start her on treatment? Keep positive. Blessings Janexx
Thank you Janet. There are other doctors but this one knows my Mum's condition better than the others. She saw another doctor recently who didn't do anything, when Mum told her how long she had been waiting to see a consultant she just said "at least you are in the system" x
Oh I see very helpful.Im just concerned with these ere pseudomonas,of which I dont know very much about,Mondays a way off yet.Lets hope the ABs that your mum is taking kill the blighters or at least keep them at bay eh. Blessings Janexx
Pseudomonus is an infection but hard to get to which is why her last lot of antibiotics didn't help. She needs a scan to find out exactly where the infection is. Apparently it's isolated at the moment. She hasn't been given anymore antibiotics Ive just emailed PALS so we shall see.
X
Good luck with that. I agree the way your mum has been treated is dreadful. I hope she gets seen and sorted at her next visit. x
Hi Kim, my advice is to write to your MP. He/she will jump on the hospital from a great height and hopefully your Mum's treatment will be fast tracked.
I contacted my MP once about my mother-in-law and he was very helpful.
Yes I think unfortunately that is the route we may have to take. Mum found out her initial referral was made on the 9th of April and apparently the average waiting time for the chest clinic is 38 days!! Utter joke. She wants to see if her dr can do anything on Monday.x
Feckin awful the way your Mum has been treated by the medical people...I see she tried contacting the Consultants secretary without any luck...I'm lucky I suppose 'cos as soon as I 'phone mine I get an appointment within a couple of weeks...
Local Councillors can be ok for complaints as well as the MP...
The secretary has never got back to her on any occasion (she was there 3 years ago with TB) and now is no different. 2 messages she has now left with her. She also tried phoning the manager and her answer phone is full so she couldn't leave a message. I contacted PALS and they haven't got back to me either. Infuriating! I said maybe our next move would be to go to the hospital and demand we be seen by someone so at least we get some answers. X
What you could do with...when you go to the hospital...is a couple of incredibly badly behaved toddlers...let them run amok for a while and see if someone can spare the time to see your Mum then...I know it really isn't funny in the least...just looking to cheer you up a bit...
Thank you for your advice. So far her gp has been fab and I'm sure he will do everything in his power to get her seen. And yes you are right they have no idea what she has been through and now this infection she has got all they know is she has COPD. I have searched for the secretary's email but can not find it. I am so cross that I will go to the hospital and see her in person if I have to.x
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Janexx
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