Having a rough time! What is with the NHS when you're stuck indoors on your own & need help physically & Mentally?!?

[spykey]

Hi everyone

Having a rough few days! Hate to bother the Dr or anyone else if I can help it! Sometimes think they look at my records & say, 'Oh she's got mental health issues & is probably exaggerating!?! Why do I bother!! I only have one side of my body that works, now damaged the only side that dioes & didn't get a carer again!!!! Feel like giving up, as don't want to be a burden to anyone!!!

Was trying to fix myself some lunch yesterday which I don't usually do cos often I forget, or don't have the energy! I know I'm supposed eat with my medication, but it's hard as have suffered with eating issues since my teens! I just don't get the feelings of hunger& my medication has made me put on weight, which I hate!

Unfortunately I burnt my leg (the only one I can feel) with some boiling water when trying to get the egg boiler out of the microwave! Whoa did it burn!! I used my lifeline & they told me to call my Gp why have lifeline if you can't use it!! So I had to wait til after 2pm as they close for lunch! Finally got hold of the receptionist told me to get to Dr, but had no one to take me, So offered to send email with photo bug they said couldn't do that & would try, try to get a district nursery me, but couldn't promise she would!!!

Eventually a Dr phoned me at 5pm saying a district nurse would only visit if the Dr saw me, could tell he didn't really want to come so offered to send photo via email again!! Dr thought was good idea, so sent 5 photos & Dr phoned saying I had partial thickness burns & needed treatment so would send district nurse! Finally some help!! Eventually got call from D nurse who asked if could wait til today!! Was really hot & burning & starting to blister, so just said Dr thought it needed treatment so didn't think could wait! Nurse said she had man with blocked catheter to see before me, I said fine would wait, that was at 6.30! They finally came at 8.30-8.45 pm, like usual I apologised for getting them out! The nurse was shocked when she saw it & eventually apologised! And had to dress it, even more agony when she did it!

It's So hard to be pushy & get past Drs receptionist behaving like Rottweiler's!! Why do I bother if they can't be bothered & it's so hard to get to even speak to a doctor!

My supposed support worker comes only when she can be bothered & usually I have to phone her! When she did come she sat looking at her watch, and asked me to write down why & what I need a support worker for so she could look at it with her boss the next time she came!! I have had mental health problems since my late teens early twenties, but if I have to justify support why do I bother! I wouldn't want to take up her precious time, when others obviously need help more than me!! I only resort to phoning when I've done everything else possible to try & lift my mood & thoughts!!! Which isn't easy & a long process, now I don't know for who I'm making an effort for!! Sorry for sounding so depressing!!

spykey

[Anna2008]

You must keep bothering and pushing for help..them that shout loudest get heard...

[spykey in reply to Anna2008]

Hi Anna2008

Thanks for your reply! I'm starting to run out of voice & energy! But I know what you mean!

spykey

[Goldfish_ in reply to Anna2008]

The NHS is at breaking point without the staff or resources to meet the demands on it.

Something must change ?how to do it

[spykey in reply to Goldfish_]

Hi Goldfish_

Yeah exactly how?

Thanks for your reply though!

spykey

[DOGS-GIZMO-FRODO]

That is the most dreadful and heartless treatment of any human being that I have heard in a LONG LONG time what you had to endure for almost a day while in pain after scalding your leg. You could have got major infection from it and the pain must have been beyond belief.

The health services, doctors and nurses need to be held accountable and it is a disgrace to treat any human like that - even an animal a vet would come out to try to help them so what is wrong with our services that they cannot come to the most isolated in society like you are living alone and having no way to physically leave your home on your own to go to the doctor or hospital or get help.

Hope you are feeling a bit better now and I am so sorry to hear what you have been put through.

[spykey in reply to DOGS-GIZMO-FRODO]

Thanks for your reply, maybe I should get pet insurance & book in with a vet!! Sorry! Don't mean to be flippant, but you're right if I phone my vet I get an appointment within an hour or two & my cats are well treated by everyone!

If I'd been lying on the floor, lifeline would have sent someone to see me asap! But being a mere human, well what can I say!!!

spykey

[Goldfish_ in reply to DOGS-GIZMO-FRODO]

Gp services receive about £120 per year to manage each patient, so the service is fairly good value. I think many spend more than that on their pet insurance

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Oh spykey that's awful. What a way to treat you. I get where you are coming from feeling if they aren't bothered then why should you be coz I get the same sort of treatment at my doctors.

Try and avoid boiling water if you can. If you fancy as egg you can buy egg poachers and other eggy devices you can just stick in the microwave. Stay safe.

We care and bother about you even if they don't. Take care. x

[Olderal]

Hello Spykey, you've certainly had a rough few days but reading between the lines of your recent posts i don't think you've lost your sense of humour. There's a saying up here "If it got any worse it would be better"

Don't worry ,as long as you're preserving some sense of humour in all these troubles you're far from lost. Just remember the odds are that your support workers and the NHS are pressured up to the eyeballs. Most are underpaid to boot although I suspect the qualified doctors are maybe a little less pressured and certainly along with Law its one of the best paid professions.

I'm not surprised It gets you down sometimes. I'm 73 and not particularly rich . I think I've lived through fortunate times ( no wars to speak of, free education, affordable housing-when I was young) but I'm certainly not looking forward to the next twenty years or so as social and health support of all kinds gets more and more stretched.

I can't but admire your cheerfulness and goodness in replying helpfully to posts but I can't give any practical advice as you've far more experience of dealing with support services than me--except maybe Don't let the b------ds grind you down. And always keep smiling.

Olderal

[Delzek]

I must admit that since losing my cool a little I told the practice manager I was sick of seeing the Accountant (the DR) I would register an official complaint unless I saw a DR that was not a backroom accountant! It worked I have had a new DR for about a year,I have ptsd agoraphobia Diverticular disease and a Degenerative Skeletal disease! (Those are the ones that affect me most) I also have hep C among other things!

When I call the surgery now the Dr calls me back within minutes I no longee have to spend 20 minutes trying to explain to the receptionist what is happening and if the Dr thinks I need to be seen either he or a locum comes to me! I have been able to actually get to the surgery a few times in person so am chuft at that! I really try to sort things out myself rather than use my lifeline or call the DR,I always feel like I may be wasting their time,But after a serious scare last year I call if the pain is very bad due to ending up in hospital because I thought I could cope I had an internal blockage that could have killed me! Lifelines are there to be used "Carelink"will always speak to you ask your symptoms (the call centre has Drs and Nurses there) and even if they dont send an ambulance or Dr if its because of an injury or medical in any way Someone visits just to make sure things are ok! Thats the kind of service/help I and others I know get here in Brighton! Never give up keep trying to see the humour it keeps you sane"ish" lol take careDerek

[Millie09]

Hi spykey . Well what can I say .. Apart from disgusting . It really really gets my back up reading things like this , I too have mental health issues and chronic illness , I do try every day to push myself as I really hate this anxiey / depression , my dr is a good one to be fair but he's that busy you can hardly get an appointment . No point in me calling out for a on call doctor that knows nothing about my health history .. I witnessed that with my own eyes with my dear late father . Thd Nhs is struggling so badly . I had to push to see a hepetologist due to liver problems since 2008 , and still I haven't seen one yet after the referral in November . Your a very positive lady but please be careful when on your own