Following on from Holyshedballs post yesterday about having someone accompany them to medical appointments I thought I'd post about my experience. I have Ehlers Danlos and foot problems have been an issue for me for decades.
I have flexible flat feet which are causing issues in the arch with pain and stiffness. I am under the high risk NHS podiatry service and get custom orthotics which I wear religiously.
When I was last at the podiatry surgery clinic in August the x ray showed I have arthritis in some of the joints in the arch. They wanted me to have an MRI to see the extent and to see if any tendons were involved. I had the MRI 3 weeks ago.
I travelled back to the clinic yesterday. I dont drive, my husband gave up our car for health reasons and the podiatry clinic is 20 miles away. So I get the bus. When I saw the consultant the news wasnt good, the arthritis is extensive and he wants to do a guided steroid injection with ultrasound and then immobilise my foot in an inflatable walking boot for 4 weeks.
I'd googled foot injections and knew that you arent supposed to walk on it for a couple of days to allow it to work. I pointed this out to the consultant and he seemed most put out. I explained I dont have anyone to drive me, but if the procedure was done at my local hospital, which is 5 minutes away by car, I could get a taxi home. I'm certainly not shelling out for a 20 mile taxi trip.
He agreed to refer me to the podiatry team there. Which kinda begs the question why I wasnt seen there in the first place, why did I have to go somewhere on a 40 mile round trip when there's an NHS podiatry school AND a podiatry dept just down the road. And he really seemed surprised by the fact I didnt have a designated driver.
I dont like this assumption that everyone drives or has access to a car. Plenty of people dont drive for various reasons and not everyone has family or friends available to ferry them around. I've always been very independant and get around without putting anyone else out. Rant over.
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Sparklingsunshine
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Doctors don't live on the same planet as us mere mortals. They have no idea about the lives of normal human beings. I've found the same attitude many times.
I get it! I have a long list of rants in this vein😂
Top of the list is the assumption that you have excellent hearing……
The second is probably use of acronyms and look of disdain when you ask what they mean - and the annoying frown when the ‘professional’ you asked doesn’t know🤷♂️
Third - assumption that you know the unfathomable interdisciplinary communication protocols. Top Tip - there are none😬
I dont think so, the I've had foot problems for most of my life. The osteoarthritis is caused by the excessive flexibility of my tendons and connective tissue, which the joints bear the brunt of. Its a structural issue not a hormonal one.
I don't think this will help much, but it might be of some interest.
Jessica Eccles - Hypermobilty/Ehlers-Danlos
This is a blog post originated from listening to a radio program by Dr Jessica Eccles about Hypermobilty/Ehlers-Danlos. Despite not being about thyroid, it might well be worth a look and even a listen.
However, BBC tend to withdraw some programs after a while - some seem to remain for years, others a year, months, or less.
Here's a little tale I had with the nhs...In hospital in thyroid storm very ill, my ward doctor was appalled I'd never been sent to an endocrinologist by my gp, as I was very hyper [ graves]
The ward doc got me an appointment with the endo in the hospital at 1 o'clock , the endo never showed up😡 so my ward doc got me another appointment but this was from an endo a town over, he refused to come to the hospital to see me [ a very ill patient] my ward doc then asked if I could possibly go to him a town over😲...get out of my hospital bed and travel to him.
I actually laughed asking " how the hell would that work as I can Bearley lift my head"
He said we will try to get you transport of some kind.
I said.."well I think that would be the only way I'm getting there because I sure as hell can't get on a bus"🤷♀️
Upshot they popped me in a wheelchair and popped me in a taxi to the appointment, believe me I was not at all well and looked half dead, would it not have been better for the patient [me] if the endo had not jumped into his car after his clinic and came to see me?
Ho no...that's called care...and I've never come across one endo that as alluded to any form of care whatsoever 😡
Because I have kidney problems, I get sent appointments for prostate examinations. I am female and phoned to cancel. "Being female" apparently was not a good enough reason to cancel by the appointment centre.
Its crazy isnt it? This consultant couldnt wait to see the back of me once I again refused surgery ( foot fusion surgery can have a 12 month recovery time). Clearly sulking because I wasnt going to let him loose on my plates of meat.
Similar experiences re. transport. I do drive, but have had appts where you're not able/allowed to drive afterwards. One was an eye appt with eye drops that mean you can't drive for hours after, and was told I may need to transfer to another hospital two hours away, at night, if it became an emergency - but that no transport would be provided.
My relatives don't drive/have never passed the test, other relatives live 200 miles away, friends live in other areas of the county and country etc. Close friends/neighbours who would have helped out have moved away or died. I've had medical staff refuse to believe there isn't anyone who can drive me. Hospital Transport don't even answer the phone. For a test under anaesthetic I had to pay £140 for taxis!!
Its ridiculous isnt it. My son has never learned to drive, his gf does but she works full time. My other son and his partner live a few counties over. Plus I wouldnt want to put anyone out, even if they were available. There are plenty of people, students, the disabled or retirees who havent got a car. Just shows how car centric we've become.
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Appt with (NHS) Consultant - part good/part bad
Warning a bit of a rant
Consultant in different NHS Trust
Disappointment seeing a consultant endo
