MarilynParker

By MarilynParker

Another day in the joys of hospital visiting

Terry had no bootees on (they were to protect his heels which were in danger of breaking down) when I went to visit and had been waiting for someone to put them back on (he had a shower earlier) as he can't do it himself. I put them on but the film dressings on his heels were coming off / edges were curled up so I asked him had anyone looked at them today. No. I asked had anyone looked at them since the dressings were put on - no. 
The cannula in his left arm was looking worse for wear with fresh-looking blood under the dressing and again, had not been checked. It was inserted on Thursday at CT scan and is not being used so should have been removed by now. 
On my way out I was looking for Terry's nurse but couldn't see her and a male Band 6 asked if he could help so I told him the dressings needed looking at as they had not been checked. I also told him about the cannula. He said they will check both his cannula and heels.
Terry told me that Leslie (very old and frail patient diagonally opposite had been shouting out in pain for some time (not sure if it was night or day as I didn't ask) and nobody was going to him so Graham, the patient opposite Terry went out and railroaded the staff at the nurse station, telling them to get off their lazy arses and go to help him. They said "He is confused" and Graham said "Whether he is confused or not he is in pain, now go and see to him." Very soon after they took Leslie some pain relief.
Terry is still struggling with pain and some breathlessness but looks better than a few days ago. He said he thought he was going to collapse in the shower and I told him he needs to tell someone when he goes for a shower so hopefully they will check on him (huh, I don't hold out much hope for that on this ward) and tell them he thought he was going to collapse last time. 
Graham was asleep at lunch time and consequently got no lunch - nobody woke him and nobody left him anything. 
Terry said it's the worst ward he has ever been on but he won't let me speak to the manager!
Shocking lack of care.
Doc seeing Terry this morning said he will get another scan later this week.
Photo is of a shrub in our garden and its name escapes me at the moment but as soon as I close this dialogue box I will remember it!
Ah - nearly forgot to add this - went to catch bus home and lots of people at bus stop, some had been waiting 45 minutes (the 89 is every 20 minutes) and looking at the app a bus was due so we all waited but it didn't come and lots of other buses (10A) had been cancelled. When we realised it was not coming some of us set off walking even though it was raining hard. 
When I got closer to home but faced with an uphill drag much of the rest of the way I checked the app again and the next bus was now nearly due - 3 minutes off. I waited without much hope but it turned up. It saved me the uphill drag but I was already soaked. The reason for delayed and cancelled buses? The parade in Liverpool! Grrrr.

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