Companion when having surgery?
I'm not sure where to ask this but here goes.
I'm due to have gallbladder surgery in a couple of weeks and I don't think I'm going to have anybody to accompany me to and from hospital. I have M.E. among other issues but even if I didn't, everyone needs somebody to accompany.
Is there any way I can get somebody to help me? Is there a service for people in my situation at all? I did have a family member arranged but that has fallen through so now I'm struggling to know what to do.
Comments
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Hi,
Your hospital should have a chaperone service that can assist you while you're at the hospital.
The journey there & back is a separate thing though. How far have you got to travel? You can ask for hospital transport (ambulance or minibus) though they may not always have the resources available.
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You could speak to a care agency about hiring carers on a private basis to accompany you to the Hospital and upon discharge.
Once there Hospital porters can transport you to the ward, and from the ward to hospital transport (if available) or to a taxi.
I'd also suggest contacting the PALS department as they might know of any voluntary services.
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Thank you both, these are good ideas. I had tried to look up care sites to see but was getting a bit confused, so might be a good idea to speak to PALS first.
I don't have too far too go, maybe a 20-25 minute journey each way, so around an hour total possibly. Not included time coming up to the ward to get me if that is needed, unless the porters would take me to the doors.
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Porters would definitely take you to the doors.
Maybe have a look around for local private care agencies and phone them with your requirements?
That's basically what I did a couple of months ago to get a weekly care visit at home arranged.
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Thank you. I've just emailed one place I've seen in the area, so hopefully they can help me. I'm half wondering if I should get somebody for the next couple of days to visit too.
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Hi @geckobat good luck with your surgery. Are you having key hole surgery for your gall bladder removal?
I had my gall bladder out nearly three years ago. As you are having a General Anaesthetic the hospital do like you to have someone with you at home for 24 hours after, so if this is not possible I think it would be a good idea to have somebody visit you for the following two days. This is in case you need anything.
Take care.
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Hi, thank you! Yes I'm having keyhole surgery so hopefully out the same day, although would they keep me in overnight if there's nobody to be around for me for those 24 hours?
I hope yours went smoothly and you recovered well! That's what I'm hoping for too.
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You could perhaps check with your hospital about whether they would keep you in overnight for 24 hours if you have no one at home.
It is a fairly straight forward operation, you still need to be careful what you eat for a while after or I did.
Perhaps you could let us know how you get on.
Take care.
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@Bluebell21 Thank you for the advice, I'll try that. And yes I will do, thanks again!
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Hello @geckobat, All the very best for your surgery and I'm glad you've got a couple of weeks to prepare and make suitable arrangements.
Following an anaesthetic, sedation or an epidural for surgery the hospital would need to 'hand you over' to a responsible person who will accompany you home and stay with you for at least 24 hours following your surgery. I have known even day cases to be cancelled when this arrangement isn't in place so I'd call the hospital, maybe tomorrow, to must double check their protocol (I'm a former nurse). The anaesthetic can cause dizziness or mental confusion and the person should be able to understand and follow post-operative instructions. The person should drive you home or accompany you in a cab. I have discharged patients who had hospital (ambulance) transport but whose 'responsible person' was at home, hospital rules may vary on this.
I have ambulance transport that has to be booked two weeks in advance in my area. It could be worth you checking if you're eligible.
My hospital (a large City Teaching Hospital) has Red Cross volunteers who can take a patient from the door to the ward but they could not be the 'responsible person', after surgery.
Finally, Age UK can email you details of independent carer services in your local area (it doesn't matter what age you are, they are very helpful). Their Advice Line is on 0800 678 1602 and is open from 0800 to 1900hrs, 365 days a year. They may give the information over the 'phone to you, I'm not certain of that though but guess they would.
I hope you can get things sorted relatively easily and take care. With very warmest wishes to you.
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PS @geckobat We have kept patients overnight when they did not have a 'responsible person' at home but only when that has been known and arranged in advance.
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Thank you very much for the information. I really hope it doesn't end up cancelled as it was already postponed once and I've been waiting a number of years for it 😣
Hopefully I can arrange something, and I really appreciate the advice and insight from a nurse's perspective too.
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Hi @geckobat the following link might be of interest to you.
Mine was cancelled twice due to doctors strikes. Years seems a long time to wait mine was months and still seemed forever.
Two weeks would be a good time to have your surgery while this strike finishes and before the next one starts. (If no agreement is made).
Take care.
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@geckobat
You are very welcome, and I'm sorry I'm not trying to worry you.
My experience was fairly recent (left in Jan 2023) in a very busy Treatment Centre [TC] for various day surgeries/24 bed unit including cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal), prostate cancer, mastectomy etc.etc. I mostly worked in Opthalmic Surgery in my last year.
Our TC closed at 2000hrs; patients with previous arrangements to stay in were transferred to a ward in good time. I'd definitely ring them tomorrow as a bed for you may be available anyway, overnight, if you're not in a TC, but I guess you can't take that as a given at the moment - it may still be a 'day ward', for instance.
There were very structured protocols in place for the nurse (it was a 'nurse led' Unit) to carry out safe discharges and physical, 'in-person' transfer to the care of the 'responsible person' following going through the discharge with the patient. This is always true of a TC/Day Care Unit.
There may be different protocols on a ward but they won't be very dissimilar (again, they may have a bed). It will put your mind at ease I'm sure once you know for certain and time to put something in place otherwise.
I hope the (necessary) juggling you've got on your hands isn't too stressful whilst you sort out your arrangements but your best placed when you know how the 'land lies' with the Ward. Forwarned and all that.... If you've got the number for the Pre-Operative assessment nurse they can be a good port of call to check with if you can't get through to the Ward easily.
Finally, are you aware yet whether your surgery is scheduled for morning or the afternoon? That can help a little in planning; however, the 'standard' discharge goal was 4 to 6 hours for this surgery (so pretty much a full day). Even when the goal is same-day discharge, that's based on good recovery from the anaesthetic - this means being able to eat and drink without nausea or vomiting, able to mobilise in the ward independently and good pain control/management with medication. Even in our TC patients who didn't meet these goals fully, we'd be ringing the Bed Manager as they'd then have to stay overnight on a Ward and a bed would have to be found.
I hope my information isn't overwhelming at all and you may have already been provided with all of this by Pre-Op. Apologies if that's the case and telling you what you already know!
If you're happy to let us know how you get on that would be great but absolutely no pressure on you whatsoever. The very best to you.
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My wife had hers done during the pandemic, no one was allowed in at the doors or visitors, they looked after her well. She did stay in for a week though, gallbladder and bile duct. Did a great job, she's so much better now she's not literally drinking gavascon lol
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@Bluebell21 It is way too long, they messed up the referral initially but then I was on another for over two years. Then, they promised me it would be about two months for surgery from the consultant appointment and that was end of Aug last year. It's approaching three years since I was first referred now.
So I really hope they won't postpone again either.
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@Santosha12 No it's okay, it's good to understand the possibilities and concerns, I appreciate your input!
They haven't told me what time, they put on the letter 7:30am but in reality they said they will call the day before to tell me what time to go to the hospital. There's no knowledge of what time the surgery is. For a previous unrelated surgery, I was there very early and didn't go down until the afternoon.
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Fingers crossed @geckobat I do not think they realise how devasting it is to have your surgery cancelled.
Good luck .
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Thanks @geckobat. Am very much rooting for you today to get the information and the help you may need.
Many of our patients were to come in for 0730 even if scheduled for afternoon surgery so taking a book/newspaper/phone charger etc can help pass the time. It's probably a bit too early yet for the Theatre Schedulers to have done the timings/theatre list yet but not impossible.
I'm presuming you do not have Type 1 (or Type 3) diabetes as quite different protocols with that, often with a Variable Rate Intravenous Infusion needed (I'm not being 'nosey' to know your health conditions! 😉😊); more that I've known cancellations because an important /critical aspect has been overlooked, fortunately rarely! Just because it's via 'keyhole' surgery the detail is still imperative, for safety, hence my detail!
Finally.... I shan't just presume you already have the number for The ME Association - it is 0808 801 0484 - they can be a great source of support too.
Good luck today with any calls - hopefully you will get your surgery as planned; everything possible I've got crossed for you. As healthcare profs we understand the devastation cancellations cause to patients, both practically and psychologically. My heart sank having to make such calls as it's very distressing for patients. The most important thing is that, as a patient, you are ready and safe for surgery (ie nil by mouth for the timescale advised) etc. etc. etc.
Once you've made your arrangements you'll perhaps feel better able to relax prior to the day, as that's important too and can help minimise any post-operative pain or discomfort. Take good care and the very best to you.
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