Outpatient appt - a bit daunted!

[Pross]

PJ has an appointment at the urology clinic on Monday. It's about six weeks now since he was in hospital and was sent home with catheter in situ. Even disabled parking is still a bit of a walk to the entrance. The hospital is new, vast with miles of corridors.

If we make it to the right place, some of the given instructions are impossible. Drink at least two pints of water an hour before the appt. oh yes? It's an ongoing battle to try and get my husband to drink that much fluid of any sort in a day. Do not empty your bladder without letting an attendant know. Excuse me? He's got a catheter therefore no control over what happens.

I am so not looking forward to this expedition.

 

[Izzy]

Sounds a bit of a trial. Could you borrow a wheelchair from Red Cross or somewhere so that you can get him into it right from the car?

Such a worry these appointments. I hope it isn't too stressful.

 

[jeany123]

PJ has an appointment at the urology clinic on Monday. It's about six weeks now since he was in hospital and was sent home with catheter in situ. Even disabled parking is still a bit of a walk to the entrance. The hospital is new, vast with miles of corridors.

If we make it to the right place, some of the given instructions are impossible. Drink at least two pints of water an hour before the appt. oh yes? It's an ongoing battle to try and get my husband to drink that much fluid of any sort in a day. Do not empty your bladder without letting an attendant know. Excuse me? He's got a catheter therefore no control over what happens.

I am so not looking forward to this expedition.

Pross no wonder you are daunted, it is such a worry isn't it but I am sure they will understand and make allowances,

I hope it goes well , would he use a wheelchair it might make things a bit easier for you

Jeany x

Oh Izzy great minds

 

[Dill]

Hi Pross
Having had the same problem regarding walking through miles of hospital corridor with Dad barely able to walk I feel for you.

Can you enter the hospital through reception? If its a biggish hospital they should have volunteers to assist and when we did it there were wheelchairs available to borrow.

I can remember following the hospital letter precisely regarding the amount of water to drink (before a pregnancy scan) only to get there and find that I had to 'eliminate the excess'. If I were you I would ring the department and explain, it will probably be ok to drink the water once there, they must be used to that problem.

Good luck for Monday.

Dill

 

[rajahh]

sometimes it is a pre printed letter which comes out and although it says that it might not be pertinent to PJ I should not worry about it Pross.

Just go and let them know at the time of course if PJ has a catheter in he cannot hold it in.!!!! That is obvious even to a layman.

Most hospitals should have some form of wheelchair at reception, sometimes you have to ask for one, but it should be available. perhaps ring up before you leave requesting one.

You can only do your best, you cannot make PJ drink if he refuses.

My husband was the same too. Thank goodness we donot have to have appointments like that anymore.

Jeannette

 

[Pross]

Often the things you dread turn out to be a molehill! This afternoon's outpatients appointment went off without a hitch. PJ managed all the walking involved (ok, shuffling. But he managed it.) both the X-ray dept and the ultrasound one were staffed by lovely, laid-back people, patient and understanding. The expected problem removing PJs trousers but Id made sure he was wearing loose ones so a quick yank resolved the problem eventually. Lying down was not something PJ really wanted to do but a quick lifting up of the legs and tugging down of the shoulders by two of us worked and there was no struggle or protest. I was assured by the staff that they'd coped with much worse. The consultant was nearly an hour late seeing us but PJ looked at a gardening magazine Id brought for him and was quite content just sitting there. I guess we were in with the consultant all of five minutes.
So why did I get all worked up about this visit?

Soon be G&T time!
.

 

[rajahh]

sometimes it is good to get worked up because then when it goes smoothly or with only a little hiccup we are so so grateful.

Did you have any results or will that come later

 

[Dill]

Hi Pross
Good to hear it all went off ok, onwards and upwards! It makes all the difference if the staff are on your side.
Enjoy the G & T, I might join you