Rubylady

Presume PALS is like the old fashioned almoner?

This is my granddaughter using her super-strength!

Ruby I feel for you having to stay in a noisy, airless environment.
Could you get some ear defenders? Headphones that block out noise? There are lots available if you google.

Ask if there is somewhere you can go for fresh air, not the same place as the smokers go, though!

I hope someone from the PALS service can help you. I'd never heard of them.

Doing little things to cheer yourself up is a great idea! I wish I could visit you and meet Auntie Ann.

If Ruby doesn't reply she is using the very expensive gizmo by her bed which is a phone, a TV and she can use it as a computer. It can be hit and miss for the internet.

Morning Ruby-do you have a tablet with you or are you relying on your phone?

https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/201705/medium-672400-dsc-0010.jpg%3C/span%3E https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/201705/medium-638628-dsc-0014.jpg%3C/span%3E https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/201705/medium-635202-dsc-0016.jpg%3C/span%3E

I was going to suggest PALS too. I'm posting some pictures from our garden. One is the water feature which tinkles away and is very restful. The other two are what I see from my favourite place to sit on a sunny day.

How frustrating ruby - no wonder you feel fed up. Before, you were at home feeling you were getting nowhere and now you are in hospital feeling you are getting nowhere! You can't win!

One thing I would say is that hospital beds are are at a premium and I am sure they would not be keeping you in unnecessarily, so I think you are going to have to take a deep breath, gird up your loins and dredge up a bit more of your store of grit and keep going. It sounds as though they want you to be as near to 100% as possible before surgery. There are lots of people rooting for you on here - 377 posts and counting!

I know that things seem to grind slow in hospital and it can be so frustrating - there you are, stuck in your bed and not a party to all the discussions and decision-making that is going on on your behalf in other places in the hospital.

You are in the best place, but it does not feel ideal from your end of things. Are you getting books? - there is usually a source of books in hospitals, often a trolley run by volunteers. Contact the hospital radio and ask them for a favourite tune? Do you knit? - could someone bring you in some wool and a pattern? You could always spend the time learning Chinese!!

Don't give up - the wheels are grinding, albeit slowly!

I imagine that the hospital as a whole is very busy dealing with casualties from the terrorist atrocity but
you should have been informed about PALS weeks ago when you were admitted. Ask your ward sister (or charge nurse) for a PALS information leaflet for patients.

How to contact the PALS team
Telephone: 0161 276 8686
E-mail: [email protected]

Hope this helps ruby.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service
The Patient Advice and Liaison Service - PALS - provides you with advice and support in complete confidence.
PALS exists to help you deal with any issues you may have about the care provided and to guide you through the different services available.
The PALS team will:
Listen to your concerns about any services the hospital is providing for you or your family
Provide information to patients, carers and families about NHS services and other sources of help such as Citizen's Advice Bureau
Support you through an anxious time as a patient, relative, friend or visitor
Help sort out any problems quickly by liaising with staff
Support you in making your concerns heard
Give a voice to patients' issues, influencing change at the hospital
Monitor any problems arising, identify any gaps in services and have reporting responsibilities to the Trust Board
How to contact the PALS team

Telephone: 0161 276 8686
E-mail: [email protected]
Click here for a copy of the PALS leaflet
For further help and advice visit our Comments, Compliments, Concerns and Complaints page

Sorry, can't do proper links but this gives the information.

Hope they can help x

https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/201705/medium-981534-image.jpeg%3C/span%3E https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/201705/medium-550446-image.jpeg%3C/span%3E

I'm so sorry to hear that you're in hospital Rubylady, I do hope that things go well and that you're home again very soon.
I haven't been on GN for a while so trying to catch up!
I can't bring you roses in person but here's some from my garden. I don't imagine that I live close enough to visit (actually I have no idea where you live!) or I would happily visit with grapes.
((Hugs)) and love x

Oh ruby of course your patience is running out, too long for too little outcome but it's the best and safest place for you to be right now.

Your hospital will have a PALS service (think it stands for patient advice and liaison service but I might be wrong), ask for their details or for one of the nurses to contact them for you. Someone from PALS should come and visit you and you can explain. All hospitals have one of these services. The only thing to be aware of is that the service is often provided by just one person who may even work part time. Once you have contact they should be both supportive and helpful as an advocate for you. Just tell the person how it is!

A friend who was in hospital for seven weeks last year found them invaluable, I can only hope you find the same. Sorry, I dont know your area or the hospital, I'm down South in the West of England so can't be specific for you, it's definitely worth a try though

Your earlier thoughts about little things today sounded really helpful. See if you can manage one? Distance means I can't visit but I'm with you in thoughts. Hope today is a better one for you and let me know if PALS can help.

Patience running very thin this morning, I feel like a prisoner, I can't go home and nothing seems to be moving on other than at snail's pace.

Does anyone know of any rules where treatment has to be carried out in a certain time frame?

And, is there a person, like patient rights/Welfare who I could speak with?

With having suffered from depression, being on my own for months on end, it's getting to me with all this constant commotion and noise. The only view is the concrete wards around me, no greenery, no proper fresh air and even no fan to cool down in this heat.

I worry I am going to get too institutionalised and will struggle to cope when home. I've never been in hospital, or anywhere away from home, for this long before.

I feel like I'm going to lose it if this operation doesn't get done very soon, Xxx

Super photos nfk.

I'll try to post some later too, ruby. I'm glad you enjoyed your visit from Auntie Ann - I bet she finds it a tonic too.

I had an Auntie Ann who was as deaf as a post and wore one of those huge pink boxes attached to the front of her dress. She was always fiddling with it but still never heard a word anyone said. She was a lovely, gentle lady - always smiling.

Hope you get some resolution of some sort soon, ruby.

https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/201705/medium-405166-wp-20170524-05-32-06-pro.jpg%3C/span%3E https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/201705/medium-299200-wp-20170524-05-31-26-pro.jpg%3C/span%3E

There were pictures. I previewed it to make sure. Try again!

I thought you might like some garden pictures. The wisteria is lazy and miles behind anyone else's, and the palm thing produces these weird flower things every year.
I do hope you're soon fit enough for your op Ruby. It must be so frustrating for you.

Hi yeah, they like me too much to send me home. I'm up and down like a bride's nightie, one minute having a laugh and then in tears. It's dragging on now, need to look at it from a different perspective tomorrow, write a list maybe of small things to do, have a shower, make someone laugh, enjoy my grapes my Aunt Ann brought me, have a brew. Then I will think I am being constructive with my time even though I'm not doing much. Tomorrow's job is to wash my kaftan with the travel wash my adopted Aunt brought in. I might smell fresher then! I've another cannula in which is on the side of my wrist and is painful and a menace. Had iron through it earlier but bloods to be tested again in morning and see if haemoglobin level has gone up enough. It's all good fun! Going into my fifth week now. Anyone who lives nearby can visit if they want.

I had a lovely time with Ann today, she was just the tonic I needed to help me feel better. A great chat and a warm hug off my beautiful Aunt Ann, what more could I ask for? She very kindly brought me some treats too so they will get me through the next few days. It makes a huge difference, waking up knowing that I am cared about, the feeling you leave me with is so very precious to me, so thank you so much ? Xxx

Thanks for visiting annsixty xx Love to you ruby girl, what a time you're having here's hoping things get better for you

Ann - is she to stay in till the surgery? Glad you were able to dispense cheer.

Just back. Ruby not so good when I got there, breathless and hoarse , however we had a good chat and more than a few laughs . They took blood while I was there and something else I can't remember ?.
She really is in for the long haul.

Ruby if it's any consolation I thought Phoenix had posted on the wrong thread. I've done it myself. Then I got it! Bit slow.....
Greyduster first time I've laughed today! Really funny.
This is a lovely thread thanks to you Ruby. Glad you've been getting our cards, something to look back on in the future. I thought your extra week was due to high b.p caused by elegran's calendar! It wouldn't surprise me. Those models must spend hours in the gym though to acquire those six packs!
Have a lovely afternoon with ann. It's nice for you both to chat though I know a lot will be about the senseless attack so near to you. Hope you get a bit more comfortable on your chair. Speak to us soon. X

A couple of Tommy Cooper jokes for you -

I'm on a whisky diet... last week I lost three days.
and
They always say start at the bottom if you want to learn something. But suppose you want to learn to swim?

The sweets were a kind thought ruby
I agree you need some sort of pressure cushion.
please don't suffer in silence.
We don't want you deleloping bed sores.
Hope your day improves a little.
Xxx

Hi ruby just catching up as been away for the first 2+ weeks of May. Hope that you are soon well enough to go home! but better to be somewhere where support, entertainment and care are easily to hand!
Sending all good wishes for a speedy recovery

Morning Ruby (only just!)

Sorry to hear you've had a bad morning-I know chest pain can be very worrying but not every pain is significant so try not to fret too much. Hooefully the ecg put your mind at rest a little. I think you said the docs were round today, hopefully they'll get a date sorted out for this week. Try asking nurses for one of those cushions with a hole in it that you get in maternity!! Would help your back pain.

Don't have any (bad) jokes today but have sent a pic of my magic toadstools in the shrubbery. Dgc think they're magic anyway!

Hope you get some positive news today.

Lol, me too Flo, far too clever for me Phoenix, only just got it and I read it yesterday!

Had a bad morning, pain in chest checked with ecg, got upset and then the infusion of iron for half hour through yet another cannula. ?

Dinner soon, forgot what I've ordered now. Very sore burning bottom/bottom of spine thanks to this chair. Looking forward to seeing Ann though, be nice to talk about other things for a bit.

Staff all upset about senseless attack. Ordered some sweets for them which came today so hopefully they will cheer things a little.

Thank you for photos, very beautiful. Xxx