Should they have found something sooner?

[meeru]

This is the first time I have read the NHS board and there are a few sad stories amongst it. Good Luck to everyone.

I thought I would ask some advice as to what you would do in my position at the moment.

In early 2004, my Dad was ill. He had jaundice and was a really funny yellow colour. He used to like a drink a lot when he was younger (and I mean a lot) but he had mellowed and drank less over the years. He still occasionally enjoyed a pint, but wasn't a heavy drinker.

He went to the Doctors who sent him to a specialist at the local hospital to find out the problem. They said he had a liver disease and needed a liver transplant and was not to touch a single drop of alcohol. He never did. They said as he had a 'history' of being a drinker that he would have to 'prove' that he hadn't had a drink for 6 months before they would even consider putting him on the list!! As you can imagine, we were all shocked and extremely worried about him as he lost a lot of weight and was jaundice on and off. He never drank at all (he wouldn't even have xmas pud and brandy custard for fear of being refused a place on the list) and passed all the tests to supposedly go on the transplant list. The only time he left the house was for his hospital checks.

He was pretty much bedridden for a YEAR!

In early March last year, we got a phonecall out of the blue asking him to go into hospital as they had a bed available for him. We all presumed that this was his final tests to get him on the donor register. He was very poorly but we were delighted that finally something was happening.

We arrived at the hospital and the staff were asking why he was there. We told them we had a phone call and they phoned around for a while and then gave him a bed.

He has numerous tests and we were all optimistic. He went for scans so they could see the condition of his liver. We were all sat in the room when the results came back and the Doctor came in and started talking and mentioned 'that the CANCER is here in this tube blah blah' ... we were all stunned. We asked what he was talking about and that they must have it wrong as he was having test for a liver transplant not cancer. But they said no, he has cancer and to be quite honest, anything he said after that went right over our heads. We were devestated.

The following days were spent trying to insert a stent into my Dad to relieve his jaundice ... he was messed around so much and I felt so bad for him. He couldn't take in what was happening and neither could we. We presumed that the stent was to help make him better as they mentioned he could have chemotherapy etc... I was sick of presuming and things and I asked to see a specialist privately.

He told me that my Dad had cancer of the bile duct and it was very rare, and he would not get better and it was just a matter of months before he would die. I was asking all sorts of questions but always got the same answer ... there's nothing we can do.

They discharged my Dad after 4 weeks and he went downhill rapid. He was ill for so long that I don't think he had any fight left in him. 2 weeks after leaving hospital he was at home and very ill.

We had to carry him to the bathroom, feed him, make sure he got his tablets and everything. We had no help from anyone at anytime even though we were told Macmillan nurses would call. No one ever did.

On a Friday evening, he was so bad it was frightening. We called the Doctor who came in, walked upstairs, was there for 2 mins, came down and told us that 'he'll be dead within a week!'. We were shattered. My mum asked for some help for the last week as we were all struggling to cope. My mum is a pensioner and found it hard to cope. My younger sister lives at home but myself and other sister don't be we were there pretty much 24/7 and it was hard work.

We were told by the Doc that he would sort something out over the next few days. I told him we didn't have a few days and he said he'd sort something and left. On the Friday night, Dad was unresponsive and so my mum phoned for an ambulance ... they were fantastic and the first bit of help we had had in a year.

He went into hospital on the Friday night and died on the Sunday afternoon with all of us there holding his hand and kissing him. He was 56.

We were numb for a few months after ... none of us hardly cried ... its a strange thing to go through, but now it's finally sinking in and we are getting angry and have so many questions.

Why was the cancer no diagnosed sooner as he was under the hospital for his liver and had regular scans?

Why was he ignored for a transplant when he hadnt had a drink for over 12 months (I wish he had done now)

Why did we have no help?

Why why why??? The care he got in his final days from the nurses on the ward was exceptional and I can't fault them one bit ... but why was he treated so shabbily by the specialist etc.

There are so many questions it would take forever for me to detail them all here. My mum is now a widow and feels she has been cheated.

Does it sound to you like we have? I feel we need answers but dont know where to start.

Thanks for reading all this if you have got this far. I have just read over it and didn't realise I had typed so much, lol, I was on a roll typing and it all came out.

So, does anyone have any advice, thanks

[dollies01]

Hi

Im sorry, I don't have any advice, just wanted to offer my condolences, I lost my dad three years ago in similar circumstances. He had a tumour on his kidney but was told he had gall stones!
By the time the cancer was discovered the tumour was 17cm long and he died within two weeks.
He waited a week for a scan, because he wasnt concidered to be as ill as some others on the ward.
I've gone beyond being angry now, as I dont know that there could of been anything they could of been done anyway, but at the end of the day, we have both lost our dads and whatever the circumstances that hurts.

[KAB]

I am sincerely sorry for both of you. This should not be allowed to happen, if I was you I would contact a specialist lawyer within this field.

[gizmo111]

Originally Posted by meeru

This is the first time I have read the NHS board and there are a few sad stories amongst it. Good Luck to everyone.

I thought I would ask some advice as to what you would do in my position at the moment.

In early 2004, my Dad was ill. He had jaundice and was a really funny yellow colour. He used to like a drink a lot when he was younger (and I mean a lot) but he had mellowed and drank less over the years. He still occasionally enjoyed a pint, but wasn't a heavy drinker.

He went to the Doctors who sent him to a specialist at the local hospital to find out the problem. They said he had a liver disease and needed a liver transplant and was not to touch a single drop of alcohol. He never did. They said as he had a 'history' of being a drinker that he would have to 'prove' that he hadn't had a drink for 6 months before they would even consider putting him on the list!! As you can imagine, we were all shocked and extremely worried about him as he lost a lot of weight and was jaundice on and off. He never drank at all (he wouldn't even have xmas pud and brandy custard for fear of being refused a place on the list) and passed all the tests to supposedly go on the transplant list. The only time he left the house was for his hospital checks.

He was pretty much bedridden for a YEAR!

In early March last year, we got a phonecall out of the blue asking him to go into hospital as they had a bed available for him. We all presumed that this was his final tests to get him on the donor register. He was very poorly but we were delighted that finally something was happening.

We arrived at the hospital and the staff were asking why he was there. We told them we had a phone call and they phoned around for a while and then gave him a bed.

He has numerous tests and we were all optimistic. He went for scans so they could see the condition of his liver. We were all sat in the room when the results came back and the Doctor came in and started talking and mentioned 'that the CANCER is here in this tube blah blah' ... we were all stunned. We asked what he was talking about and that they must have it wrong as he was having test for a liver transplant not cancer. But they said no, he has cancer and to be quite honest, anything he said after that went right over our heads. We were devestated.

The following days were spent trying to insert a stent into my Dad to relieve his jaundice ... he was messed around so much and I felt so bad for him. He couldn't take in what was happening and neither could we. We presumed that the stent was to help make him better as they mentioned he could have chemotherapy etc... I was sick of presuming and things and I asked to see a specialist privately.

He told me that my Dad had cancer of the bile duct and it was very rare, and he would not get better and it was just a matter of months before he would die. I was asking all sorts of questions but always got the same answer ... there's nothing we can do.

They discharged my Dad after 4 weeks and he went downhill rapid. He was ill for so long that I don't think he had any fight left in him. 2 weeks after leaving hospital he was at home and very ill.

We had to carry him to the bathroom, feed him, make sure he got his tablets and everything. We had no help from anyone at anytime even though we were told Macmillan nurses would call. No one ever did.

On a Friday evening, he was so bad it was frightening. We called the Doctor who came in, walked upstairs, was there for 2 mins, came down and told us that 'he'll be dead within a week!'. We were shattered. My mum asked for some help for the last week as we were all struggling to cope. My mum is a pensioner and found it hard to cope. My younger sister lives at home but myself and other sister don't be we were there pretty much 24/7 and it was hard work.

We were told by the Doc that he would sort something out over the next few days. I told him we didn't have a few days and he said he'd sort something and left. On the Friday night, Dad was unresponsive and so my mum phoned for an ambulance ... they were fantastic and the first bit of help we had had in a year.

He went into hospital on the Friday night and died on the Sunday afternoon with all of us there holding his hand and kissing him. He was 56.

We were numb for a few months after ... none of us hardly cried ... its a strange thing to go through, but now it's finally sinking in and we are getting angry and have so many questions.

Why was the cancer no diagnosed sooner as he was under the hospital for his liver and had regular scans?

Why was he ignored for a transplant when he hadnt had a drink for over 12 months (I wish he had done now)

Why did we have no help?

Why why why??? The care he got in his final days from the nurses on the ward was exceptional and I can't fault them one bit ... but why was he treated so shabbily by the specialist etc.

There are so many questions it would take forever for me to detail them all here. My mum is now a widow and feels she has been cheated.

Does it sound to you like we have? I feel we need answers but dont know where to start.

Thanks for reading all this if you have got this far. I have just read over it and didn't realise I had typed so much, lol, I was on a roll typing and it all came out.

So, does anyone have any advice, thanks

Sorry to hear about your dad. My dad has terminal cancer so I know what you went through.

21 months ago my mum went to the doctor because she was feeling breathless and tired. On a thursday 3 months later her Gp gave her anti-depresants and no other treatment(muy mother was the least depressed person you could ever wish to meet) I had her admitted into hospaital on saturday after calling NHS direct and she passed away with lung cancer 5 weeks later. I am still undecided waht action to take but you have 3 years from date of death.

[meeru]

Thanks for your kind words and I offer my condolences to you too.

I think the thing is ... we ALL want to do something, we just don't know what!!

The legal system is confusing at the best of times without the emotional attachment that would go with cases like these ... plus for some reason, we seem to think the NHS is above the law and would be hard to prove negligence.

Saying that, we used to think the banks were untouchable and look at us now.

[gizmo111]

Originally Posted by meeru

Thanks for your kind words and I offer my condolences to you too.

I think the thing is ... we ALL want to do something, we just don't know what!!

The legal system is confusing at the best of times without the emotional attachment that would go with cases like these ... plus for some reason, we seem to think the NHS is above the law and would be hard to prove negligence.

Saying that, we used to think the banks were untouchable and look at us now.

I hate the GP with a passion - but only recently I have felt emotionally well enough to think about tackling this. Whe nI receive some money back and have some more info on how my dad will progress then I will make enquiries there are bound to be sites that cover this.

[JonCris]

Originally Posted by meeru

Thanks for your kind words and I offer my condolences to you too.

I think the thing is ... we ALL want to do something, we just don't know what!!

The legal system is confusing at the best of times without the emotional attachment that would go with cases like these ... plus for some reason, we seem to think the NHS is above the law and would be hard to prove negligence.

Saying that, we used to think the banks were untouchable and look at us now.

1st let me say you have my heartfelt sympathy for what is I'm afraid an all to common situation.

2nd Hospitals & doctors are allowed to make genuine mistakes they are NOT allowed to be negligent & those cases ARE NOT above the law. Many such claims are brought anually against doctors & the NHS which never make the front page but are settled out of court

Also contrary to the media spin most such cases are not about money they are about finding out what happened. Unfortunately the NHS close ranks & often refuse to admit to their mistakes causing victims & relatives to take the only course open to them....costly (to the NHS) litigation

In the cases mentioned here I would 1st write to the trust concerned putting the circumstances as described & ask for an explanation. If that is not forthcoming or unsatisfactory then consult a solicitor who practices in medical negligence