"Radioactive Iodine Treatment"

I had my RAI treatment last week and everything was fine, I was well cared for, and the staff were lovely.  I did however have a couple of blips, although nothing serious. 

The first was sitting in the wrong waiting room for an hour and the staff not knowing I was there, even though I checked in with Reception.  Apparently I was in the wrong place (Radiotherapy Waiting Room) but the Waddington Suite was accessed through a door which needed a Security Code to get in and no Reception Area, so it was confusing. Maybe I should have gone to the main entrance of the hospital, I am not sure, I just went to the area where I had received my Thyrogen injections on the Monday and Tuesday and the Radiotherapy Waiting Room was next to it.  The driver on Tuesday said that was where I would need to be on the Wednesday. 

My room was comfortable and I was made welcome and my treatment was administered in a reassuring way, and I was asked on several occasions if there was anything I needed to just phone and ask, as I was would be in isolation for 2 days.  I was asked what meals I would like to book on the first day and chose my options.  My meal arrived for lunchtime, but my meal at tea time never arrived.  I didn't know what time to expect it so waited and waited and eventually rang to ask where it was.  I received an apology as I had been forgotten in the change over of staff, but I did receive a sandwich and a dessert, but had been looking forward to a Tuna Sandwich (following my LID diet for 2 weeks) and a salad which I didn't get.  It was fine though and as an apology I was brought a box of Cup o Soups, and some cereal and biscuits.  There were several boxes of Cereal and biscuits already in the room, nevertheless I was grateful. 

The following day was fine and I received toast for breakfast and my lunch and tea arrived.  On the Friday I had to go for a scan at 9:00 am and was due to go home later (Staff notified TASL that I would be ready from 11:00 am).  I missed  toast that day as I was having a scan.  It got to nearer lunch time and no transport arrived, so I received a call in my room asking if I would like lunch. I refused thinking transport would turn up.  It didn't.  Several staff asked if I was ok, I was getting fed up as the afternoon went on and no sign of transport and 2 or 3 different nurses said they would chase up for me, but couldn't get a definite idea of what time I would be picked up.  So I was asked if I would like some tea.  I said yes because I was hungry by this time only having had cereal and biscuits all day, and a Cup o Soup which had thankfully been given to me as mentioned.  However tea never turned up, so I again rang to ask if they had forgotten me.  They had.  I ended up with a ham sandwich and a yogurt which was appreciated, but wondered what the problem was and why I was being forgotten. 

By the time it got to 6:00 pm I was almost in tears, wanting to get home for Christmas and not being given any indication as to why my transport hadn't arrived.  At last a lovely Nnrse sorted out some transport for me and I ended up being taken home around 6:30 pm in an ambulance. 

I know how hard the NHS are working and how stressful things must be and didn't want to complain, but I think being in isolation for 2 days is hard enough without being forgotten when meals are expected.  Apart from that the only other tiny complaints are that the CD player has been moved from the windowsill where the nearest socket is, so couldn't be plugged in or used.  I wasn't bothered as I didn't take any CDs in with me.  The remote control for the TV was missing, and it was the second day before I found out that the DVDs went into the back of the TV, and the CD player was not a DVD/CD player as I had thought it was.  Without a remote though and needing to constantly go to the loo to flush out the radioiodine I wouldn't be able to stop the DVD so didn't bother using it.  I also couldn't get any subtitles with not having a remote control, and I couldn't hear the TV as well as I would have liked to pass the time on due to my hearing deteriorating; I didn't take hearing aids in with me as I don't use them all the time. 

Sorry for the rant but I just wonder if it can help the next person in isolation, I should say something.