"Treatment of my Daddy"

My Daddy was admitted to Lagan Valley Hospital, his hemoglobin had dropped very low which was concerning after he had recently been in the Royal Hospital with a hemorrhage from a peptic ulcer, he received great care there and got his ulcer treated and although he had advanced heart failure and his kidneys were very poor, daddy got sent home 3 days later. 

Sadly daddy never recovered from that and  I tried everything even getting him a nebulizer as his breathing wasn't great after having had covid and pneumonia, community nurses were fantastic calling out to take his bloods etc and his Heart Failure nurse was a tower of help to me during daddy's illness, but through no fault of their own they couldn't come out and see daddy so asked me to bring him down to see a doctor, that's when I was told daddy's blood was very low and he would be better being admitted, that day at teatime daddy was moved to MAU Lagan Valley.

The treatment he got was nothing short of disgraceful, I was told daddy's heart was under a lot of pressure because his hemoglobin was so low and the blood was ordered and would be given that night, I kept asking and was told there wasn't enough staff on to monitor him getting the transfusion, I even went and spoke to a doctor and was told the blood was there and if he became really ill then they would give him it. I wasn't happy but what could I do. I got daddy into bed before I left, he had 1 pillow with no cover on it, I had to ask for it, and 1 thin sheet to cover him, daddy was so cold, I asked for another pillow and a blanket and was told they were like hens teeth. I covered daddy with my coat and his dressing gown, bought him 2 pillows and a fleecy dressing gown and took it straight back and made him more comfortable.

The next morning I went into Daddy and still no blood had been given to him, I kept going up and was told they were short staffed and would get it up. By this time I was going out of my mind, Daddy looked so ill. I was asked to leave because it was dinner time, I just got home when daddy texted me to say he had vomited blood again. I went straight back down and was told they knew nothing about it, but my Daddy's mind was fantastic, he told me there were two nurses with him which we then found out were 2 junior doctors who told me it was the bile off his stomach, I don't believe this but have no proof.

At 3 pm Daddy still had not received his blood, I was so angry I phoned his heart failure nurse who came up right away, at that stage the blood had just been put up, almost 24 hours after it was supposed to. Also when I was sitting with Daddy a nurse came over and said here's you tablets, my father's hearing was very poor and I had to tell the nurse they had the wrong person.

About 6 pm Daddy was moved to Coronary Care, where his treatment was so much better, he had a nurse with him at first who sadly didn't have a very good mannerism, they kept telling Daddy to pull himself up onto the bed, he had to tell them he hadn't the strength. I'm sure the nurse was tired, but I expect my father to be treated with a bit of decency, with that particular nurse he felt a nuisance and he told me. I found them very abrupt also, but thankfully the next 2 days he had the loveliest nurse who was so caring and nothing was too much for them. As I said, my Daddy was very independent and even asking for the commode embarrassed him, but this nurse always put him at ease, they need to be praised for this and kept me informed of all what was happening, even organising an airflow mattress and cushion for Daddy.

Sadly, Daddy started vomiting blood again, he had told me he had a nausea feeling on him the day before and the nurse spoke to the doctor for me, who thought it was from the medication they were giving him, I had an uneasy feeling about it and I kept asking the nurse to keep an eye on Daddy as I was so worried about the ulcer bleeding again. Unfortunately that's what it was, but I wasn't phoned until 10.30 am and was told even then there was no rush but I went down straight away, when I saw my Daddy I knew only a miracle would save him.

I'm annoyed I wasn't phoned sooner he was shaking when I arrived, all I could do was hug him, and I was put out more time than I was in with him, I understand they were working with daddy but he needed me with him. Daddy passed away around 12 pm, I think I got about 20 minutes with him while he was conscious, but his heart couldn't take any more and I held his hand until he passed away. The Sister that day and nurses were fantastic, I also have to say that the doctor worked so hard that day to help daddy and did all they could, but the days before haunt me, and not getting phoned to 10.30am torture me also.