"Aftercare post-operatively"

Aside from huge issues of waiting too long and clinical care, some patients are being sent home very early after surgery.

I had an op for colon cancer on Wednesday and was sent home on Saturday.

This is to a house where I live alone, have no family and haven't established myself in community as only recently moved here. No chance of GP support as the service is seemingly on verge of collapse with 2-3 week wait for appointments and not always a chance of a call back from a doctor on same day.

How is someone supposed to cope with pain, washing, shopping, dressing, cleaning and all aspects of maintaining oneself?

Many hospital staff seen unaware of post-op services provided by their own hospital.

By chance I learnt that there is free help available at home but no one told me that.

When myself and a friend told the nursing sister I'd have trouble coping, unbelievably the sister said: 'What did you do before?'

As my friend responded: 'But she wasn't post operative before'

As if I could do now after this huge trauma what I could do when I hadn't had an operation!

I was told the service that might be able to offer help didn't cover my age group which is incorrect. Surely staff should know this stuff as some patients will be elderly, frail, alone or marginalised for whatever reason?

Many people now live far from their communities or origin due to work.

I'm really going to need that help and trust I can get it as I don't know how I'll cope otherwise.