"Cancelled surgery"

I was scheduled for a laparoscopic choleycystectomy and went for a pre-operative assessment late last year. This appointment was smooth and the staff very helpful, despite me telling the clinic that I had moved to away they advised me to keep the scheduled surgery in Leicester.

The operation date was not given until after a 3 month period, in which case I had to travel again to Leicester for another pre-operative assessment.

I was in consultation with the nurse whereupon an un-named staff member interrupted the session and was extremely rude and abrupt. They made me feel incredibly conscious about my weight.

This person looked at me and then insisted I had sleep apnoea - I tried to assure them that I didn't but they were insisting that I "must" have sleep apnoea because of my size, and because I had 4 out of 8 criteria for this - they were counting on their fingers the amount of risk factors that in their opinion I suffer from. They also - and I quote - said they "eyeballed" me when I came in the door and made their assessment based on that. They assured me they were not going to cancel the surgery. It felt like they started to berate me about being overweight and made me feel as though I was worthless.

My surgery was scheduled for 2 days time - lo and behold on the morning of the surgery I received a phonecall saying the surgery was cancelled because I need to be referred to a sleep clinic - excuse me....? How on EARTH can they make this assummption based on a visual inspection of my body alone? 

How on Earth can anybody justify cancelling my surgery this time around - all becasue of the rude opinion of someone who was not even connected with my case - and yet the first time I was scheduled my size was not a problem and I was going to go for my operation as planned?

I have rearranged my work rota, my partner has rearranged their work rota to accomodate my travel to Leicester and for the overnight stay all becasue of a mis-informed opinion in the first instance of keeping my operation scheduled in a hospital that I no longer live anywhere near to - when I should have been offered to Choose and Book...!

I am extremely disappointed in the service I have received from your hospital, and certainly this is not one I would recommend to anyone. I should have gone with my gut instinct and have stayed with the hospital near my home! !

Now I am back to square one, in dire agony and have no further date for an operation! ! If I were to be operated on in my local hospital I would have to be re-referred to a surgeon, then have to go for another pre-op assessment - all of which will no doubt be at least 6 months in duration before I even get to have my operation! ! So very not impressed ! !