THR my new life as a bionic person

Trish9556

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/731280#Comment_731280

hi @Zimmer

I know other members on here who live in Wales who have also faced delays which is not good for anyone in constant pain. It is worth a conversation with your GP as to if he can think of another hospital in Wales that might have shorter lists - or even, if you are close to the border, it may be possible to transfer to an English hospital? In either case I would have that conversation with your GP, make him/her aware that you've been delayed x times and meanwhile your quality of life is deteriorating and costing the NHS more than is necessary.

I always work on the basis that if you don't ask, you don't know the answer and they can only say no.

If that fails, complain to your health authority/MP

Good luck

Trish

Nocturne

Hi Zimmer, just adding this as not been mentioned so far. Of course it's much nicer to be nearer home especially if you would have visitors, someone to take you etc, but you might be willing to sacrifice that in order to get this done. I can only speak for the North West ambulance service but if you qualify for patient transport (ie have no-one to take and fetch you and public transport is inappropriate) then you can be taken anywhere in the country under NHS Choice rules. I say country, but don't know about rules for Wales. That might be a factor in your decision. My own journey will be 100 miles, 2 hours, that's because I moved house and to transfer to new health authority would have sent me to back of queue, adding at least 9 months, possibly more.

Janlyn

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/731282#Comment_731282

@Zimmer Not just a year but a year and two months, and I do feel stronger than I have in years. After a couple of weeks my physio told me that after six months I would feel I had recovered but I would have much further to go to reach my potential which might take 18-24 months. At six months I did think I had made a full recovery, actually it was around five months I felt I'd made real progress, but then came September and another leap forward and another a couple of months ago. It really can be a miracle operation and I do hope you get a date before too long so you can start to feel better and stronger too.

Zimmer

Thank you all, for your words of encouragement. Looks like I'm gonna have to be a pain in my dr's ****, which I hate doing, but "he who shouts the loudest" n all that, innit.