Once again, thank you all for your comments. We are getting to be at the end of our ropes!
I contacted our family doctor yesterday, we've sort of avoided her, as she was the reason why dad's diagnosis took so long. However perhaps we were wrong in avoiding her, because I think her guilt is motivating her. I sent her an email explaining what has been going on in hospital, and asking for a referral to a local cancer centre. She emailed back within an hour, seemingly quite astounded by the things that have been happening and saying that today she was going to talk to several big wigs at the hospital and find out what is going on. She also mentioned that he probably would have been referred once he was a little more stable, to which I replied with my surprise...following the pathology results we were told that no further treatment was necessary.
Anyway, I'm anxiously awaiting word from her to see what will be done.
The hospital meeting that we had last week was almost comical. The floor "hospitalist" came in, and I was sure he was a new grad...he had no social skills, just kept looking at the floor and saying "do you have any more questions"? Our first question was "who ARE you?" I had no idea why he was at the meeting. We happily let him run away because he was useless.
The homecare nurse, fervently explained that she had dad all set up for homecare, and Dad must be mistaken when he though he wasn't on homecare. We showed her the paperwork (discharge papers), which clearly said NO to homecare, and then when Mom and Dad left hospital that time, they stopped at the homecare clinic and were told that no, there was no homecare that time around. So, she was just covering her butt.
We brought up the reusing syringes issue, and she again said Dad must be mistaken. We said he wasn't sent home with supplies, and she said she sent him home with stuff (2 syringes, no saline). When Dad has to flush the catheter 5-6 times/day, 2 syringes don't go far!! She also went on to say there is no way they were using the same syringe in hospital and mom said she confirmed it by calling the nurses station. They said yes, in hospital they reuse syringes.
We reiterated that Dad's state of mind is not perfect. He was home for two days, newly being treated with insulin, and he forgot to take it twice. he doesn't hear well, and I don't think absorbs most of what he is told. We have told people that numerous times! Talk to the family, don't give all the info to him!
Apparently the Urologist was in yesterday and told dad he had informed him about this "lung nodule" because it was noted on his post-op rads (that would be almost 6 weeks ago). Well, dad was completely gorked with pain meds for about 5 days post-op, looking at the ceiling and telling us how things were moving around. What is a doctor thinking telling an important bit of news like that to a man in that state? GRRRR. Hello, we are only a phone call away!!
Anyway, this has been the most frustrating experience. I really hope the family doctor can get him transferred to other care. There are so many things that have gone wrong, and so many mistakes that have been made, probably most of them due to communication.
I'll let you all know what we hear!! Again, thank you all for your kind posts, andrea
