Oh bugger!

[phasmid]

My mum has ended up in hospital after a fall at home this morning. She lives in a disbaled adapted bungalow which has (*&^(**^%&*())!!!!!) pull cord alarms linked to a call centre along with a necklace alarm.

 

She went to have a shower and took the necklace off went to the loo and washed her hands. The next thing she remembers is waking uo on the bathroom floor whith her leg 'on fire'. She reached for the alarm and pulled - at which point the 'kin thing broke! She fell about 7-30am. How she did the next bit I don't know, I really don't. The next cord was some 15 feet away in her living room. She dragged herself to it and pulled, this didn't ###### work. That's one busted and one not working. Thank god for the mobile we bought her last yearbecause she managed to get that and phone here. She got out she had fallen and the line went dead. This was 9-20

 

I tried calling her back and nothing...

 

 

So Mrs P dialed 999 and I legged it into shoes and out to the car. I beat the paramedic by 20 seconds. She was on the floor in agony. She'd dragged herself there on her bum facing forward with a broken hip. How? It makes me wince just thinking about it.

 

She's in hospital tonight while they decide what to do for the best. She has a loooong list of problems that mean they are reluctant to give her a general anastheteic (sp?) and a new hip - it would be a long op that she might not be strong enough to take. Looks like they may have to screw it back together.

 

I tried to report the fault with her call thingy and the ###### the other end didn't want to know. "Tell the council Monday..." Er, hang on. What I am trying to do is is two things:

 

1. Register that my mum's didn't work and what she had to do to get help

 

 

and

 

 

2. Draw their attention to the fact that this fault may be general and other peoples systems might not work either.

 

 

I did use the word 'flaming' which he found offensive! I didn't swear or shout (not then anyway). I just tried to alert them to the problem. This ###### accused me of being rude, using offensive language and an 'intimidating tone'! So (this was all on speakerphone too - cos thickhead here turned it on somehow and couldn't turn it off) I asked the paramedic to witness what was being said. I tried again to reprt the problem - "Tell the council" NO! I am telling you in case someone els..."I am going to terminate this call because of your offensive manner and 'something or other tone' (me and paramedic went "What?!?!?!?"). At which point I did tell the jobsworth to "Go boil your head and p*ss off!" The only time I swore. The only time I raised my voice. Even the paramedic was gobsmacked at this prat. I hope the fault was only at my mums end for this idiots sake!

 

Sorry, I just had to get this out of my system.

 

I may not be around much for a bit now. I have my college stuff to do and mum to deal with. I'll pop in for a bit but keep me in your thoughts please.

Edited January 19, 2006 by phasmid

[Teaorcoffee]

What a xxxxxx (edited by moderator) that doctor was. Whats he like if he watched Corronation Street and heard someone say "flippin' heck"? Probably write a letter of complaint!

 

Hope your mum gets better <'> <'> <'>

Edited November 27, 2005 by nellie

[loulou]

Hi Phasmid,

 

You poor mum. Hope she's had plenty of painkillers and is feeling a bit better now.

 

As for the idiot you spoke to, i think you should ring the council AND the manager of the care home and report him asap. Also, did you get the name of the paramedic? They could probably back you up with a statement.

 

It's totally unacceptable. I work for the NHS, and if any of our call buzzers are faulty, we have to move the patient and call out the engineer straight away, no matter what time or day it is.

 

Thinking of you,

 

Loulou x

[rainbow queen]

thats awfull-my parents live in council flat with that alarm system to-they have to pay something like �6 a week or month for the alarm.

they should come round and test them alot-i would find out if they had -or why they havnt-if i was you id feel like sueing them

they also take ages to answer the button-i really cant see how if u were having heart attack and u pressed it-theres no reply for 10 mins,by then you collapsed,how on earth its ment to save elderly tennants.

[Helen]

Hello Phas <'>

 

I'm really, really sorry to hear your bad news, I hope your mum will be OK, sending (((((hugs))))) to you all.

 

As for the jobsworth, well his attitude is unacceptable and he ought to be held accountable for his awful behaviour.

 

My thoughts are with you, Helen xx

[annie]

Wow, Your poor Mum. I hope everything is OK with her. My thoughts are with you all. <'> <'> <'> <'>

 

It's been a bit of a week for people on the other end of phones. You did really well to stay as calm as you did.

 

Tell the council Monday...

 

Sounds like it was someone from the 'totally useless and rude as a pig' department, they didn't by any chance use to work for the LEA did they??.

 

Annie

<'>

[mandyque]

Your story is truly appalling, those alarm systems are supposed to be checked regularly to make sure they work, I dread to think what else could happen

[Zemanski]

it never rains, but it pours

 

stay strong, Phas

 

<'> <'> <'>

 

Zemanski

[Tez]

Thinking of you and your mum. Hope she's soon on the road to recovery.

[Brook]

Hi Phasmid,

 

I hope your mum feels better soon, she must have been petrified. <'> <'> <'>

 

As for that a**e wipe on the phone, what exactly is his job then if he cant do anything about it. I thought they were supposed to be there for safety of the residents, looks like he's definitely not up to the job, I'm sure you will be telling that to the council on Monday.

 

All the best to you and your mum. <'> <'>

 

Brook

[tsmom]

I hope yr moms getting well with proper care now .She and you must have had the shock of yr lives <'> <'> To you both.

[Flora]

<'> Hope she is ok, and hope you are too. <'>

 

Lauren

[Viper]

Phas, best wishes to you and mum. <'> Throw the book at that blithering idiot then phone the tabloids. It's apalling how people treat our pensioners.

 

Viper.

[oracle]

<'> Phasmid <'>

 

This is disgraceful. I know all about these blooming systems and how un reliable they are. I stayed with my Mum after her Op earlier this year (she was also unable to have the aesthetic because of her heart complaint - they did her arterial surgery under epidural while she was awake ) We never actually pulled the cord but several times while I was staying with her the system would just activate itself for no reason. One morning it started going at 2am and at 5am we were still waiting for the call out. What if it had been a real emergency?

 

What is the point of these things if they do not work? We were told that my Mum's system was so old all of the pull cords were sticking - wonderful. We are still waiting for them to come and sort it out - from March.

 

I hope that they find a solution for your Mum's hip and I think you kept remarkably cool under the circumstances. What a time of year for this to happen. Not that any time is a good time.

 

take care

 

Carole

[Suze]

Your poor mum, and you.......so hope your mum is feeling better soon. <'> <'> .My gran broke her hip fifteen years ago, she spent a long time before she was discovered, it shook her up, but she had her 90th in June , she,s a bit doddery, but her hip healed fine.Hope your mum has a very speedy recovery.Suzex.

[call me jaded]

Hope your mum is comfortable now Phasmid. What a shock for you all.

[Guest flutter]

Phasmid

you and yours are in my thoughts

<'> <'>

C x

[LKS]

Phas thinking of you and your poor mum <'> My mum broke her hip about 2 years ago while delivering a paper to her neighbours. Its a really worrying time especially when your mum has other health problems. As for this a**e of a person I agree with annie did he used to work for the LEA. To think that you were phoning up to report a serious fault in an alarm system, and maybe alert them to any more problems, and then to be verbally abused by this man is disgraceful. I think they may regret messing with you Phasmid.

[fiorelli]

Phasmid, so sorry to hear about your Mum's fall. Hope she recovers soon. <'>

[nellie]

Phasmid, I am so sorry. <'> <'>

[jools]

<'> <'> hugs for you and your mum <'> <'>

[nikrix]

<'> <'> I hope your Mum is ok, sending you and your mum loads of ((((hugs))))

 

Nikrix

[barefoot wend]

Phasmid

 

What an awful thing to happen. Hope things get sorted for your Mum very sson.

 

Barefoot

[phasmid]

Thanks for all the good wishes.

 

Mum was observed overnight and they decided she was as ready as she'd ever be this morning so they went for it. As much as they didn't want to yesterday they have had to fit a new ball joint to the bone - at speed! The risk to her was whilst under the 'general', so the shorter the time the better. I phoned the ward this morning to see how she was to be told "We were just about to ring she's going down soon." I flew the twenty miles and was heading to the ward when I got grabbed by the theatre staff who'd been looking for me.

 

They took me into pre-op area to see mum before she went in. They'd decided 10-15 minutes wait was worth it to boost her before going ahead. They treated me like ###### royalty, cups of coffee and access to phone etc while I was allowed to wait there to see what happened. Wow!

 

Hour and a half later the surgeon comes out to see me. He was really pleased with how it went, considering it was an op they HAD to do but didn't want to do he was very pleased with how she'd coped and how it had gone. I met up with her an hour later and she was looking much better. The pain had gone and she was just feeling sore. Stayed for a while but have left her to sleep and get over it all.

 

Really relieved. It could very easily have gone wrong, they knew it, I knew it. I think thats why they rolled out the red carpet for me - even offering to feed me if I'd missed breakfast to get there in time!

 

Fingers crossed she's going to be ok. She just likes to scare me from time to time!

 

As for the idiot on the phone. About 3 tomorrow afternoon he'd better duck because the fan will have been turned on and the cows, sheep and pigs around here will all have their backsides pointed at it...it will be pointing at HIM!

Edited November 27, 2005 by phasmid

[fiorelli]

Phasmid, glad to hear that your mum is feeling better and that the op went well.

 

 

Make sure you get that guy good and proper, as the way he treated you was appalling!

[Viper]

Great news Phas, you must be over the moon.

 

Viper.

[LKS]

Glad to hear everything went well Phas. It's a major operation, I think my mum was under for about 4 hours My mum lives about 2 hours a way and it was a killer to keep driving down there and keep the children fine at home. She sounds like a very brave lady your mum <'> . Set that fan for maximum power All the best to your family

[oracle]

I am pleased the op went well for your mum. I think we have all been for you all as a family.

 

<'> Carole

[nellie]

Great new Phasmid, you must be relieved.

 

Nellie <'>

[Clarkie]

Glad your Mom is doing better -

 

but why is it we have to fight so hard to look after our families.

 

Good to hear someone else use the expression "Boil yer heed" - are you Scottish per chance - my husband frequently get's my youngest son to say that to me when I'm shouting that he hasn't done his chores!!!!!!! - my husband that is.

 

Good luck with the college stuff and <'> to your Mom

 

Clarkie

[Malika]

Hi Phasmid , <'>

 

Hope your Mum is on her way to recovery, what a stressful time for you.

 

As for this B..B..... they deserve a good ticking off they must be pay quite well to be on call at week-end this is unacceptable , it is putting old people at risk.

 

Best of luck. <'> <'>

 

Malika.

[Tylers-mum]

OMG!! I am so so sorry! My mum also lives sheltered housing and no way should those systems (alarm) been down! That jerk on the phone should be reported and the council should be reported for not fixing the problem sooner (the warden should be checking these work every so often).

 

I hope you get somewhere in all this and sue the pants off both those idiots!!

 

Sending (((((GOOD HEALTH))) vibes to your Mum and hoping something can be done for her to make a speedy recovery! Keeping you and your family in my thoughts also and please, keep us posted on any updates ok.

 

<'> <'> <'> <'> <'> <'> <'> <'> <'> <'>

[Tylers-mum]

Phas, sorry, should have read the replies before posting! LOL

 

Glad the operation went well and will still be keeping both your Mum and yourself in my thoughts.

Gee, what I would do to be a fly on the wall tomorrow at 3pm! LOL

Go get em Phas!!!

[Suze]

So so so glad it went well, hope your mumis rested and has a good night.Best wishes for a speedy recovery <'> , Suzex.

[phasmid]

I have tried to sit and do some college work tonight but have given up as such as I simply can't settle to it. So I went of and did what I do well - research. So not only do I now have the names of the people to complain to....I KNOW one of them! She used to work with my M-I-L before she died.

 

 

Oh

[smiley]

Nothing like a bit of sweet revenge to perk up ya' evening!!

 

Seriously, have some of these <'> <'> , i hope your mums feeling better soon.

[CarerQuie]

What an awful ordeal for your Mum.Glad that the op went well.Hope the recovery is smooth.Now go and get the ******* who was so dismissive.xx

[DaisyProudfoot]

Hi Phasmid

 

Just read this post after a weekend off the net. Glad to hear your mums on the way to recovery.

 

This is very sad tale, especially as we trust these companies to care for our kin, I think a trip to the papers could be in order after what happened.

 

As you say, what happens if this happens again and the next person is not as strong as your mum? These companies can't get away with this kind of attitude.

 

Daisy

[phasmid]

I couldn't wait till I got home to deal with this so took some time out and phoned them from work.

 

The people I thought I needed to speak to were the wrong ones, however having listened to what I had to say (shame the idiot on Saturday didn't do this) she was appalled and put me straight through to the bloke in charge.

 

He was not a happy bunny, not happy at all. As I was telling what had happened him he said

 

"We will have to go and check on the tenants in that area are ok."

 

"Yes, which if I had been allowed to say what I was trying to say on Saturday 48 hrs ago Mr *******, you could already have done!"

 

To say that the proverbial hit the fan over this is an understatement! As I pointed out I was simply trying to alert them to a possible system fault - mum was on her way to hospital by then, someone else might not have had a mobile or been able to move. I told him I really, really hope they will find every tenant alive and well.

 

The incident is now under investigation.

[annie]

Well done Phasmid

 

Nobody's lives should have been put at risk - ever . People like your Mum depend on the alarms as a lifeline.

 

I hope the person at the other end of the phone the other night gets the sack. His attitude was disgusting.

 

Hope your Mum is feeling a little better.

 

Annie

XX