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Access to healthcare for specialist stuff

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T

Twitchy

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Heard today the eye specialist wants to see me in the city hospital where my care was transferred after a nearer hospital had missed problems in my eye & I'd lost confidence there. Trouble is, between childcare, hubby's being off ill himself & a machiavellian boss, my hubby (my usual chauffeur!) can't take me & obviously I can't drive myself (eye drops!)...I've checked the route out & it works out each way as 3 hours, on three different buses & two trains. Even assuming the clubs at school & nursery could take the kids that still leaves it frantically tight for me doing drop offs & collections etc. Also then the cost ?35 for the day for little'un & around ?10-20 for the older one plus transport which looks like at least ?50 in trains & buses. Basically I'm stuffed, I don't think I can do it! I realise someone will be along in a mo to tell me i'm being a wimp & they walk fifteen miles a day to catch 8 buses to do their job or something but frankly I'm burnt out. I feel like I'm going to end up going blind all because of b***** logistics & finances. All my good friends (the kind you'd ask for help in an emergency) live miles or continents away. I could howl right now. :(
 
Very sorry to hear this Twitchy :( Might it be possible to get a long-distance taxi to save some of the journey? Might not cost much more than the other transport and could be quicker/more convenient/more reliable.
 
Can the hospital itself provide transport for you?
 
Someone posted recently that sometimes scans can be done without drops. Might be worth asking the question so that you can drive.
 
If they really can't do your scan without drops, try looking into chauffeur services (the ones that travel agents use for airport trips). They will give you one price for the return trip. You could pre-arrange time off school for the kids and take them with you to keep childcare costs down. The school should be sympathetic in these exceptional circumstances.
 
May be worth phoning the hospital and explaining your difficulties, some departments will offer transport (ambo buses), & some hospitals have voluntary drivers - worth a try, hope u find a solution 🙂
 
Thanks guys...I hadn't thought of the long distance taxi idea so will look into that. That would cut the time down so maybe I wouldn't need to book too much extra childcare. Given theiir ages I don't think I can really take them as they'd both need car seats etc & are frankly a handful at the mo, so could be monsters if bored waiting, eek!

At the last hospital I found myself in more or less the same situation so I called to enquire about the transport support thing they have (you know, the volunteer driver ambulance cars type of thing)...basically I was made to feel like a social pariah, some kind of blood sucking benefits cheat just for enquiring & at this time my eyes were bleeding so I couldn't drive, was struggling to read bus numbers etc. So I doubt there'll be help over a distance like it is now when my sight is ok until they put the drops in. :(

I need to call the hospital & check, but I'm fairly certain they'll need to do deops as there's lots going on in there that they are keeping tabs on. Stupid, stupid eyes!!!! :(
 
Hi Twitch Big hugs this is so frustrating but the taxi does seem like the best option. As you eyes are more complicated (like mine🙂) I would be amazed if they didn't put in the eye drops. Enjoy the luxury of the long distance taxi wand feel like you are a VIP for the day.:D
 
I just typed 'Hospital Volunteer Drivers' into Google and it came up with all sorts of things in all sorts of areas - so if you type in the name of your town and those words - maybe you may find summat to your advantage?

Or - thinking a bit laterally here and although this is exactly what you are trying to avoid! - try ringing the RNIB to see if there's anything available in your area? Esp if you are able to make some kind of donation even though it may not cover the whole cost?

I mean - now I'm over retirement age and even though I have my own car and we have family members relatively near with transport - I'd have no hesitation in ringing Help The Aged (or Age Concern, whatever they are now) and saying I'm a poor old pensioner and I need to go to this remote hospital .... can you help me at all?

Or (LOL) - is there either for your existing hosp or the other one, a 'Friends of X Y Hospital' organisation?

Or - even ring PALS at your hosp and ask if THEY know of anything available?

Good luck!
 
When I worked at a GP's we arranged transport to appointments for patients so thats another option!
Hope you find something.
 
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