Home now but utterly exhausted to the extent I twice lost control of my bladder yesterday, this is far beyond being tired although I do feel a little more human now than last night. The problem was my stay in hospital just drained me, this is not a reflection on any of the medical, nursing or auxiliary staff who were absolutely wonderful and professional at all times but the system and my fellow patients conspired against a comfortable stay. I was in an all male six bed bay, Two of the other patients were long term users of the orthopaedic system (one was ongoing from a RTA, the other I never spoke to, or wished to engage in conversation) these gentlemen knew the system and demanded preferential treatment. Buzzers were constantly being pushed for trivial reasons, both could walk using crutches but refused to and both would try to engage staff in conversation whenever they were present on the ward no matter how busy they were. Two of the other gents were suffering from dementia to a greater or lesser degree, the worst ( and therefore the least blameworthy) did not know where he was, needed spoon feeding and was doubly incontinent. The other one (who I presume had some form of dementia) had plenty of visitors but was constantly demanding attention off the staff for an endless stream of trivial reasons, if they laid him down he would drag himself into a chair, if he was sat down he would crawl into bed. As a result he was anally incontinent at least three times as he cried "Wolf" so many times he was just ignored The other patient was ok, first hip op, did what he was told and let the professionals get on with their jobs, I wish him well.
Hospital staff have a duty of care to us, this goes without saying but as patients we also have a duty of care to them and our fellows on the ward.