My dear partner, aged 63, has a large lump which hangs from his pubis down to below his knees, enveloping his penis and scrotum.
It started about 4 years ago and was diagnosed as a Lipoma. Because Lipomas as generally small and cosmetic funding isn't available on the NHS for their removal. About 18 months ago it reached a size where it was affecting his mobility and he wasn't able to get in our car.
Over the years he has suffered repeatedly from UTIs, often resulting in IV antibiotics in hospital.
About 6 months ago funds were applied for and granted, so he was taken to Nottingham (the nearest Lipoma specialist) who took one look at it and declared it wasn't a Lipoma at all, but are Pannus - an overgrowth of belly fat... it would need plastic surgery which wasn't her department...
So, his GP referred him to Derby, the local centre for bariatric surgery...
We were told he should hear from them within 2 to 4 weeks about 4 weeks ago.
In the meantime he started developing UTI symptoms again, blood and urine tests showed no infection markers, but he was confused and uncomfortable. During this time he was prescribed 4 different lots of antibiotics...
Last Tuesday he was so unwell I called 111 who arranged an ambulance, he was admitted to the Medical Assessment Unit (which isn't technically an admission...) a catheter was fitted (which took an hour) and he was discharged home of Friday, with pain levels of 11 despite being given oromorph (which he didn't have at home)
Saturday circa midday i called the ambulance again who referred him to the GP service. 6 hours later we still hadn't had a call back, but the 999 service called back to find out how he was. Eventually he was readmitted to A and E, where he spent 39 hours in a chair, despite our concerns that being in a sitting position meant that the growth was pressing on the catheter and reducing its ability to drain. For 20 hours after he let me know he was in A and E I wasn't able to contact him or the ward - the phone just kept ringing out...
Does this sound like the sort of service we should expect from our NHS?
Does anyone else know of anyone whose suffered from Elephantiasis? In the developed world it's caused by a blockage in the lymph system. In the 3rd world, this blockage is often caused by a parasite.
