"Surgery cancelled again"

Feeling gutted.

My child was booked in to have surgery at Box Hill earlier this year.

We arrived at 11am as the booking form requested us to do so. We were told they were not sure about the booking and sent us to the wait room. We were later admitted, but told surgery never starts until 1.30pm, so we were way too early.

Several hours later we were given a bed and a proposed surgery time - 3pm.

By 3.30 a nurse dropped by the room to say surgery was cancelled and would not be going ahead. She said someone would see us soon and left before I had an opportunity to ask questions. Two hours later and not until I requested information was someone sent in to confirm surgery was cancelled and someone would be in touch over the coming weeks.

No new information. No offer of water or food to my child who had not had anything since the night before. No offer of a solution or time frame. No offer of career certificates (we were both left unpaid because of this).

We left feeling shattered, and frustrated.

After waiting several days for the hospital to get in contact with us, I contacted them. We were rescheduled to another date and assured that due to our previous experience we would be a priority.

When that date arrived, as you can image our child was feeling extremely anxious, mentally preparing for surgery is a big deal for a child.

We arrive to again be told they did not know our child was coming, and again were ushered off to the wait room. I imagine this is a fault in the system and not that of the friendly receptionist who was apologetic as always.

It was 2pm before a bed was found for our child and 4pm before we were wheeled down to surgery. Whilst we were grateful to be finally going in, my child looked petrified and I reassured them it would all be over soon. Not to be the case. 

By 4.15 we were told that they had run out of time again and other patients were the priority. My child immediately burst into tears.

The surgeon explained that someone should be in touch in the coming weeks and whilst they hoped to see our child soon they were not the priority on this day. 

We understand that emergencies happen, and there is always someone in a worse condition and we are grateful to the nurses who do an amazing job. But this does not negate the overwhelming felling that our family is just not important. Bumped again to the bottom of the list, trying to console my child, as I hold back tears of stress thinking about all impact this has again on the family. More requests for time off work, rescheduling meetings, etc. all whilst not knowing the rescheduled date. My child crying as reality of the second cancellation means they will now miss out on their club and rep. sports and school activities. This seems trivial in the scheme of things, but to a child who is normally extremely active this has had a huge impact on them.

We have left the hospital today feeling gutted. Despite understanding the circumstances, we have an overwhelming feeling of feeling of being  invisible. 

No real options other than to wait for another date. We were told that we are now top of the list...which means we might be offered surgery in several weeks? Top of the list does not mean next in line ... in my opinion, it means nothing at all

Reality is (as we have been repeatedly told by the hospital) this is a minor operation. It seems one that is so minor that no one can find the time to fit it in...not a bit later...not the next day...

Left disappointed, angry and feeling worthless with no voice and no options.