"Still annoyed by lack of post-op care"

My husband had major abdominal surgery in 2010 for bowel cancer and 2013 for repair of surgical hernia.

To start off with his care was excellent for the first surgery, however whilst in intensive care he started developing paralytic ileus, despite this he was transferred, during the night to a surgical ward. His condition rapidly deteriorated to the point that I was sent for at two a. m. The next day he was transferred to PPu where various interventions took place.

In 2013 he was admitted for 'routine' repair of hernia and things went wrong from this point. On his admission no record was made of his medication, and, without this and a doctors signature to authorise it he received no medication from this time until 72 hours later. As some of this medication was for high blood pressure, his blood pressure rose steadily from this point on.

He also, once again, developed paralytic ileus and this also was not recognised until 72 hours after his 'routine' surgery. Every time I visited I found him in an unmade bed with used sick bowls, urinals and the debris from needles and syringes littering the bed and bed-table.

Also at each visit I washed him, or helped him to wash himself, changed his pyjamas and helped him out of and into bed. At no point did any member of staff offer to help. At the time I was thoroughly disgusted, and as you can see by the time lapse I am still very annoyed with the lack of care.

By the way paralytic ileus is a farly common problem after abdominal surgery and as such should be recognisable by well-trained and observant staff.