"Emergency evacuation of Subdural haematoma June..."

I have little memory of time spent in Ward D6 due to the nature of the problem but must assume I received good medical practice from the surgeon, and other staff. Once I was aware they seemed very professional. I was admitted on Friday10th but operation did not take place until 13th June although it was apparently constantly promised. No one explained to my family as to why there was this delay. My family assumed it was due to lack of staff on weekends which did not please them! I was discharged on the 23rd June.

My sons who live in different areas noted they had to demand attention for me, such as head dressings coming loose, after asking 3 or 4 times on occasions. On being discharged I was not really totally with it, although pleased to go home, but was advised my husband could take me home as organising an ambulance would take hours. I was asked if I had any questions but as my brain was working at lowest par possible "questions" were hardly likely to be forthcoming! I assumed there would be some instructions/possible expectations in the paperwork for the coming days but there was little of any use to work with. All I had been told was "It will take a long time to recover" - which provides nothing of any use to patients.The paperwork given on discharge was merely stating obvious, medication and procedure carried out. No indication of extent of problem which as a functioning individual I wish to know. On arriving home we discovered the Morphine painkiller was missing and on phoning the hospital were told they were sorry they had "forgotten" it. It turned out nothing had been faxed to the GP so after a discussion with the ward the sister phoned the GP surgery who supplied Morphine. I remain at this point still wishing to be advised of more details of the situation, what I can expect for the future, and explanations as to situation. Reading NHS website does not provide any information, and frankly those who have paid into the NHS for years should not have to resort to the Internet. Some days after discharge, on 5th July, we phoned the GP surgery asking when the stitches had to be removed - they still had no information from Addenbrookes. On phoning the hospital I was informed stitches should have been removed on the 20th June, or at least before I was discharged! Once again GP surgery did the job Addenbrookes should have done. The cost of my husband parking during the time I was a patient was disgusting, on one day he paid out £18. He enquired as to discounts but was told it only applied to those with appointments, not emergency admissions. It seems Addenbrookes use the car park, paid for by the Cambridge taxpayer originally, as a money making machine which is disgusting. Seemingly their £300M computer has to be paid for somehow although it seems of little use in issuing info & checking procedures. Progress???