Tina’s daughter has suffered from severe abdominal pain caused by gallstones since having a baby seven months ago. She is now waiting to have her gallbladder removed. Tina called Liveline today to speak with Philip Boucher-Hayes about her worry that the delay in her daughter getting treatment is putting her job and mental health at risk.
Tina explained that her daughter was told she needed her gallbladder removed “urgently” after spending 4 nights in hospital awaiting diagnosis but that “[routine] gallbladder operations are not done as an emergency”, despite the effect it is having on her daughter’s life.
“She’s doubled up in pain and near vomiting. She gets this once a week and it lasts from 12 to 24 hours…She rolls around the floor in severe, severe pain. I’ve never seen anything like it in all my years.“
Tina said her daughter was given an appointment to have her gallbladder removed 3 weeks ago but was turned away on the day due to a shortage of beds.
“It’s absolutely horrific…it’s the blasé attitude of ‘Oh well, we’ve no beds and whenever we have we’ll contact you’. Like, this is people’s lives you’re playing with.”
Listen back to the whole conversation on Liveline here.