‘I feel so lucky’ says brave David
Train driver urges others to get screening
A Bannockburn train driver has his health back on track after a bowel operation and is helping to reassure people about treatment.
David Lewis, who is in his 50s, left the ward two days after surgery and walked to meet his wife and parents in the restaurant at Forth Valley Royal Hospital. Next day he was allowed home.
He was among those to benefit from a special programme for patients in Forth Valley.
Like other patients on the enhanced recovery colorectal initiative, David was given a number to contact the surgeon direct.
He said: “Because I got out so quickly it was good to have that number if I had any problems. I wanted to get back to normal as quickly as possible and get on with my life. I was driving my car two weeks later and I now do a six-mile walk at least once a week, sometimes two or three times.
“Three months after surgery I was back driving a train. I think I have been very lucky.
“When I meet people at work I say get your bowel screening done. I tell them not to be embarrassed about it, and to visit the doctor if you experience any problems.”
Patients in Forth Valley undergoing bowel surgery are now being invited to take part in the special programme which speeds up recovery and cuts the time spent in hospital from several weeks to several days.
Results so far have been impressive with NHS Forth Valley consistently leading the way in the adoption of the national enhanced recovery initiative.
As well as undergoing a detailed pre-operative assessment which looks at their current health and what they can do to improve it prior to surgery, the initiative gives patients the chance to meet with others with the same problem and discuss with staff what will happen before, during and after their operation.
The results are particularly encouraging for patients undergoing keyhole surgery for conditions such as bowel cancer, inflammatory bowel conditions (such as Crohn’s and Colitis) and diverticular disease.
Patients likely to require a stoma, ileostomy or colostomy bag are also invited to sessions before their operation where staff show them how to use and change the bags, answer any questions they may have and provide information. So far more than 100 patients in the Forth Valley area have benefited from the initiative.
Project Manager for the recovery initiative Linnet McGeever said: “Patients often find it difficult to take in information after major surgery so we now bring them in before their operation when they are more receptive and also find it reassuring.”
Colorectal surgeon Paul Hendry added: “We are probably the only hospital in Scotland which gives patients a direct link to the surgical team who can provide advice or arrange for them to come back up to the hospital. In many cases we are able to provide advice, reassurance or follow-up checks which ensure patients don’t have to come back into hospital unless they really need to. As a result, our readmission rate for this type of surgery is lower than the national average and patients suffer fewer complications as they know what to look out for.” Patients are also followed up after surgery and those being treated for cancer are also offered an appointment with a Macmillan nurse within a fortnight.