A Fife mum, who nearly died after a freak accident, says she will be forever grateful for the care given to her by NHS staff.
Shirley Wilson from Leven spent 12 days in Kirkcaldy’s Victoria Hospital last month.
The mum-of-two says the care she experienced from NHS Fife staff was fantastic.
“Staff on Ward 44 gave me the best of care. The NHS saved my life.
“I had emergency surgery just before Christmas and I nearly died,” Shirley explains.
“Anyone’s life can change in the blink of an eye.”
However, Shirley says there was a ‘water jug shortage’ on the ward – and she is now fundraising for the ward.
She fears patients’ health could be comprised by the shortage of something as simple as water jugs – and add workload to already-pressured staff.
Shirley, a tutor at Edinburgh College, explains: “I was at home and had a fall. My legs just went from under me. I burst my bowel falling on a wooden statue I was carrying.
‘My family were told to expect the worst’
“It was a life-changing accident. I had emergency surgery and my blood pressure went so low they didn’t know if they were going to save me.
“I woke up with part of my bowel removed and a temporary stoma.
“Then I got an infection. My family were told to expect the worst.”
Shirley continues: “I went through many wards – admissions, ward 52, critical care – and ended up on ward 44, a bowel and GI (gastrointestinal) ward.
“I had this big heavy coffee pot for water, stainless steel to keep the water cool.
‘I’d just come off oxygen so was really dry’
“But the next day I had no water jug. The nurses were having to bring me a glass of water at a time.
“I’d just come off oxygen, which makes you really dry. Plus I was trying to get a stoma to work.
“So I got my mum to bring in a plastic water jug. Staff were saying to me ‘that’s what we need for the ward’.
“There’s 30-odd patients and I think there were 22 jugs. Some wards have different ones. But I was told ward 44 don’t have the funding for them.
“I was in a side room so had to buzz each time to get my jug filled or wait until lunchtime.
‘Basic human right’
“Having a drink of fresh water is a basic human right, specially when it’s in a bowel and gastro ward where they’re encouraging you to drink as much as you can.
“All of a sudden I had 32 staples down my middle, a stoma, a drain. They’re telling me to drink and there’s no water!
“Next time I go into hospital I’ll be taking my own jug again.”
Shirley was heartbroken to miss her daughter’s 21st birthday due to being in hospital.
“Holly spent her 21st in my hospital room instead of the weekend away we had planned,” Shirley, also mum to Joshua, 14, explains.
“My family just couldn’t believe the situation I was in on the ward.
Family set up Victoria Hospital fundraiser
“Some of them have had operations too and never had this issue in the Vic with water jugs before.”
Although Shirley is still in recovery and can’t get out of the house, she is raising funds for the ward.
“I’ve got a Go Fund Me page and I’m overwhelmed with the support people have given me. We’re hoping to buy more easily stackable, lighter jugs,” she says.
“My husband Paul, my children and my mum and dad have supported me through all this. Paul also had a heart attack in June 2020 so the last few years have been a nightmare.”
Of her fundraiser for Victoria Hospital, she adds: “However, we want to give back to the NHS and this donation is our way of saying thank you.
“We can never really give back what they have done for me.”
NHS Fife: ‘Adequate supplies of water jugs’
NHS Fife Director of Nursing, Janette Keenan, says: “I am really pleased to hear that Ms Wilson was happy with the care she received while in Ward 44.
“I would like to offer reassurance that across NHS Fife we have adequate supplies of water jugs and have a range of registered suppliers that provide new stock as and when requested by individual wards.
“I’d like to thank Ms Wilson for her kind words about our staff, who work incredibly hard to provide patients with a good standard of care, and we wish Ms Wilson well as she continues her recovery.”
Conversation