# Villajoyosa Hospital



## DaisyB4rro (Mar 12, 2021)

Hi guys. Last year my mother of 68 was diagnosed with cancer. She had an operation to remove her bowel and bladder to have a colostomy bag where both wee and the other go in to (this was done at La Fe in Valencia)... 2 weeks ago she checked herself into Villajoyosa hospital due to a hole opening up down below and acidic excrement was leaking out. The hospital did some scans over the first week and spoke to La Fe to ask what to do. La Fe refused to take my mother back to do surgery saying that there would be no point in doing it. Another week went by with no news in what was happening until Villajoyosa hospital said they will operate (even tho La Fe said there was no point), but it wont be until the following week (doctors in spain dont work weekends apparently). Today my mother was told that her operation wont be until the 26th March!! This will be in another 2 weeks time and they haven't told her if she has to stay in or go home and deal with this herself. My mother is in ALOT of pain from excreting acidic poo from a place it shouldn't be coming out from and no one in the hospitals seem to care about this. If there is anything that can be done to get her the care she so desperately needs please let me know, as I am stunned and stumped at what to do. Unfortunately I live in the UK and due to the travel ban I cannot go a help her. I'm scared that if shes left any longer, sitting in her own excrement she wont last much longer. Please help. Thank you


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Hi

I think that perhaps language comes into this. Its very sad your mothet is suffering but to say "they haven't said if she has to stay in or go home" seems unrealistic.

Who is here for her? Does she speak Spanish?

The Spanish hospitals are, in my experience, far better than the uk ones but they do work differently. 

Who is talking with thr doctors? Is there anyone helping her? Or is she alone with a lack of language to fully understand and communicate with the doctors?

I think really, in a forum like this we need to know what type of help you're looking for in order to serve you better
?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

I do feel sorry for you & your mum - it must be worrying for you. 
Does your mum speak good Spanish? If not, I'm 99% certain that there will be translators. 


Has she currently been admitted to hospital? As in is she on a 'proper'l ward - not in urgencias / A&E?


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Agree with the above. Of course there will be cases where patients are not treated correctly, but Spain does have a good and efficient hospital system, so I think your mum needs help coping with language or just coping with a different system.
Age concern may well be able to help. Here is a link. Go to the contact us tab and see which is the delegation nearest your mum Age Concern España | Promoting the well-being of older people in Spain . It is English speaking.
I presume your mum is in this hospital - Marina Baixa... If so you are in luck as there are English speaking volunteers
Look on this page, third organization down. The first one listed is a cancer help group.
Voluntariado - Departament Salut Marina Baixa
Even if this is not where you mum is, you can try reaching out to them as they might know a way of getting someone to help your mum.
If you have time, please come back and tell us what the situation is. We may be able to offer more ways of helping.
PS It has to be said that up to recently the Covid figures in Valencia were very bad, so that might have something to do with it


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Agree with the above. Of course there will be cases where patients are not treated correctly, but Spain does have a good and efficient hospital system, so I think your mum needs help coping with language or just coping with a different system.
> Age concern may well be able to help. Here is a link. Go to the contact us tab and see which is the delegation nearest your mum Age Concern España | Promoting the well-being of older people in Spain . It is English speaking.
> I presume your mum is in this hospital - Marina Baixa... If so you are in luck as there are English speaking volunteers
> Look on this page, third organization down. The first one listed is a cancer help group.
> ...


Yes, bad, but improving. 

Our local hospital is the Marina Alta one, & is now doing planned surgery again & yesterday released the news that there's just one Covid patient currently in ICU, & none at all on the Covid floor.

Individual hospitals don't generally release that sort of data, but data released yesterday for 10/3 gave 663 in hospital across the Valencian Community, 178 of them in ICU. 

That's a massive drop from even a couple of weeks ago.


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## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

DaisyB4rro said:


> Hi guys. Last year my mother of 68 was diagnosed with cancer. She had an operation to remove her bowel and bladder to have a colostomy bag where both wee and the other go in to (this was done at La Fe in Valencia)... 2 weeks ago she checked herself into Villajoyosa hospital due to a hole opening up down below and acidic excrement was leaking out. The hospital did some scans over the first week and spoke to La Fe to ask what to do. La Fe refused to take my mother back to do surgery saying that there would be no point in doing it. Another week went by with no news in what was happening until Villajoyosa hospital said they will operate (even tho La Fe said there was no point), but it wont be until the following week (doctors in spain dont work weekends apparently). Today my mother was told that her operation wont be until the 26th March!! This will be in another 2 weeks time and they haven't told her if she has to stay in or go home and deal with this herself. My mother is in ALOT of pain from excreting acidic poo from a place it shouldn't be coming out from and no one in the hospitals seem to care about this. If there is anything that can be done to get her the care she so desperately needs please let me know, as I am stunned and stumped at what to do. Unfortunately I live in the UK and due to the travel ban I cannot go a help her. I'm scared that if shes left any longer, sitting in her own excrement she wont last much longer. Please help. Thank you


Hi,
There are a couple of english home care companies that I could recommend for help and aftercare if you would like. They could help with translation and any requirements when she gets back home.

Steve


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## DaisyB4rro (Mar 12, 2021)

Thanks for all your help and comments guys. My mum has confirmed that there can be no visitors and therefore no translators are allowed in. Also, she has no idea when the drs would come round to tell her things so wouldn't know when to have the translator come in. She can speak basic Spanish but when it comes to medical jargon, shes stumped. It seems like she just has to wait. Thanks again


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

DaisyB4rro said:


> Thanks for all your help and comments guys. My mum has confirmed that there can be no visitors and therefore no translators are allowed in. Also, she has no idea when the drs would come round to tell her things so wouldn't know when to have the translator come in. She can speak basic Spanish but when it comes to medical jargon, shes stumped. It seems like she just has to wait. Thanks again


The volunteer interpreters at the hospital will be allowed in, because they work alongside the medical staff, & if she contacts them to tell them that she needs help, it can usually be coordinated between the volunteers & the medical staff... at least that's how it works in my local hospital. 

That said, although she probably feels lost it does sound as if she is in the best place & being cared for while awaiting surgery.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

DaisyB4rro said:


> Thanks for all your help and comments guys. My mum has confirmed that there can be no visitors and therefore no translators are allowed in. Also, she has no idea when the drs would come round to tell her things so wouldn't know when to have the translator come in. She can speak basic Spanish but when it comes to medical jargon, shes stumped. It seems like she just has to wait. Thanks again


As Xabiaxica says, a translator would be allowed in. Visitors are not allowed on the basis of the usual free for all (50 members of the family visiting throughout the day) but one person would be. As for now knowing when the Dr will come round, this is not true because a translator working in conjunction with the hospital would organise that. 

To be honest, perhaps your mum is feeling anxious and understandably nervous but that hospital is very well used to having foreign patients. If she speaks some basic Spanish then she needs to be encouraged to tell the dr or nurse that she really doesnt understand the medical things, ask for a translator. Or, perhaps you could find online a local care agency that could oranise one. This would be privately of course but certainly put your mums mind at rest and they could at least liaise and make sure everyone knows what is going on.

There is no need for someone to be in a hospital not knowing or understanding anything.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Perhaps the Volunteers are not there due to Covid. OH used to volunteer but I wouldn't be happy if he was doing it now. Maybe the patient should try a translation app. Have heard that many Foreign Students in the UK sit in lectures using their iphones for translation.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Isobella said:


> Perhaps the Volunteers are not there due to Covid. OH used to volunteer but I wouldn't be happy if he was doing it now. Maybe the patient should try a translation app. Have heard that many Foreign Students in the UK sit in lectures using their iphones for translation.


They interpreter volunteers are working - even on the Covid floor - in the Marina Alta hospital (though a few days ago it was reported that at last there wern't any patients on that floor for the first time in a year).

I'll be very surprised if they aren't in Villajoyosa/Marina Baixa.

A translation app would certainly be better than nothing for medical terms, though.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Private translation people will help.

Lets put it frankly, the hospital will help. That area is full of foreign people and I've heard amazing things about it and how they work hard for those who have made a life here but dont talk Spanish. There are nursing agencies too. Many options for the OP to help her mum. But this feels like a thread with negativity and i dont believe for one minute that benidorm would leave a sick elderly woman in a bed without knowing her fate. 

Call the volunteers and ask

If not, call an agency and get them involved and the poor woman can have a friend to call and inform her


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## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

There is a private Homecare service that is based in Benidorm that will help you if you are in need. 

They are called TLC Homecare Spain. They have carers who are English and also speak Spanish. Look for them on the internet 

Steve


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## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

Here is the link to TLC Homecare Spain:



https://tlchomecarespain.com/home-care-benidorm-costa-blanca-spain/



Steve


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## LynneM68 (10 mo ago)

Guys,

im new to this forum and stumbled across it by accident when I found the hospital details.
My dad is 85 and is in the hospital out there and on his own. He had a fall Saturday evening and the following day was taken to villa hospital. He has a friend with him, but his friend is returning to England this Friday 11/3/2022 and my dad will be alone and we still have no confirmed diagnosis. He cannot speak a word of Spanish and he can’t understand what the doctor is saying. 
can I please have some advice as he says for me to stay home but I can tell in his voice he seems worried and a bit scared.


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## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

LynneM68 said:


> Guys,
> 
> im new to this forum and stumbled across it by accident when I found the hospital details.
> My dad is 85 and is in the hospital out there and on his own. He had a fall Saturday evening and the following day was taken to villa hospital. He has a friend with him, but his friend is returning to England this Friday 11/3/2022 and my dad will be alone and we still have no confirmed diagnosis. He cannot speak a word of Spanish and he can’t understand what the doctor is saying.
> can I please have some advice as he says for me to stay home but I can tell in his voice he seems worried and a bit scared.


Have a look at this link:



https://tlchomecarespain.com/home-care-benidorm-costa-blanca-spain/



Steve


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## LynneM68 (10 mo ago)

tebo53 said:


> Have a look at this link:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


He doesn’t live in Benidorm. He had an accident there and I need to know how I can get in touch with them to find out when he can return to the Uk. He was visiting


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## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

LynneM68 said:


> He doesn’t live in Benidorm. He had an accident there and I need to know how I can get in touch with them to find out when he can return to the Uk. He was visiting


They do that service too.

Steve


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## LynneM68 (10 mo ago)

tebo53 said:


> They do that service too.
> 
> Steve


Steve,

I just need advice as to how I can go about getting information regarding his condition and for 85 my dad is very active playing golf still amongst other things. His fall fractured his hip and a shard of bone penetrated his bladder wall. That is all I know and all he knows too.


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## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

LynneM68 said:


> Steve,
> 
> I just need advice as to how I can go about getting information regarding his condition and for 85 my dad is very active playing golf still amongst other things. His fall fractured his hip and a shard of bone penetrated his bladder wall. That is all I know and all he knows too.


The simple solution then is to employ a translator for an hour.

Steve


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Does he not have travel insurance?
They should know what's happening and offer a translator


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