A B777 Flight Attendant reported that after an engine failure the cabin filled with smoke as the aircraft was returned to the departure airport where medical attention was sought for smoke inhalation.

Narrative

I am completing this report because I'm not sure if we should have completed cabin prep. The Captain gave us notice that we had 25 minutes before landing. The cabin was filled with smoke and I didn't feel safe leaving my jumpseat. My announcement book and manual were out of reach from the immediate vicinity of my jumpseat and it was hard to see within the cabin. My primary concern was with my personal safety of ensuring I breathed as little of the smoke as possible in case I needed to evacuate once on the ground. We landed safely and did not evacuate the aircraft. The flight departed and returned to the same airport due to emergency as mentioned below. I worked the Business Class Galley position. My jumpseat was at 2R-FWD. Shortly after takeoff as I was beginning to get the beverage carts ready I noticed the First Officer outside of the cockpit observing the engines from 2L and 2R. Two other flight attendants were talking to her. One of them described a vibration to me that they noticed upon takeoff which I did not notice. After the beverage carts were set up we began serving. Very soon after (in what likely wasn't enough time to even serve one beverage) I noticed a repeating vibration (thump-thump-thumping in nature). Soon after that it felt like something either detached or an engine shut down the plane seemed to shift a little to the left and dip in the air. My colleagues quickly returned with the beverage carts and we quickly returned everything to stowage in the carts and secured the compartments. As we were doing this the cabin began to fill with smoke. After everything was secured we ran to take our seats. One Flight Attendant went to grab an oxygen tank from the 2R-FWD compartment and I went to grab two linens doused in water for both he and I. I also retrieved an oxygen tank for myself 'just in case' and took to my jumpseat. I could see the faces of the row of business class just aft of the galley although I couldn't see more than a row or two behind that. A pilot (I don't know who) came on to explain the situation to the customers and flight attendants stating that we had to turn around and would be in ZZZ in approximately 25 minutes. I noticed a Flight Attendant in the aisle checking on passengers though my concerns for my own safety caused me to remain in my jumpseat. At some point the smoke started to dissipate though it did not completely dissipate until we arrived on the ground. The smell of smoke remained in the cabin even after we arrived at the gate. The Lead Flight Attendant did an all-call and informed us that the Captain advised us not to evacuate unless we determined that the situations warranted such. Once we arrived on the ground I observed fire trucks which the Captain explained over the PA were to cool the brakes. At least 30 minutes after landing the people movers were dispatched to take customers off the aircraft. After 3 loads of people and several more minutes of waiting the aircraft was towed to the gate where we left the aircraft. The smell of smoke persisted throughout the cabin noticeable even as I exited the aircraft. The Lead Flight Attendant and other flight attendants were very on-top of things and communicated with our Union and others to secure us transportation to the hospital and a hotel. We waited from about an hour and a half for transportation to arrive to take us to a hospital. We arrived at the hospital and I was admitted for treatment of symptoms of smoke inhalation. We were discharged about five hours later and the transit van driver took us to the hotel. I made an appointment with my primary care physician for an appointment later that day. I awoke later that morning and made my way to my appointment at my primary care Doctor. While I have been asked to stick to the facts I do need to make clear that there needs to be some procedure in place to support flight attendants during this emergency. My understanding/PERCEPTION is that there are no guidelines for how to properly process in-flight crew members who have been involved in such an emergency landing as this. No In-Flight Supervisor met us at the gate nor did anybody claiming to be delegate the responsibility of assisting the flight attendants in securing transportation medical help nor hotel and debriefing. There being no clear procedure the only way we were able to secure any assistance was by being firm and advocating for ourselves. If there is no standard procedure implemented by the FAA; the company (management) and the union; we NEED one. Certainly if there is no In-flight Supervisor to assist us there needs to be a person clearly delegated that task and appropriately trained to take on that responsibility.