That's the weekend that was

 

And a blinkin' 'orrible one it was, too.

I was admitted to our local hospital on Friday and was discharged today. I now have to take the decision on whether or not to make a formal complaint.

When I was a student nurse, it was drummed into my head that 'A patient's pain is what they say it is, when they say it is.' Sadly, one of the nurses seemed to have missed that lecture. And so had one of the doctors.

I don't know about you, but when a patient who has just been discharged (and delighted to be going home) finds herself rolling about the floor in agony, I reckon that what is needed is another assessment. What I overheard between one of the junior doctors and this nurse was 'Leave her in there, she'll get fed up soon and go home'......Well, that was the final straw. Suffice to say, one snotty, crying, pain-ridden India ended up collapsing in the corridors and had to be brought back yesterday afternoon.

Having politely, if somehwat tearfully, told the doctor what I thought of his comments, he surprisingly couldn't look me in the eye today.....

Number Guy and I spoke to one of the senior nurses in the hospital yesterday after my pain had settled but I think I am going to go ahead with this complaint. Ironic, isn't it, that a couple of nights previously I had told the night sister how impressed I was with one of the other nurses on the ward,a young male staff nurse. He didn't tell patients what they 'wanted to hear', he 'simply' took the time to listen and to give the best answer he could. And he took time. He was just great.

Unfortunately, this other nurse was a different story. Right from the beginning I new she thought I was a timewaster. The problem at the moment is that the endoscopy didn't show any damage - this is good news, but it doesn't mean that there isn't a problem. She, however, has obviously decided that the GI consultant can't see a malingerer when one jumps up and slaps him in the face. I have had to endure her sarcastic tones and resistance for the past 3 days. So certain of her own 'diagnosis' was she, that even when I was in agony in the hallway and with Number Guy present, she continued with her very bad attitiude to me. Although I know myself that she has been treating me as a malingerer I am so glad that I have witness to it.

Having decided to stay last night so that they could do another test today, I did something I thought I would never do - I asked that I not be 'cared' for by this nurse. Never thought I would ever do that, never.

I had a CT scan today to check the blood vessles around my stomach, and they are fine. I have to have pH and pressure tests in a couple of weeks - involves wires up my nose (Yikes!!!) and down my throat. Not looking forward to it, but hopefully it will help.

So, a really cr***y weeked. But thank goodness for great nurses and consultants who can spot a genuiunely ill patient at 100 yards, blindfolded on a foggy night in the blackout.... <