I broke my neck towards the end of last year in a car accident between Derby and Broome in Western Australia. I got flown to Perth with the RFDS, which was all ok. I was then at Royal Perth Hospital for a week. I felt well looked after there and I left the hospital in a neck brace.
After I left Perth Hospital I felt there wasn't good follow up to my care. I didn't know how long to wear my neck brace for, what I was supposed to do or what was safe to do. I didn't have any discharge paperwork or good enough painkillers.
After a while, I didn't know what was happening, so I just went to Derby Hospital just after Christmas to see if I could get some help. They helped me as I had lots of wounds healing on my face from the car accident, which needed cleaning up. They organised a Telehealth appointment for my wounds but not my neck bone. They still didn't tell me what I was supposed to do about my neck or give me any following plan.
About a week later after that, I ended up moving to Broome to live. I still didn't know what was happening with my neck so I came to Broome Hospital ED. They did an x-ray of my neck and organised an appointment for me with the Spinal Doctor in Perth.
I didn't have my first follow appointment with the Spinal Doctor until the just recently - nearly 4 months after my injury. Up until then I felt very lost and didn't know what was happening. I felt like the doctors were not explaining things well. Then when I finally had my Telehealth appointment on the recently, I left feeling quite upset. I felt like the Doctor blamed me for the fact that my neck hadn't healed properly - saying that I must have taken the brace off and that's why it hasn't healed.
The Doctor didn't explain what the plan was or what I should be doing. It seemed the whole appointment was very rushed- it was over in less than 5 minutes. Even though I'd waited an hour for it to start, I believe because the Doctor was very late. I felt like the doctor was just talking at me, not having a conversation with me. It seemed they spoke very fast and I didn't really understand what they were saying.
I feel really worried now that all the muscles in my neck have gotten weak and I don't know what I can do to help it.
I think it's hard trying to talk to Doctors in Perth when we live far away. The follow-up needs to be better and I felt like the doctors in Broome weren't told what was going on. I think the Perth doctors should have sent them a letter saying what was going on.
"Feeling very lost"
About: Broome Health Campus Broome Health Campus Broome 6725 Derby Hospital Derby Hospital Derby 6728 Royal Perth Hospital Royal Perth Hospital Perth 6000 http://www.rph.wa.gov.au/ Telehealth Service - WACHS Kimberley Telehealth Service - WACHS Kimberley Broome 6725
Posted by pavowz57 (as ),
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