"Hospital and Doctors care"

I recently went to bed as normal.  11pm I was woken with extremely painful abdominal pain. This resulted in vomiting, sweating profusely, headache, diarrhoea. This lasted over an hour. I had to have the lights out, as I was light sensitive. So couldn't see at this stage if I had PR bleeding. My partner wanted to take me to hospital but I declined as I thought whatever it was would pass. I couldn't go back to sleep due to pain so got up again but didn't want to disturb my partner. I was very toitery so had to put on a light. Well I was shocked when I saw the amount of frank blood I had passed.  I went back to bed but didn't say anything to my partner as it was around 3am. 

The next morning my partner asked how I was and saw how pale I looked, took me to ED.

I presented myself with a pain level of 6 at Triage. The nurse performed usual procedures and said Doctor wouldn't be long. I waited over an hour. The doctor performed a stomach check and ordered bloods. This took time and was placed on saline drip.

When Doctor finally came back over 2 hours, my pain level had risen to 8 which I informed them. His casual response was "oh its rising is it? almost with a smirk. They went on about haemorrhoids and gastroenteritis and this was their diagnosis and that no scans were necessary.  I was sent home saying it will take time and to have paracetamol.  

Well my partner and I were shocked and couldn't believe their demeanour....

I went home and tried to eat but wasn't hungry and went to bed.

The following morning I had the same symptoms with a large amount of frank PR blood  loss. so represented myself to the ED here in Carnarvon.  

Thankfully I was seen by different Doctor who didn't hesitate to send me for CT Scan. I was admitted and to fast. I was told that RFDS was called and but could not come until the next day.

I was taken to SCGH in Perth. Where I was then ramped for how long I don't know....

I was then taken to a ward for admission but no sooner had I been there was told I was being moved to a corridor. I still hadn't eaten or slept. I spent over 6 hours in the corridor and then moved in the early am hours to a ward.  Which was on the the next morning.  That day I saw Doctors who said I was being sent to theatre for Colonoscopy. I had this done in the later hours and then told that afternoon that Colonoscopy was incomplete due to obstruction.  So then one particular Doctor told me that I would be sent home tomorrow and that I was to just take oral antibiotics as it was thought to be Ischaemic Colitis. 

This surprised me because I still felt extremely ill. I asked how am I getting home because I live 1100km away and have no family here. I felt they were extremely inompassionate and said PATS would be bussing me home! I explained that I was not well still and very weak and felt I needed to be flown home as I also have severe scoliosis and had a total hip replacement and that a 14 hour bus ride was not suitable.  I believe they did not care and just said before walking away it's up to PATS. 

Well I became very upset and frustrated which caused unnecessary stress which resulted in my blood pressure escalating to over 163/90. The PATS coordinator came not long after and said the same thing. I just couldn't believe it and began crying after they left. One of the nurses heard me and consoled me and said she would vouch in any way possible.  The next day, I deteriorated where I needed to have bags of Potassium given via caffeta and 5 bags of Magnesium which is painful. Another Doctor came in to see me and said I was not going anywhere.  I was then told that evening I was being moved  once again to another ward! I had no choice. I also have a separate issue with one of the nurses on this ward who I felt blatantly neglected my care but don't have enough space to write about this!

Then, to top off all this, I was told a few days later at 1.45 am that I was being moved again!! This time to the discharge ward as they needed my bed. This was the 4th time which broke me. I just wanted to give up. With no family in Perth, I had to rely on PATS to get me home. 

On arrival to discharge ward, I was with 10 other people, the lights were on, so no sleep plus, of course, the continual noise of a hospital all around me. 

Worried, confused, and upset, I waited for any answers. Finally another PATS coordinator came to see me and told me I needed the all clear from a Doctor who said I recommend you to fly home as I wouldn't even dare to put an animal on that lengthy bus trip but this still was in PATS hands. After hours of waiting around 1pm, I finally got the approval to fly home but had missed all available flights and would be flying home the next day. 

I finally had some good news and was told I would be accommodated in The Loft room, which is used for patients' families. At 2pm I  was discharged to the room but told I had to buy my own food. I stayed overnight and also had to organise a taxi to the airport on which cost nearly $90 another thing I had to pay as PATS will not reimburse. 

Very traumatised! It's not good enough in my opinion!