"Flinders Medical Centre, South Australia"

I was admitted last year, suspected of having pneumonia and suffering a stroke. I was unable to get out of bed to go to the toilet and soiled the bed several times despite repeated requests for a bedpan. At one stage my sister virtually carried me to the toilet down the hallway. My lips were cracked and bleeding and my mouth was full of ulcers but I was given no medication or relief. I was left in a corridor after returning from tests as someone else had been put in the cubicle and then my sister and I were yelled at by a doctor for not being in my cubicle as I was 'highly contagious' (although no-one could tell me why). I was eventually put in an isolation ward with no clock, the TV didn't work and was told I couldn't have a radio brought in and that it was too much trouble for me to use the phone. When I rang the bell for help to go to the toilet I was told I should just unhook my drip and go by myself. The orderly who brought my food did not wear a mask or gloves. Visitors were given different instructions - some had to wear a mask and some were told it didn't matter. I felt severely dehydrated but my tube came out several times. The first time it was out from 5- 11. 30pm before someone answered my call and my temperature spiked again. I was not washed nor given a shower for the 6 days I was in hospital as I could not do it myself. There was blood on my sheets and on my gown but neither were changed. I was not given a menu and was brought toast and vegemite every morning despite having huge ulcers throughout my mouth. I was sent home without discharge notes by a doctor I had seen for the first time 5 minutes before, despite not being able to move my left leg. I believe the report my doctor eventually received (after several phone calls) contained lies such as I had received physiotherapy and improved, when no-one had been near me. When I was on yet another ward, my tube came out again and I was bleeding but the nurse was on what sounded to me like a personal phone call trying to track down 'Fifty Shades of Grey' so I had to wait. The patient in the next bed (who I believe had cancer) got out of bed and helped me to clean myself up. I wrote a letter of complaint to the SA Health Minister and never received a response. If I can help it, I will never go back to FMC again, I thought it was a nightmare.