"Unpleasant experience"

Shortly after getting to work, I began to feel increasingly confused with increasing levels of weakness in my arms. Given that symptoms like that have never manifested with me before, I thought it was a wise choice to go to the ER and get checked out.

On arriving at the ER, I waited patiently for 20 minutes before being assessed by the Triage Nurse.

The nurse was friendly and quick to realise my deteriorating state, and I was promptly taken off for assessment. Out of, what I felt was, an abundance of caution, I received a COVID-19 Test and was put in a negative pressure room until it was returned negative. The staff in this room were fantastic and genuinely caring. Once I deemed to be COVID-19 free, I was transferred to the ER active monitoring ward. This is when my condition, and the quality of care, really started to falter.

My body became increasingly numb and weak, so much so, that I was unable to move my head or raise my limbs. I was functionally paralysed. The mask I was wearing drifted up into my eyes and started to cause considerable discomfort. Being unable to move, I finally managed to get the attention of staff. They quickly asked why I don't fix it if it is so uncomfortable. I told them I am unable to move my limbs, to which the response was, in my opinion, of callous disregard.

At this point, I had been at Royal Perth Hospital for several hours and I was very thirsty. Food and drink were placed before me, and I said that I would need help with the drink. A physiotherapist approached me and genuinely said that my bloods are fine, everything I was feeling is in my head, and that they'll just leave this food and drink here until I am ready to have it.

After nearly 2 hours of complete immobility, my symptoms lessened slightly so I could my right arm. I struggled and struggled in an effort to get my arm on the table to get the drink. I managed to get the cup to my mouth after a long struggle and take that desperate sip.

Watching my struggle, was 3 nurses and a doctor. Not a single one of them offered to help. Admittedly, I didn't ask for help as I hate to be a nuisance, but I felt I was made to feel like I was a burden who is undeserving of assistance.

My symptoms lessened enough after a while that I was capable of sitting upright. The doctor approached me and said, look, we can't find anything wrong on your blood test, how are things at home? Your body can manifest what your mind is feeling you know. I was moved off to a discharge ward with no diagnosis and, I felt, made to feel like a complete waste of space. 

I feel I was nothing but patient and polite my whole stay there, but to be treated so poorly and to have my concerns disregarded so coldly, I felt compelled to tell my story even though I hate to complain about a free health service. 

In the end, I left Royal Perth Hospital feeling degraded. With a sense that I completely wasted their time, and mine.