"Experience with colitis"

I was taken in by ambulance and triaged in the hospital, then taken to ED and left there, I was feeling very ill and in a lot of pain and vomiting. I believe the triage nurse had made our file appear that I was going to be admitted along with an ID wrist tag. So we waited for around 4 hours and the place filled up with people and emptied again until eventually it seemed a nurse discovered what had happened.

I was seen by a Dr, no diagnosis even though I had terrible diarrhoea by then and a racing heart. I was in an exam room all day then in the corridor, I wanted to go home but a senior clinician talked me out of it, to my regret. I got a bed around midnight that night in Short Stay which I will always think of as the zoo. I found the noise was incredible, bells ringing and it seemed not answered all night, the two patients opposite me swearing and shouting at the nurses. So all night I had to put up with this.

when I was in the ED, I recall junior Dr promised to chart my medication (I had brought a list with me) and bring me my tablets. I told them it was important that I did not miss my steroid tablet or I would feel even more unwell. I recall they came back twice and I reminded them, in the meantime my partner went home for a few things and my tablets, I ended up taking one of my own and the Dr never returned.

A few hours after midnight, I got up and looked for the nurses, it seemed they were having a lovely chat at their desk while all the bells were ringing, I asked for pain relief to be told I had it already that evening, the other nurse corrected this and said no that was that morning.

I eventually around early morning was moved to the Surgical Ward. As I understand it, a 4 bed ward with 1 toilet and no bathroom, I felt it was barbaric and outdated. In my opinion, this hospital needs to be bulldozed, I thought forget car parking spaces give these wonderful nurses a seemingly decent place to work in.

Also I was promised in the surgical ward by a junior clinician that they would follow through and phone me at home with my diagnosis when the results of my stool test came through, this would take around 3 days. I had to phone the surgical ward myself a few days later to get my diagnosis. A doctor told me I had C Diff and faxed a script to my local pharmacy, they said it was important to take the Anti-biotics that day.

After a very short time I was moved to a single ward in case I was infectious, thank goodness and I was sent home, far too soon I realised later.

I believe the nurses in this hospital should be given a medal and a huge pay rise. I believe they are, with the exception of the one in short stay, exceptional human beings and just treated me amazingly. The male nurse in ED was just so kind and caring and efficient and even phoned me when I was home to ask how I was.

The wonderful nurse in surgical who admitted me to the 4 bed ward originally was outstanding in care and kindness. Everyone of those staff in surgical were wonderful even the cleaner was kindness itself. So I have issues with what happened to me in ED very much, I really loathe the hospital and will refuse to be admitted there every again, I have Private Top Cover but was never asked if I wanted to be in the private hospital but if there is ever a next time that is where I will go.

On a good note, I had 1 meal and did not eat much but it was beautifully presented and delicious. The ward in surgical actually reminded me of Hospitals in the 1950's in England.