"Heart block presentations"

I collapsed in the FSH ED waiting room with an intermittent complete heart block. I'm a young person who has had heart issues for the last year with multiple presentations to FSH and other hospitals all over Perth.

After the incident in the waiting room, the Cardiology team admitted me to ward 4D. A Cardiology resident talked me through and gave me paperwork to sign for a pacemaker insertion to treat my issue which finally gave me hope, a light at the end of the tunnel. However, the next day I felt I was dismissed by a specialist consultant- I recall stating they won't put a pacemaker in a young person and that I won't need it. Unless I was elderly, then of course they would definitely put one in straight away. That statement left me and my family shocked. I begged the doctors to treat me and not send me home without anything because I believe complete heart block has a very high mortality rate if left untreated but I was dismissed. I went home with a heart monitor for 30 days and booked in for a cardiac MRI which was going to be another 3 month wait.

A couple of weeks later I collapsed at work with another complete heart block (worse this time) and was rushed back to FSH via ambulance. I was taken to hospital via priority 1 road conditions. When we got to ED, instead of directing us to a bed, we were brushed off by the nursing staff and re-directed to triage even though the attending Paramedic patched through to ED staff via phone. It seemed to me the SJA hospital liaison officer, my two paramedics and the clinical support paramedics were appalled.

Once again I was admitted to ward 4D. I had another complete heart block whilst on the ward during the night. I raised the issue with my nurse who wasn't able to do anything without a doctor - however – I believe it took 2,5 hours for a doctor to come see me. Thankfully my heart eventually reverted back to a normal rhythm after 2 hours. Once the doctor was able to come see me all I recall they said was oh no, I had another block. Ah well; it's gone now so they can't do anything.

After a long week in hospital with many ups and downs, I finally got the pacemaker inserted. I experienced quite bad chest pain and bleeding post pacemaker insertion and was admitted to CCU. One of the doctors tried to brush my pain off as chronic pain due to my old heart problems but thankfully the attending nurse and the surgeon stood up for me and understood that it was due to the surgery and they helped me feel comfortable with pain medication. I absolutely adored the nursing staff on ward 4D and CCU. They have gone above and beyond in my care. They constantly made sure I was okay and tried to help as much as they could. I couldn't thank them enough. The junior doctors and residents have been fabulous as well. So grateful that they stood up for my care. They listened when the consultants seemingly didn't want to. Young doctors seem to understand that young people can indeed get unwell with ‘old people problems’. I found the other consultants are ghastly, rude and contemptuous. I feel it is absolutely disgusting behaviour. I understand and appreciate that they have a lot of knowledge and experience but out of all the consultants, I've only met 2 very mindful, caring and holistic consultant cardiologists.