"Alone and scared"

Never have I felt so scared and alone before.

In my opinion, Fiona Stanley Hospital is hell on Earth. This experience occurred in the Emergency Department where I arrived via ambulance for an illness. The nurse yelled at the ambulance staff when they were asked to sign off my arrival.

I was left alone in the respiratory room on the floor bleeding from my mouth and bottom screaming for help. I thought I was going to die. It took close to 5 minutes for a nurse to arrive.

I asked what type of room it was and why I was in there and told no other beds were available. It was across from a water fountain where I recall people stood and watch me poo myself whilst they drank their water.

I asked to use the toilet whilst I was waiting to be triaged and I was told no as I was unstable on my feet. I was instructed that if I poo myself someone would clean me up. The smell of blood/poo together was so offence a nurse gave me a bottle of freshener and I was advised to spray each time after I poo as the smell was offensive which degraded me even further.

I was moved from the respiratory room the following morning and placed into another ED room. This second room I was in didn't have any curtains that fully closed and again people walking past could see me going to the toilet. The nurse tried to give me privacy by sticking taping the curtains close. It's 2023 and the ED is using sticky tape to give privacy. The problem with the second room was it was fully open aired to the entire ED. Meaning every single person could hear my bodily noises and smell. I was mortified. With my condition the noises were loud and uncontrollable. I understand everyone can't have their own separate room but for someone with blood pouring out of their bottom with an offence smell can surely be isolated.

I was given scissors to cut off my own clothing so I didn't have to sit in my own poo & blood.

In the ED I had two doctors examine my bottom with their fingers. Not once was I cleaned. The poo was pushed aside, and my knickers were pulled up.

I was left alone 90% of the time which I understand I can't have a nurse to myself 24/7. I was alone in both ED rooms to clean in my bed. I was left alone screaming in pain, crying and not knowing what was happening. I thought I was going to die from the lack of blood. I didn't mind cleaning myself up. The fact I wasn't given access to water or wet wipes to clean my hands, legs, bottom which were covered in blood/poo. My nails were filled with blood/poo.

My medication was taken off me in ED. The nurse asked me what medication I was on so I showed them and I never saw the mediation again. The medication was Fluoxmaine, Tibolone and Clonidine. I asked for my medication on a daily basis only for each nurse to state nothing was written in the notes about missing mediation.

Upon being discharged I followed it up again and the same reply about no one knows about my missing medication. I was advised the medication would not be replaced. I was also not given my discharge medication stated on my paperwork. 

When I was moved from ED, I was placed into a third room with a patient of the opposite sex and I felt unsafe and again alone. I asked to use my private health cover to have a private room so I could not be exposed to pooing myself in front of other people, but no rooms were available at that point in time. I was moved to a fourth location later in Ward 7.

On Ward 7 (after I was moved from ED) the nurse advised I was using too much toilet paper, and I would block the machine - I don't know what machine but they took all my waste to weigh and record.

I was on clear liquids from when the moment I was admitted. I had no solid food for four days. I was woken up 4am and prepped a procedure on the fourth day. From 4am I was told not to drink any liquids. I was not taken to the ER until 2pm (from memory - it could have been 3pm). In the hallway of Ward 7 I was stopped and told I wasn't going to surgery as I had no leg band on. The hospital had 4 days to put a leg band on me but yet I was stopped on my way to surgery. Upon finally reaching the ER waiting room I was asked what procedure I was having which I replied, camera inspection via mouth and bottom. Nurse replied it was only the bottom. Again, for 4 days in hospital I recall I was advised the procedure was both mouth and bottom as I was bleeding from both ends.

I had to repeat all my information on an hourly basis and when it was reviewed by a new Dr / Nurse I recall the information was always incorrect. I was given two blood transfusions which I understand flowed straight out of my body. My iron levels were down to 3 and I was never given an iron infusion to help repair my body.

Upon my discharge I was told I would need to wait at least 3 hours if I wanted my medication, which I believe was stolen, replaced with approx. cost of $100.00 but yet I would still have to pay for this upon collection. My discharge paperwork states I was given medication to take. I was never given medication.

I have PTSD from my experience at Fiona Stanley Hospital and I am scared of ever returning.