"My thumb injury"

I cut my thumb recently making salad. The cut was very deep and I rushed to the St Vincent's emergency room. I was given first aid care and was encouraged to come should there be any signs of infection or any issues. I went back to the st Vincent Emergency room a couple of nights later as my thumb showed signs of infection, bleeding and hurting a lot still. I waited to be seen by the triage nurse for 3 hours, after which I was sent to the waiting room inside and asked to sit down to wait for the doctor. No one followed up with me or came to talk to and I decided to leave after 5 hours of waiting. I let the nurse who triaged me know and also the reception that I was leaving as I was thirsty and hungry after such a long wait. No one tried to find out why I had waited for so long and had not received help.

I received a call the next day from St Vincent telling me that they tried to call me as they could not find me, albeit I was sitting inside amongst nurses and doctors where I had been asked to sit and wait. I mentioned that my phone battery died after 5 hours of waiting and let the nurse and reception know before I left. They asked me to go back. I returned to the St Vincent emergency room. A nurse gave me a tetanus shot and changed the outer layer of the dressing of the wound. I asked if I could get painkillers or antibiotics, but they said that there's no need as it is healing as it should be.

On the following few nights the swelling and inflammation, pain and smell from the wound was getting worse. My friend who I saw (they are a nurse) told me to go back to the doctors to get antibiotics as the inflammation was bad. I was hesitating given the previous experience in the two last occasions.

I went to another hospital’s emergency room where I was helped by their staff. They listened to my concerns, inspected the thumb and administered antibiotics through the IV. They gave me 2 injections for pain relief to aid cleaning the wound from the pus and inflamed flesh and skin, prescribed me antibiotics to take at home. They also arranged a follow up appointment for me to get the wound looked at and treated accordingly. I am very grateful for the way they took care of me. My thumb is healing well, the inflammation and pain have subsided and I'm on the mends.