I’m simply too angry to talk about today’s events on video so I have opted for the written word today. Sufficed to say I’m fuming.. and you will see why shortly.
Complaint #1 District nursing
This system started off as a dream, way back in July when I was first discharged into their care following my first surgery. In the event of the crisis following a sudden bleed out (that ultimately signalled that the graft had failed) again the district nurse that day was helpful and I was on the ambulance transport to Dunedin quick sharp. But since then, I have gotten more and more frustrated by inconsistency.
When I was discharged following amputation, it was with very little guidance and no follow up appointments. Each time a nurse came out, they said something different, and did something different. So sometimes it would have a huge dressing and other times very little. For the last 3 weeks they have said ‘just one more week’ when I asked could I drive / swim and I have had three different reasons why not. They never tell you when they will come – only what day of the week, the times of the visits incredibly inconsistent. Last week I told them to make a note I needed a visit before 11. No one showed up, just like this week. I had to chase multiple times. She eventually came at 11am. The time I was supposed to start work.
This weeks nurse said that previously the previous nurses should have picked off the scabs that had formed along the wound to check healing underneath. This was done today and she found 3 areas where stitches were poking through the surface underneath a scab, thus preventing proper healing. So yep, I’m still banned from swimming. We had a row about this, about the whole mental health effects of someone calling the shots on my life every Thursday and she pondered the idea of a waterproof dressing (which I have had multiple other times). She went to check with her boss. The answer was still no but they couldn’t really define why not.
Do these people have no fucking idea how it feels to be on the receiving end of the Ivory tower treatment? Do they not know the detrimental mental health effects it has on you when you are not allowed to do any physical activity at all? Clearly not. 😡
Plus.. this has probably held up the start of the casting for a prosthetic leg socket too. 🤬🤬
Complaint #2 Occupational therapy
In a bid to make sure I do everything correctly, when I was discharged I asked the hospital to refer me to OT for a gradual back to work plan and advice. I got a letter saying I was only semi urgent: wait of 4-6 weeks.
It’s now 5 weeks and I have heard nothing. So I went into the hospital in person to complain. The OT I spoke to said I was now NON URGENT and the wait was around 6 months. I went ape shit. I said waiting for a further 6 months on top of the 7 already was unacceptable when I am self employed. She looked down her nose at me and said there was nothing she could do because there was a lot more important people than me on the list. Pass me the complaint form I replied.
A private OT costs $120+GST / hour. Because I called someone and asked. First appt for a back to work plan: roughly $800. 😡 nope, I’m not made of money, unfortunately.
Complaint #3 This crappy wheelchair
I rocked up at the physio dept and complained about the crap wheelchair they have given me. Apparently once again there’s nothing they can do, they are short staffed, underfunded bla bla bla (I don’t give a shit about your excuses quite frankly) and the wait time for a better one is 12 months long. Nope, they can’t do anything about the fact that it rattles. Nope, they can’t do anything about the fact that the front wheels judder. Oh, but they might be able to make the tyres stop rubbing. A man will call me at some stage. Oh and here’s a form, did I want to fill a complaint in. Yes, don’t mine if I do.
One long black, some ranting and raving and 3 more visits later, I’m instructed to drive around to the equipment store where a bloke had a tinker with it, had stopped the tyres from rubbing at least. (And some cunning questioning revealed to me how the front wheels might be adjusted.. but he offered to do it if I wanted.. just pop back in).
I have shopped around and made some enquiries. The type of chair I need would cost $6000-$10,000 if I wanted to buy my own. Nope. I’m still not made of money, unfortunately. 😡
Complaint #4 The nasty nurse
This happened way back on 16 Oct when I was transferred to my local hospital. I was deposited on a bed and abandoned. I complained and asked for a wheelchair. I was asked could I not just hop if I needed to move around. No I fucking can’t! Because the surgeon said so!
Then when they finally found me one, it didn’t fit down the side of the bed for me to safely transfer. Again I complained. The nurse this time said (in a sarky voice) ‘well wouldn’t we all like some space we can dance around in.
Pass me (yet another) complaint form. 🤬
Yes.. THREE separate complaint forms were filled in today. By the time I end up being discharged by district nursing there might be a fourth.
And I was four hours late for work.
But oh, wait. Work doesn’t fucking matter does it, after all. Silly me I forgot that part.
Melanie Magowan 