"Inconsistent experience across different wards in the same hospital"

I was admitted to Holywell Ward for keyhole surgery and should have been discharged the same day. I had an adverse reaction to the anaesthetic and wanted to sleep and sleep.

I was transferred to Elmton, where I had to shuffle from one bed to the other, over a plastic slide. I slept. Woke as the staff nurse was doing her round, dispensing tablets. I asked for pain killers, only to be told, I had only just been admitted. Another nurse explained as I had had my operation and had been transferred, I was not yet on her screen. By the time she reached me with the tablets, I was retching and couldn't take them. She brought me a tablet to stop me throwing up. I slept. Woke again - searched for painkillers, none there. I asked where they were to be told I had refused them. I said I hadn't refused them and explained I couldn't take them and I'd had them returned. I also reminded them that they had given me the tablet to prevent me being sick. The nurse asked if the tablet had worked and made me feel I should be grateful for her help. She then fetched my painkillers.

Slept through breakfast, woke, needed more painkillers. I asked if I had to keep asking for them and they explained I was asleep when they came round. They did then fetch me some.

I thought it advisable to take my first trip to the toilet with the aid of a nurse. A young man escorted me but had disappeared when I came out. I asked a nurse passing if she would walk with me. She did but she was under the impression I had got there on my own when I hadn't and seemed surprised I now needed help. The staff nurse then appeared and asked if I had urinated which I confirmed I had. She punched the air like a footballer and said "Yes!"

I was then discharged. I believe they were having difficulty finding a district nurse. They asked if I could change my own dressings and suggested I probably didn't need a district nurse. They also said I could always see the nurse at my own surgery.

I can't fault Holywell Ward but I felt like an unwelcome visitor on Elmton.

Also I would have appreciated a lot more information about any symptoms I was likely to encounter as a result of my op and definitely more info on how to proceed with the four wounds in my stomach from the surgery.