"Mixed experience of Victoria Hospital Kirkcaldy "

I was admitted to the above hospital one Saturday in mid-August 2014. I was admitted into Admissions 2 Ward with excruciating pain in my back. The Nurses/Auxiliary were rushed off their feet, I felt this was due to the lack of Staff and overwhelming amount of Patients, and I really felt sorry for them. I was given strong painkillers and made to feel comfortable for the night. The next day I was seen by a Doctor who, after a few tests, told me it was most definitely a Kidney Infection, however I would need a CT Scan to determine the extent of this and the excruciating pain. That night I was moved to the Renal Ward 22 to settle down for the night and wait for my scan the next day. I waited all day on Monday and wasn’t seen by a Doctor until 4pm and they had no clue that I had even been booked in for a scan and I was told there was no space left for that day, this was upsetting as clearly the Doctor the evening before had failed to book me in for a scan so I had to wait another day in excruciating pain.

On Tuesday I waited and waited again to see a Doctor and again was left waiting but by this point I was on all fours in a pool of vomit as I was struggling to cope with the pain. I was finally taken for my scan at 2pm, after days of what I felt was unnecessary pain. I was upset, as I was told I wouldn’t have my test results until the next day, so would be kept in another night which would involve missing seeing my children return back to school after the Summer Holidays. My partner who works in the Oil Industry works on the other side of the world had made the decision to return home until I was let out of hospital and was rather concerned as we still hadn’t had answers after five days of pain and being in hospital.

On Wednesday I was given the same excellent care by the nurses and auxiliary who were faultless and I had asked them a few times when the Doctor would be in the Ward and have the results from my CT scan, they were rushed off their feet and were embarrassed each time that they didn’t have an answer as the Doctors will be here before 5pm, at 4pm the Doctor finally appeared and informed me I had a Cyst on my left kidney which had burst and there was still a lesion on the kidney which would be causing the infection/further pain. She said I was to carry on with painkillers/antibiotics until they have the full report, which would most probably be the next day (Thursday) and I was told that the new antibiotics would hopefully take effect and the pain should subside.

On Thursday, the Consultant appeared around 2pm and gave me a bit more information with regards to the scan. She informed me that the cyst was most likely caused by a deformity on the kidney, which I have had that has gone undetected since birth and I was to carry on with the anti-biotic and try to come off the Morphine and onto Tramadol so I would be allowed home to manage the pain in the comfort of my own home.

On Friday, the Consultant came around 2pm and told me she would sign my papers to discharge me and said that Pharmacy would have my prescription ready by 6pm so my partner was sent away and told to collect me at 6pm. At 3. 30pm I was asked if I minded moving to The Day room as I my bed was needed, I was still in a lot of pain and discomfort so I agreed as they said it would only be for half an hour as my prescription was nearly ready, this was rather upsetting as my partner had gone home to Dunfermline an hour and a half previous to this so I had the whole inconvenience of having to get him to drive back to Kirkcaldy to pick me up.