"Complete lack of care"

I recently had a lymphoma scare which was made so much worse by the lack of communication between departments at the hospital.

I didn't think it would be a difficult thing for a surgeon to order the necessary scan, how wrong was I! I waited a few weeks and heard nothing so I telephoned the surgeons secretary to ask how long I would be waiting only to be asked was I sure I had been referred, I said yes because I was being tested for lymphoma. Clearly no referral had taken place but she did her best and put one through after reading my recent notes.

I finally got the scan weeks later, again I thought I would know quite soon if I had it or not. 4 weeks later and numerous telephone calls to ask about the results from myself and my G. P and still no answers because the report on the scan hadn't been done. By now I've had enough and file a complaint about the hold up on the scan report and a few more weeks go by with no word on the results.

Dead line day arrives for answers or at least an explanation to be given and tragedy strikes in my home my pet dog is lay next to me dying, yes I know some would say it's only a dog but he was my friend and constant companion for years. Anyway the phone rings and it's the surgeon phoning to give me the results, I politely explained that It wasn't a very good time and asked him to just put it in a standard letter to my G. P who would be able to go through things with me as soon as she got it. The only words I heard were that I didn't have lymphoma, so due to the bad timing that was good enough for me at that time. The surgeon asked if I wanted a follow on appointment with him to which I said yes because the initial problem was still there and needed dealing with. He seemed very abrupt and not very happy with this and just said one would be sorted. That was back in March, still to this day my G. P hasn't had any communication from him an neither have I. Why have a complaints procedure if you are then treated like something on bottom of a shoe?

I have been a patient at the hospital for 25yrs, I had terrible treatment and misdiagnosis from day one leading to emergency surgery to remove most of my intestine leaving me with Terminal Short Bowel Syndrome and an Ileostomy due to undiagnosed Crohn's Disease, this has led to many complications ever since and I have never filed a single complaint because I am not a complainer and was always scared that it would make any treatment even worse. I think what has happened here has proven my fear to be true. On the Gastro side of things I am now back to square one minus my intestine with a Doctor telling me this week that any and all pain I am in is all in my head! ! ! Those were the words used 25yrs ago when I was just a teenager in absolute agony, chronic diarrhoea and vomiting. This brings a whole new meaning to going round in circles. The only thing I have decided is that I will never step foot in Stepping Hill Hospital again.