My letter to the Northern Hospital dated the 16th July 2004
To Whom It may Concern.
‘Without Prejudice’
I am
writing this letter because on the 30th January 2004, I was unlucky enough to require
your services. I presented at the
Emergency Room after having a 600kg horse collapse whilst I was standing beside
her, My husband drove me to the ER at approx 8.30pm, I was triaged quickly and
placed in a consulting room to wait for the doctor.
I was kept
waiting for several hours and when finally seen by a doctor the doctor was
going to discharge me, because it appeared that I was not in pain, as long as I
was immobile. But as soon as any
pressure was applied to my leg, I went through the roof. The doctor still said (with out X-rays) that
the leg was severely bruised and rest should take care of.
As I am a
fairly docile person and have a high tolerance to pain, I thought okay, he is
the professional, and he has studied and should know best. But my husband being a little fierier than me
requested X-rays. The doctor thought
these were unnecessary, but decided to shut him up anyway. X-rays were taken and low and behold I had a
broken fibula!
The doctor
was amazed that I was in so little pain, but like I had said from the time that
I presented to the triage nurse I have a HIGH pain threshold due to previous
injuries that have been on going.
So after a
while the leg was placed in plaster and I was told to present tomorrow for a
‘plaster check’. No X-rays were taken after the plaster had been set.
I presented
for the plaster check mid afternoon the following day and was told that the
plaster needed to be reapplied as the ankle had been set in the incorrect
position.
I endured
this with some pain, but kept my mouth shut. At this stage I was feeling
useless and depressed at the fact that I was unable to earn an income and that
I would be relying on people for everything from getting around to even cooking
and cleaning (by the way those people that I refer to were my husband and
children, 7 and 12) because I have no family within a reasonable distance who
are able to assist me.
I was told
that within the week I would receive an appointment card in the mail to attend
the plaster clinic with the time and day on it. By the following Wednesday the
swelling on my leg had reduced and I was able to get my fingertips to my ankle
inside the plaster cast. The cast was offering NO support what so ever.
I presented
back to the Northern to get someone to look at the plaster and replace it. I
would have thought that this would have been a given, considering that I had a
broken bone and the leg had not been in plaster for the 6 weeks that I thought
was the norm for a broken bone. I presented at the Triage window again and
requested that someone needs to look at the plaster as I believe that it is
wrong and needs to be replaced. Considering I was in considerable pain and had
been for a period of a week by this time, I was feeling useless, depressed and
close to tears most of the time. When the triage nurse saw the plaster I
believe that she agreed with me and sent me next door to the clinic within the
ER.
I waited
there for hours, and by this time I was crying because my leg was sore and I
felt as though no one believed me.
Finally a person (a nurse) I
believe came to me, looked at the plaster and said I don’t think we need to
replace this, when is your appointment with the plaster clinic? I said what
appointment, I have not received any notification and I have not even had the
plaster on for 1 week. In the end I had to demand that the plaster be replaced
through the Doctor. Who also asked me how I was coping. I was not coping. I was
unable to feed my children I was unable to wash their clothes I was even unable
to have a shower by myself. When I mentioned this to the doctor he found a
social worker, who after asking if I lived with anyone, I said yes, my husband.
Oh well he has to help you, we can’t
This was
news to me, as he was trying to supervise apprentices and stop them from
presenting to the Northern Hospital minus a finger or two. Sounds funny? Well
stand in his shoes and see how funny Workcover think it is when you are charged
with lack of supervision of an apprentice.
At this
same appointment I was presented with a card to see the Plaster clinic doctors
the following week.
Therefore I
was sent home to fend for myself, and
try and feed two children and not kill myself getting up and down the front
door step to tend the animals and the children. During this time, I was still
in considerable pain, and my GP thinks I may have re-broken the leg at some
stage when my left leg gave out, as it is prone to do, due to previous
injuries, (Which I notified the Hospital about!)
I presented at the Northern Hospital at the Plaster Clinic
had an X-ray and was told it is okay to walk on! Haha I could not weight bear let alone stand
on it and walk. I went to my GP, a person I am sure you are familiar with. He took one look at X-ray and put me straight
back in plaster. This time the plaster
was neat and reasonably comfortable. I
waited for a further 5 weeks and then the doctor took the plaster off and was
happier with the result, but due to the two weeks, without adequate support,
the healing process was very slow to start.
Because of this and the fact that the leg was still very
painful, I requested a referral to a Specialist, I go to see the specialist In
March, 3 months after the initial accident. He was surprised, but non-committal
to the treatment that I had received from the Northern Hospital.
I am
writing this letter for many reasons; one is to complain about the service and
the additional cost that I now have to incur because of the inadequate care
that I received under the umbrella of the Northern Hospital. I am sure that
when I initially presented I was seen as a hypochondriac because I was not
absolute agony, once I was immobile. I am sure that when I presented to the
Northern Hospital on the third occasion I was just looking for attention and I
am sure that when I tried to talk to the Doctor at the Plaster clinic he saw me
as a malingerer.
I am none
of the above and have never been. After being involved in a car accident
whereby my vehicle was rear ended by a 12 tonne truck, and not having ONE day off.
I know I am not. I am by no means rich in fact; some days my husband and
children get a meal of potatoes only, because there is no other food in the
house. I am no entitled to any
government assistance because my husband owns his own business and because I
work a taxable income. I receive NO children support, No family and no income
assistance and of course no rental assistance because we are struggling to pay
off our own house.
Because of
your treatment or lack of it. I am now faced with huge private medical bills
and also the uncertainty that had I received appropriate timely treatment, I
might already be walking normally on my leg, within the ‘normal’ six week
period. I would not have lost as much income, because I would have been back at
work already AND not spending time at Specialists along with the money for no
reason. Because I am a contractor, I am not entitled to sick leave and was
lucky that I did not lose my job. AT no point in time was ANY assistance offered to me. I get the feeling
that because I was not ‘on the dole’ and I was not ‘single’ I was discriminated
against.
I would
like your comment on this letter as a matter of course, because I would like to
see what your thoughts are.
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A follow up letter from me to the Northern Hospital dated the 24th September 2004
‘Without Prejudice’
Mr
xxxxxx
I
have previously written to you on the 16th July 2004, regarding a
problem that I have concerning the Northern Hospital, I have yet to receive a
response other than ‘we have received your letter and are looking into the
matter’ which was dated the 21st July 2004.
It
is now 2 months since the original letter was received and I was wondering when
I might receive a reply?
I
have enclosed both letters for your perusal and thought you might like to
comment on them.
Since
that time, I am still under the care of a specialist, the swelling in my leg is
still quite evident and the specialist says that it is not normal. Tuesday the 21st September 2004 I
tripped and managed to jar my leg again. This means that I missed another day
of work due to the pain and I am now back on crutches.
Again
I believe that had I received appropriate and correct treatment in the first
place I would not be in this position.
I
am still incurring specialist fees, I am still losing money due to the fact
that I am sometimes unable to drive and consequently unable to attend work and
this doesn’t take into account the fact that the house is a mess. Whilst we are
on the topic of care or lack of, how many 7 year olds do you know that can make
their own breakfast and clean up the mess afterwards? Because I have a little
boy that has been forced to do this and that makes me very sad.
Should
you require any further information please feel free to contact me
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I received a one paged letter, that said, sorry, we have implemented changes in the emergency department and something like this shouldn't happen again. Forget the fact I've paid $1000's if not $10,000's now in 2014, or forget the fact no-one wants to employ a 'cripple'........... Yup, forget about ALL that. As long as the hospital didn't receive any adverse media coverage.
Forget the fact I sat on an esky in the shower, for the time my leg was in plaster, forget the fact.............. Yeah, well, you know the story. You've read it.
Have any hospital horror stories? Let me know
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