Thread.
1. I was given a letter by the doctor to attend A&E for unexplained stomach pain/vomiting/diarrhoea. I also attended in July for the similar issue but left after 9hrs of waiting in an empty A&E department. I dread going to A&E hadn't attended there near 5yrs before July.

2. I thought my unexplained stomach problem might be a side effect to an antibiotic that I used on both occasions for a UTI my GP insisted that I go again & this time wait & not leave. I am strong-willed not much frightens me, I am terrified of attending my local A&E department.

3. I have a frightening history with A&E. It began after a bereavement (2012) they were treating my issues as drug-seeking (not true) ignoring my medical issues. I attended again (2015) which resulted in me been sectioned. My voice was not heard I was bullied, abuse & neglect.

4. Nearing the hospital dread built up frightened of what will lie ahead. My mind telling me don't go at the same time convincing myself all will be ok & not to be silly. My mind started to work overtime with what-ifs will they be mean to me, will they ignore me etc? If I don't

5. attend & something goes wrong it will be my fault. They might blame it on ”mental illness”. If I do attend they might not believe me? A&E chairs are a health hazard after a couple of hours, my back pain & joint pain starts. I have to move around walk around I can get agitated.

6. We arrive I tell myself to stay see it through big deep breath here we go. I need to check-in at the COVID desk (I have a low-grade temp). Seen very quickly triaged moved to the waiting room with just one patient waiting to be seen. Thinking & hoping I will be seen quickly.

7. I took a seat a young man who is in charge of keeping place sterile was chatting to me & offered tea etc. This was helpful to relax me. Hours had passed no nurse had spoken to me or offered pain relief etc. Sometime later a nurse came rigged me up to a drip for pain relief.

8. 11hrs later I am seen by a medical doctor & surgical doctor he informs me that it is not urgent that the medical doctor would prob give antibiotics & send me home. I am told to go back to the waiting room. I asked the nurse what is the outcome could she pls let me know

9. as I have to arrange a lift home it's getting late? She doesn't come back I am getting fed up. I ring my husband it is near 1am we agree that he will come I wasn't going to wait for another 3hrs for a prescription to be written. I inform the nurse that my husband is on route.

10. She then informs me very aggressively that I would have to discharge myself as the medical doctor is admitting me for gastro investigation. I agreed to stay I rang my husband apologise & tell him not to come. 2 am (12hrs) The nurse informs me that I will be moved from COVID

11. list to general & she has found a trolley for me & its next to a toilet.
I am called for a chest & abdomen x-ray that no one had informed me. The nurse escorts me to my trolley I am the only one on the long cold corridor. I am now attached to an antibiotic drip & alone.

12. The corridor is near the ambulance entrance & every time the door opens the wind (freezing) hurdles down the corridor. My antibiotics finished I am waiting for Sarah (nurse) to remove drip. I find it difficult to sleep as it's attached to my arm nearest to the wall.

13. I can’t get comfortable as the cannula hurts when I move. I must have fallen asleep I wake up to the cleaners polishing the floor (6 am) & cold wind. I am still attached to the drip. The nurse said she came I was sleeping she decided to leave the drip attached not disturb me.

14. She returns & induced me to another nurse who is taking over I never see this nurse again. The corridor is getting busy the ambulance door is opening & shutting constantly . Someone passes me in the corridor shouts ”Jesus you here all by yourself it's like Graggy Island”.

15. I agreed and replied ”abandoned and frozen”. The toilet I am next is a staff toilet so now I am watching staff in & out of the toilet constantly . I still have no idea what is going on. A consultant introduced himself a quick check of my abdomen a few questions. He

16. informs that he will discharge me but will order an urgent endoscopy for me to return as an outpatient that if I stay no guarantee I will have it done that day or next day & doesn't want to use up a bed unnecessary . He said he will order a CT scan before I go home.

17. He advised I try some breakfast see if it will stay down etc. I am feeling better I have toast & tea. My stomach pain has eased off & nausea is intermittent. Another nurse introduced herself takes obs she is pleasant & we exchange small talk. A yellow card is placed on

18. my table which has UltraSound ticked I am confused thought I was having a CT scan. I decided to go with it even though I just had one done last week. A random new person appeared said to eat lunch if ok I am to be discharged as I was more or less needlessly taken up a bed.

19. Later an Intern introduces himself said he had results of Ultrasound. I asked him what were the result. He said,” It is all clear”. I asked him again he replied,” there is nothing on it to explain my stomach issues”. He said I would be discharged in 3hrs ”paperwork”.

20. As I said I had an Ultrasound done the week before it showed I had a fatty liver, a swollen kidney & a cyst since (2018). They were concerned about the cyst and a CT scan is been arranged. This info was on my GP letter I also relayed this info to the surgical doctor.

21. A Nurse who may have been the nurse in charge who kept her distance all morning, would say random stuff to me from afar asked why I was still there? I explained she rolled her eyes. She returned with a prescription & discharge sheet asked me to leave as the bed was needed.

22. Summary.

dx Gastroenteritis

No Endoscopy ordered.
No CT Scan ordered
No mention of fatty liver, swollen kidney or cyst which showed up on ultrasound I had a week ago.
No x-ray results on the discharge sheet Intern said they were clear but he lied about ultrasound?

23. Very little pain meds were given all day if any? no anti nausea relief etc. Do they have some coded system on your file forever to indicate you're a ”time waster”? I remained calm had I got annoyed, asked questions or complained I would be seen as the aggressor.

24. I was treated appallingly made to feel I was taking up a bed. Apart from one Nurse, everyone that spoken to suggested I didn't need to be there. I was deliberately not seen for hours left without pain meds, other meds & denied tests. I was isolated left on an empty corridor.

25. The endoscopy not on the discharge sheet. I confronted Intern on my way out he denied that the consultant ordered it. I still don't know if I will get this appt? Why would they treat anyone like this regardless & they wonder why people chose suicide. A bunch of bullies.