I was sent to A&E on Friday after having a chest infection for over a week. I'd had a course of antibiotics and it had worsened instead of improved. I have a rare neuromuscular condition and I'm immunocompromised.
It was found I had a double lung infection with a viral cause and therefore antibiotics wouldn't help. I had a chest X-ray, bloods, ECG and saw a neurologist because of my condition. I was admitted for regular nebulisers and monitoring. That's when I it went down hill really. I was put on a trolley originally as my condition means that's my muscles fatigue easily including my breathing and swallowing muscles. It can be really dangerous and the risk is increased with heat, tiredness and illness. It got really busy though so they moved me off the trolley. I was put on a hard chair. I moved to a slightly softer chair and the nurse had a go at me- as my disability isn't obvious, I tired to explain but she literally shouted for me to sit back down and walked off.
I was told it was another 24 hour wait for a bed. I'd been there 12 hours already at this point. I was really concerned about the effect of not sleeping on my already flaring condition and my neuro team who are based at that hospital had left by this point so couldn't advocate for me. I felt awful.
I discharged myself because I didn't feel safe. I'd had no planned monitoring or nebulisers at this point.
Was I unreasonable to go? Part of me thinks I did the right thing as I have been able to rest at home and I knew I didn't need antibiotics or anything and had had all the bloods/x/rays.
However I am concerned I'm not really recovering.
I know, due to a lot of first hand experience, that the nhs is broken. But when I saw what it was like on Friday it was a shock. They're were people lying in the gaps between chairs 😞