"I felt like I was constantly being belittled"

Recently at Diabetes Centre, Hairmyers, my child had thier second follow up appointment since being diagnosed with Type 1,   

As we were about to enter the clinic doors we were met by a trained nurse who told us to turn right back around again and leave. The nurse said the clinic was running very late and there was no point us sitting in the waiting area. I asked roughly how long we would expect to wait and they said you won't be seen within the hour. They said they were held up by patients with interpreters as you can imagine, and rolled their eyes. I asked if I could enter and check in at reception, as I didn't want to be marked as a non attender. They said yes, but then just go away again.

We checked in and as it was a very hot day, we went to the shop to buy some cold drinks and my husband took our child outside for some air. 5 mins later, a HCSW came walking towards me saying they had tests to do and I should have been in clinic. I explained we'd been told to leave by the nurse and they said I shouldn't have been. I was embarrassed as I wouldn't have left the waiting area of my own accord.  I fetched my child and took them straight through and they had their height and weight measured etc. The HCSW apologised for what had happened. They told me my child had gained weight, which was positive, and that thier Hba1c glucose marker had reduced to a very good (normal) level. I was very pleased and upbeat about this, as was my husband.

We then sat in the waiting area until we were called in to see the doctor, by the same nurse who sent us away. The nurse did not introduce themselves, they are not our usual nurse. The nurse started by saying our child had gained back all the weight they had lost - when in fact they had never lost much weight prior to diagnosis, they were always slightly built. They made several other initial incorrect assumptions about our child and cut me off when I replied or politely attempted to correct them.

Throughout the rest of the appointment the nurse continued to cut me off, talk over me and I felt like all I did was defend our actions. Telling me I should do this, don't do it like that, I'm old school, I like certain things a certain way. 

We spoke with the doctor about things we had agreed with our own nurse based on trial and error and the nurse rubbished them.  They did not take real life situations into account or know how certain factors affected our child's blood glucose levels. I found this difficult as they do not know our child and again I felt like I was constantly being belittled. I started to become upset and wanted to leave.

We are still learning and very much dependent on the guidance of the experts, but the tone of the appointment was all wrong.  We were seen at the end of the day - were they tired? I don't know, but there is no excuse for how they treated us.

It has only been a short time since diagnosis and it has been very, very difficult to accept and find a balance to keep my child well. It has been a big lifestyle change and a lot for us to learn, never mind a little person, and it has taken a lot of support and advice from our diabetes nurse to build mine and my husband's confidence, only with that can our child be confident and be made to feel safe.  That was almost completely undone in one appointment.

I left the clinic crying, feeling like I was doing everything wrong. Despite my initial elation of learning they were at a healthy weight, with a healthy Hba1c. None of that was taken into account, it was the nurse's opinion that mattered and nobody else's. And in my view, that is not good service.