"Treated as a patient who refused to help themself"

As I waited my turn I watched the process appear to go seamlessly for others, but my experience was less so. I did experience excellent care but also very poor care at other times.

I have no complaint about the delays, it was my choice to wait and I appreciated the opportunity to try to avoid postponing. My  original appointment was cancelled due to overload of A&E patients requiring orthopaedic beds. I was allowed to try again the next day and was eventually taken to theatre late that afternoon. It was evening before I was admitted to ward and shift change was underway. 

It became clear that by missing out on day 0 physio (then physio being bumped to end of next day), I was unable to reach targets that night staff expected of me. 

Advised to stay in bed until physio saw me so I requested a bedpan, but this was badly handled. Due to this I next requested a commode to be wheeled to the toilet. However the night staff said that I should be walking, despite my explaining that I had not been out of bed since op. I was told to get out of bed and walk with zimmer to toilet.

Hyperventilating (I think) but certainly in severe pain with a foot that wouldn’t flatten, zimmer reached toilet, nausea engulfed me and I am certain that I fainted. Some time later I woke up in bed. Later I asked what I had happened and was told that there had been no problem as they had got me back to bed.

I feel I was treated as a patient who refused to help themself, which was far from the truth. I understood and agreed with the importance of moving quickly after surgery and had waited hopefully to do this, but everyone had been very busy. 

The experience was frightening. I decided to write this review in the hope that others, if aware, won’t let this happen to them.