"Two hospital appointments on the same day"

I had two hospital appointments on the same day. The first appointment at the Queen Margaret hospital  at Pain Management Services, and my second at Victoria Hospital , NTC Fife Orthopaedics, for my hand and a separate condition. The two appointments could not have been more different and I would like a second opinion on the diagnosis of my hand injury.

I broke my finger tip on my right index finger at the beginning of the year. I attended my GP for another matter, a month after the fracture. I was experiencing pain, swelling and less movement than anticipated. I use my fingers as part of my work. I carried out the recommended physio and kept the finger strapped and straight for the required time. 

My GP asked me to get back in touch with the surgery if I was still experiencing the same issues in a month's time. I was, and my GP then arranged  an x-ray for my finger. Based on the GP's review and the consultant radiographer's review of the X-ray, there had been a deterioration in my finger from the first X-ray on the day of the injury and the second x ray taken. Based on the second image, my GP referred me to the NTC Fife Orthopaedics. 

When I saw the consultant, I explained what my job was, that I was being treated for chronic pain in my spine and that I was having to attend hospital appointments on a regular basis for another condition. I had hoped that this would indicate that I have an awareness of different levels of pain and that my job required full movement of both hands and all fingers, without pain.

From the outset I found the consultant condescending and struggled to share information without being interrupted and being told what I was experiencing or feeling without allowing me to finish what I had started to say. I explained that the two other health professionals who saw the x ray felt there was a deterioration in the two x rays a couple of months apart. The consultant said - they must have had their magnifying glasses out.

I was asked to make a fist and move the finger  which I did, but it was painful to do so. There was a brief examination of and pressure applied to the actual finger tip. I indicated that this was tender. I also noted my finger was a different shape than it used to be and it was painful to move it. I felt this information was not taken into account. 

During the appointment a nurse came in to check that I had come in to the room. I had been at the toilet and was called by the consultant into the consulting room, just as I was returning from the toilet. The consultant was rude to their colleague and said are you checking that I’m doing my job, adding I can be left unsupervised to do my job and the nurse left the room. Initially I had thought this was humour or banter, but on reflection on my overall experience, I suspect it was not. I felt it was reasonable for the nurse to check the right patient was in the room without being made fun of in front of a patient. 

The consultant concluded that it is common to have pain and swelling for up to a year after a fracture and there was nothing actually wrong with the finger and how it was healing. I asked if there was anything I could do or should not do to to assist in better healing. They then suggested I could put razor blades on my finger tips when giving treatments. I explained my treatments were meant to be relaxing and targeted using my finger tips. It wasn’t necessarily about me being able to apply pressure with my finger tips.

Again, this may have been an attempt at humour, but I felt that I was being dismissed and not taken seriously. I attempted to explain again my family history of hand arthritis, the very evident changes in the shape of the rest of my hands and wanted to clarify that my finger fracture healing was not being affected by arthritis. 

The consultant  advised the changes in my hands were minor, were age related, that I was fortunate and the changes were inevitable. At this point the consultant said they were going to have to kick me out. I realised that this was meant in humour. But on top of not being listened to or taken seriously, it left me questioning whether I had a full assessment of the fracture and the changes between the x rays.

My appointment with the Pain Management Service was outstanding. I spent over an hour with the consultant and received a holistic assessment of my chronic pain condition. I was listened to carefully and my views and experiences of my conditions were taken into account at every step. I felt heard and as though I was being treated as an individual with my own unique story.