"At the very least he should have listened to what I was saying"

I have Chronic ME and general poor health, I am virtually housebound. I went in to have a disc removed, the operation ended up being bigger than they thought and I went back into the ward.  

It obviously took a while as I had various problems. One effect was that I didn't have full control over my bowel movements, so the staff needed to check up on me every 2 hours throughout the night, meaning not a lot of sleep to recover from my surgery.

The next day I had an examination. The physio was obviously unaware of my situation, tried to get me on my feet, as I was shaking violently. They tried to get me to use the crutches until a nurse intervened and put me back to bed. The nurse asked if I could use the zimmer, the physio said no, even though I was still using bedpans I was expected to not have to rely on a zimmer.

Later that day, one of the physio's teammates came by and I asked for a zimmer and was told again no way. Three hours later, I was told I could use one and I was going to go home that evening.

Soon after, the consultant came round, did observations and could see that I was still nauseous and sick, and told me I should stay in until tomorrow at least, and they would stop doing 2 hourly observations.

The physio came back and gave me some crutches, told me to get my shoes, said we need to get you up some stairs to get you prepared for going home this evening. I said I was going home tomorrow instead, and was questioned about it: who told you that? are you sure thats what was said? are you sure it was a doctor? what did they look like? were there any witnesses?"

I was forced me out into the corridor and marched along. I couldn't work the crutches, I was just told "head up, head up".  I felt like I was being dragged - not one bit of compassion. I was told that most people leave within a day. By this point I was sobbing uncontrollably.

I was out in the corridor and struggling, but I couldn't lean on anything or take a break and I could see a chair that I thought I might be able to get to, so I headed towards it, still shaking in pain as the physio just kept saying "keep walking, keep walking, keep walking". My whole body was shaking, I was asked if it was normal, I said only during a flare up, which is very painful and not very common.

I was told that 90% of patients leave within the day, and I would be one of them. I asked if they knew my background, and was told "it doesn't matter, everyone gets on the crutches and goes up the stairs." I said surely there must be some catering to the individual? Would a 20 year old recovering from this operation have the same regime as a 90 year old?

The physio then said that I had stairs at home, so was going to havee to get used to this if I was going home that evening and "keep walking, keep walking". I managed to pull myself up, still shaking in pain and sobbing uncontrollably. I asked if this member of staff had seen patients with ME before and the reply was "I take offence at that question" - but wouldn't say why. I was asked if I was seeing anybody about my condition, I said yes, for my iron and B12 I am seeing a haematologist, I am seeing a gynaecologist, I am seeing a speech therapist as the condition is harming my throat. It was at this point that the physio seemed to realise that I might actually need more help than was thought.

They apologised saying, "I think I've been a bit mean to you. Maybe this will help me respond better to people with ME in future" - patting me on the arm, like a cat or a dog. What an attitude change. I was wheeled back to my room in a wheelchair. At this point I was still crying, and I was asked if I would like them to come back later. No I wouldn't.

All the nurses and doctors were fantastic, it was just this physio.

I rang my husband to collect me. I have serious long term conditions, I have seen a lot of experts, I've seen homeopathic doctors, therapists, all kinds throughout my life, but I have never seen anything like this. I am going to bring this up with the ME council to try and prevent this sort of thing happening in future. I am lucky as I have a family that support me, but someone else might not have.

Any person who could see me shaking and sobbing in that corridor and just walk by - its beyond words. I am so angry at the attitude, and at the words used, that there has been some confusion, it (my ME) wasn't on the notes. 

That shouldn't matter to the quality of care.

At the very least they should have listened to what I told them or opened their eyes to how much I was struggling.

I have a long term debilitating condition that severely impedes my mobility. That walk up the corridor would have been a big thing to me on a normal day, let alone after an operation with unexpected complications.

I don't want to get anyone into trouble, I just want this to not have to happen to anyone else.