"My discharge from Ninewells Hospital"

In June 2019 after being sick for 2 days I got up from bed to get to the phone and had a bad fall. The ambulance came and the paramedics managed to get me up and sitting in a chair. I live alone and they felt I was not well enough to stay at home and I was taken to the Acute admissions ward at Ninewells.

I was dehydrated and put on a drip immediately but until the Saturday evening when I had a CT scan, they had no idea what was wrong with me. The scan showed that I had Pancreatitis and more fluids were administered.

I was moved to the other Acute ward and then finally to ward 27. During my 10 days in hospital I ate only clear soup and custard (brought in by my family) so was extremely debilitated.

I did see a couple of community nurses on the ward but nothing was implemented other than giving me a walking aid which I took home with me.

Out of the blue arond a week later I was told I could go home. My grand daughter collected me and took me home about teatime. She phoned my son and asked him to come and stay the night as she said I couldn't be left alone.

This proved to be right when my son had to take me back and forth to the toilet which I could never had done on my own.

As a person living alone I believe I was sent home too early without any support in place. It was another week before the community physiotherapist came to see me at home to see what help they could offer and the only apparatus that was useful was the toilet cage for support (which I am still using). My son put a grab rail in the shower for me as my shower was too small for the seat provided.

I really feel for a rather feeble 72 year old to be sent home without any consultancy with me or my family and no support in immediate place was most regrettable.