"Nothing got explained to me"

I was admitted from the GP to ward 7 at ninewells hospital. The care I received when I arrived was fantastic. The doctor who came to see me was very informative and explained everything that they were going to do. The nursing staff were second to none and made me feel at ease. I was a bit nervous, and as busy as the staff were there was one night shift nurse who came over and just had a general chat with me which was really nice.

I was transferred through to ward 8 after a couple of days. By then I had felt fine and ready to go home and continue my treatment as an outpatient. I was only at home a few days when I became unwell again. I was re admitted again, I was told to arrive at ward 7 in the morning. I got my obs taking and blood taking. I was still sat in a waiting area by late afternoon and no one had came to see me to explain what was happening. A doctor eventually came to see me and didn't have a clue as to what had been going on or as to why I was there, they seemed pretty keen for me to go back home and come back the next day for a scan, even tho I was told I would have to be re admitted. They made me feel as if I wasn't sick enough to be there and was just wasting people's time.

After a while I was admitted into ward 7 where again I was made to feel at ease. I got transferred to ward 11 the next day where again the staff were lovely from the nurses to the health care assistants and student nurses who took the time out to chat with you and get to know about you. I was kept up to date about what was happening throughout. After various tests they were planning me for surgery, there was a procedure they were going to do but the doctor explained to me that I was at high risk from this procedure so didn't want me to have it and instead opted for surgery.

From here the communication between the hospital departments and myself went down hill. There was people telling me that I was having this procedure the next day when I was told I wasn't having it because of the risks. Then out of no where I was told I was being moved to ward 36 that night. No explanation of why I was being moved from the surgical ward to that ward. Then to be told once I moved to that ward I was not allowed out to walk about, once I was in there I had to stay in there. I got upset because nothing got explained to me and they were still saying about me having this procedure.

A doctor came to tell me that I would not be having this procedure done. So it calmed me down a bit. I got moved into ward 36 in the evening, put into a bay by myself and just left there. No one came to see me for a couple of hours, I felt like I had just been abandoned with no clue as to what was happening. I was upset and scared, the night shift nurse came and spoke to me and explained that due to current circumstances that this was being used as a surgical boarding and that's why I was moved. Even down there they were talking about this procedure, that I was told wasn't happening. They said not to worry about it tonight and we would get it sorted in the morning.

In the morning a doctor came to see me and said I would not be having the procedure, the reason it kept getting brought up was because it had not been cancelled. My surgery was booked in and I was taking to the operating theatre where I met the anaesthetics team. They were lovely and re assuring, so nice. I have had my surgery and back home now. 

I would like to say a big thanks to Sally night shift charge nurse ward 7 who was so kind and just spent some time with me to make me at ease, also Mr Hamilton who re assured me and kept me updated whilst in ward 7, he is so lovely, patient and a great asset to your team.