"He's Not Had A Stroke!"

My husband with a history of strokes was taken to A&E with a suspected stroke, arriving at approx. 19.30 he was not seen by a doctor until 22.30.

He was sent for a CAT scan at 01.00 and we were told he had not had a stroke but was admitted for observation. The following day Sunday I was told he had to have an MRI scan and it had been booked but the ward could not chase it up.

Two days later after I had asked in the people in the PALS office to intervene he was taken for the MRI but didn't have it as he couldn't answer the questions. The ward said they had phoned me to go in But there was no trace of their call on my mobile or landline. The following day Wednesday after I had arrived on the stroke ward at 0830 and been taken to the MRI dept to answer the questions I was told by a consultant that my husband had not had a stroke he was just confused.

I informed them that my husband was an intelligent independent man and was not normally confused.

Later that day a doctor confirmed that my husband had suffered a stroke on the left side of his brain.

The following day a different consultant visited my husband and mentioned transferring him, I asked that he be transferred to Salford Royal Hosp, the consultant went ballistic, was extremely rude and was shouting that that wouldn't happen.

My husband is also diabetic but the staff serving the food told me on 3 different occasions that ' It didn't matter, he could have anything'

I told them it did matter and made sure I was there for every meal time to monitor what he was eating, he had consistently high sugar/blood levels while he was in there, high as in 15 and above.

The following week Thursday I received a call saying this same consultant had visited my husband was discussing 'putting him in a nursing home'

I raced to the hospital to find my husband quite distressed and refusing to take his medication, he had heard the consultants comments and thought he was indeed going in a nursing home.

I informed him he had one home and that was where he was going but he had to take his medication, he said he would if he could ' come home tomorrow'

I told him if he took it I would ask if he could go home that same day.

He took the medication and the ward sister said he could go home later that day.

We received follow up apts for my husband to have tests in the coronary department and also for the stroke clinic.

I wrote to both departments asking them to cancel the appts as if a consultant could not diagnose a stroke, he was not, in my opinion capable enough to look after my husbands future health care.

A doctor from the coronary department rang me quite concerned that my husband had the tests, and offered to arrange to have them done privately, I thanked them but told them my husband had been transferred to Salford Royal Hospital.