"Left in tears and feeling distressed ??"

I have been attending the Treatment Centre for many years and treated with care and respect but on this occasion it was very different. My appointment was for 1pm and as always I fasted before my procedure as outlined in the corespondent for someone with diabetes. Now the gateway was changed from the normal gateway and the admission procedure was different in that I was sent back into the general waiting area. I was waiting several hours before being called back into the gateway. I mentioned to the nurse that admitted me that I was diabetic and that I had nothing to eat for a very long time and that I was feeling that my blood sugars were dropping. The response that I got was “well the woman in there is a diabetic as well and I suggest you tell him in there (meaning the doctor) then to take a seat over there, which I did. I then asked where will I be changing in to a gown (as this is what I have always done, as my procedure is to my lower spine) The reply was you can get changed if you want( with a snigger from the nurse) but not shown where to change. When called into the treatment room I told the staff how I was feeling re blood sugar dropping, I was asked if I wanted to go ahead with my procedure and I said “yes I will do after waiting “ I then asked what I should do with my bag,coat and walking stick, I was told just to put everything on the floor as there’s nowhere else ( I wasn’t happy having to do this, but did anyway). At this point I am still fully clothed and asked where do I change into a gown the reply was “ you don’t just drop your trousers to your knees. I found having to do this in front of everybody was very distressing and very disrespectful. I’m a 53 year old woman and a very private person thus feeling the way I did. Obviously I wasn’t feeling great re blood sugars dropping and embarrassed I started to cry while having my procedure, I was asked if I was ok and I replied No not really. Which I hope you understand. I was told that there was no need for me not to eat or drink in the future and that I should go and eat lots of sugary foods. Some people may think that I’m reacting over the top but I left very emotional, embarrassed and amazed on how I had been treated on this occasion. I have always been treated very differently in gateway G and have always given them 5 star but unfortunately that isn’t the case for gateway C on this occasion.