"Excellent, thorough, fast care"

Attended advanced physiotherapist Gemma Taylor at accident and emergency at Crosshouse Hospital.

8 years ago I underwent emergency surgery in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde for cauda equina and was told I was very close to losing full bladder and bowel control due to a large prolapsed disc in my back. In the weeks leading up to this surgery I attended  accident and emergency in Glasgow 3 times with concerns about cauda equina following advice from my community physiotherapist on what to look out for. Each time at a and e I was sent away after examination by a doctor as cauda equina was not believed to be present. I returned to my gp exasperated as I still felt extremely concerned there was something additional to back pain was present. My gp referred me direct to hospital and that afternoon I was admitted after a full assessment and a bladder scan which picked up that my bladder was not emptying properly and a diagnosis of cauda equina was given. I was operated on that evening. The whole experience was terryifying and I felt scared as I had come so close to serious permanent damage and this had been repeatedly missed. Fortunately the surgery was successful and I had a good outcome. 

Fast forward 8 years and imagine my horror when 3 months after having a baby I had coexisting back pain and bladder issues again. My mind went back all those years to the trauma of emergency surgery and the worry of how I was going to manage being apart from my baby for surgery and then look after him while in recovery. Also would I get the same outcome as before or not. 

My husband and I were both worried sick and wasted no time in presenting at a and e at Crosshouse. 

The doctor at a and e really listened to my story and agreed given my history that this needed checked out as a matter of priority. I was seen by Gemma ( advanced physio based at a and e) who advised that she had lots of knowledge of cauda equina and she acted really swiftly to arrange an emergency MRI scan and bladder scan to rule out cauda equina. Gemma really understood the potential severity of the situation and the need to act quickly. She negotiated a space in the busy MRI schedule and was able to give me a provisional outcome via the scans within a few hours. It was such a massive relief to learn that on this occasion my symptoms were not cauda equina and be able to return home. The prospect of same day surgery had been discussed.  By the end of the day Gemma had the scan reported and it was confirmed that there was no cauda equina and my symptoms were most likely post natal related and she made a referral to woman's health physio for treatment. 

This experience was so positive compared to what happened at a and e in the past. To have someone with specialist knowledge who can facilitate scans timeously and carry out informed assessment made such a difference to me. The worry was taken away and I was reassured quickly that a serious issue was not present and that if it was I was in the hands of someone who could arrange the appropriate assessment and care there and then. 

I really believe that if there was a specialist physio present at a and e before then I would not have been repeatedly missed and come so close to a very different and debilitating outcome. 

Excellent thorough fast care by the a and e physio and for that I deem it invaluable.