"I doubt you’ll even remember it but I won’t forget."

I was being transferred wards and the nurse had helped me pack up my stuff and had put my notes at the foot of my bed. They said the Porter would be along soon. 

The Porter came barging into my room with a chair and I said sorry there’s no way I can manage on that I need to stay in bed. They narrowed their eyes, sighed and went "right I’ll see about that" and stomps out.

My room was within earshot of the nursing station and I heard my nurse say "oh on bed is fine". They then barged back in and said “the nurses seem to think you’d manage on a chair but whatever I’ll take you on bed since that’s what you want”. 

I was too stunned to say anything and they again stormed out with the chair and when they returned to transport me on the bed they did not say another word. The atmosphere was so hostile that by the time we got to the other ward I was in tears. The Porter did not attempt to make conversation, they did not apologise for the many bumps on the way. In the lift they stood checking their phone rather than make small talk.

When we got to the other ward they actually tried to persuade the receiving nurse to make me get out of bed rather than just swap. Given neither bed belonged to the ward the nurse said no. The nurse could tell something was wrong because I was in tears so they quickly moved the bed out of the way and sent the Porter away. 

I have never experienced anything like this and while it might sound trivial I was vulnerable and in pain and I was made to feel like an inconvenience. I’m sorry that porter had to take an empty bed back to the ward but they had no way of knowing by looking at me what my condition was. They made a judgement based on my appearance that I could manage when in fact I couldn’t. 

I hope you read this and understand how your actions can really impact people. You made my hospital stay worse by treating me with contempt and making me feel like a liar and a nuisance. Also please knock on doors and keep your phone in your pocket when you’re with a patient.

It’s taken me a while to process my feelings since this incident and I doubt you’ll even remember it but I won’t forget.