"an ordeal"

My husband, aged 72, was taken to A&E at 23.00 on Thursday 1st November with abdominal pains and high blood pressure of 200. He was given morphine.

He was initially assessed, then left on a trolley in a corridor until 1.00 on Friday 2nd November.

There were no chairs to sit down so I had to stand with him from 23.00-00..45. I am fit but I am 71 and this was a long time for no chairs to be available.

By 01.30 on Friday 2nd November he needed more pain relief which he was given at 02.00,

At 03.00 he was sick. Although a nurse was sitting about a metre from us he ignored us. I eventually found sick bowls underneath the trolley and cleaned my husband up my self.

Both of us very thirsty by now (he is diabetic) but no access to water.

At 03.25 a doctor finally arrived and examined my husband. He diagnosed possible trapped wind.

03.30 my husband is taken for x-ray.

03.40 he returns from x-ray..

03.55 he gives a water sample and is sick again.

04.15 discharged although he cannot stand unaided.

05.00 taxi finally arrives. Three nurses have to assist me in helping him to stand; deaf to my pleas that he is not right. Stumbles on his way to taxi. I have to take his weight.

05.30 taxi driver helps him into house. I get him upstairs by taking his weight on me again.

05.45 finally get him into bed where he sleeps for several hours.

Disgraceful dreadful scary experience. I'd like to blame Jeremy Hunt but this hospital is now out of special measures. Why?

On Sunday 4th November we saw an emergency GP at Ashton walk-in centre. He did a water sample test, found blood in the urine, diagnosed a kidney stone and said that Tameside should not have discharged him.Advised us to return to hospital. We did so. Repeat performance lasting five hours. He was given more morphine and discharged.

On Monday 5th November he saw our on GP. She too diagnosed a kidney stone, but she said Tameside should not have discharged him. However, she said it would pass within 48 hours and it does seem to have done so.

Wednesday 14th November. Tameside have called my husband for a kidney scan. Locking the stable door after the horse has bolted. He is going and we are both dreading the experience. It might take two hours we are told so I will have to find a convenient wall against which to prop myself.

Talk about Third World standards. Tameside is Fifth World. The worst thing is that this nightmare of attending such a hospital isn't over yet and it is so stressful.

T