"The whole experience was terrible from start to finish"

During my stay I was made to feel uncomfortable, not listened to and mentally and physically exhausted. I was Nil by Mouth for just over 2 days. During this time I had no IV fluids to keep me hydrated. Another patients faeces was left in a bed pan in the shared bathroom uncovered for over 12 hours.  After multiple patients asked for this to be moved by nursing and HCA staff members, this was finally disposed of by another patient who got sick of the smell and having to see this when going to the toilet.

I was then moved to another ward. I wasn't told I was allowed to eat and drink but was then chastised by staff for 'refusing' when I wasn't told I could now eat and drink as normal. Another elderly patient in the bay who clearly was confused and delirious was shouting all night, screaming for help and nurses but was ignored. At one point mulitple patients buzzed for the nurse as the elderly patient's call button was moved out of their reach to advise that the patient had soiled herself.  She was left wet and soiled for 2 hours.

None of the patients got any sleep during the stay as we were told to get up in the morning and move around we couldn't sleep all day as that wouldn't help us get better. After being told I needed a catheter the nurse tried multiple times to insert this and after not being able to do so told me I could try do this myself or go without. When I said I had had multiple catheters before and had no issues having them put in I was told my genitalia wasn't normal and didn't look like others they had put catheters in before which is why they couldn't do it,  which I found wholly unacceptable. I sat and cried after that feeling ashamed and embarrassed. This particular nurse upset another patient with a similar comment resulting in her removing her own IV and attempting to leave in the early hours of the morning.

My symptoms and pain was not listened to. I was made to feel small and like an inconvenience. When being taken for a scan a HCA sat scrolling social media on her phone whilst we waited, texted friends and speaking about  weekend plans. I'm not sure if they thought this was acceptable due to us being a similar age but it was not what I wanted to hear at 2:00am  having been woken up and taken for a scan.

The whole experience was terrible from start to finish. After being discharged I queried my medications as there were some the Dr told me I would need to take not included in the prescription.  After much argument this was resolved but shouldn't have been such an argument to get medication which was on my discharge paperwork. I offered to go to the pharmacy myself to collect this but was told no.

I didn't not feel well enough to come home on discharge. I was still in significant pain, vomiting and unwell but made the decision that being at home and able to sleep, shower and eat properly would be better for myself than being in the hospital. The ward was dirty, staff didn't have name badges on, nurses would openly talk about and slag off patients within ear shot of the patients they were talking about to other staff and even other patients. Something needs to change - if the nurses don't want to be there and actually care about their patients mental and physical wellbeing then I think  they should consider another career path.