"Very upsetting when you are suddenly vulnerable and reliant upon others"

After a long and scary 5 months recovering from serious conditions , including a stroke I was excited to be deemed well enough to go to rehab,this meant I was a step closer to going home.

Unfortunately, I feel the care I received in Douglas Grant (DG) was nothing short of unprofessional, sub par and soul destroying.

I am not talking about the amazing physics who worked tirelessly to get me home or the professional nurses. I am talking about staff members who as a group treat patients terribly, have no respect, don't listen to needs, opinions, worries and concerns, who are rude.

My aunt visited me and came into my room utterly shocked by the manners of a member of staff who opened the door. This though may have been because they had to leave their friends/staff who frequent the TV room for many hours a shift, talking loudly throughout the night and discussing patients within earshot of anyone about.

Specific examples of the uncaring care that I experienced are, due to my stroke sitting for prolonged periods of time (physio had said 10 mins max) was very painful and uncomfortable due to pins and needles and my restricted movement. On one morning I was left in my chair for 35 minutes and asked repeatedly to be helped back to bed to stretch out before my physio slot. I was refused because they were busy, offered painkillers which would have taken longer to get than it would have taken to help me move by the nurse on duty, then told when I said I really couldn't sit any longer that if I stretched out in bed I couldn't attend physio because they were too busy to help me transfer back into my chair.

I feel the attitude throughout this episode and others was nonsensical and patronising. Also very upsetting when you are suddenly vulnerable and reliant upon others. Due to my illness I also had temporary loss of vision which meant toileting independently was impossible, therefore I wore pads. I always tried to go to the toilet before my family left, however one evening was unable to and therefore needed changed. On the evening drugs round I asked to be changed and was told by a nurse that pads last eight hours and that I couldn't expect to be changed every time I was wet. I appreciate that I would sometimes need to wait, but as  a young woman I did not and could not sleep in urine soaked pads.

These are some of many examples of staff being dismissive of my needs. It felt like a constantly demeaning atmosphere being created by the very people who were supposed to help. Comfort was impossible in the rooms as they were literally boiling,this was in winter and I had to sleep with the window open and a fan on as radiators had been turned up full and were behind a wall. The only thing that made my experience bearable as I fought to get home was the care from the doctor who coordinated my complicated case, and the few professional and caring staff.

The Stark contrast between my care at Crosshouse Hospital and the facility that was sold to myself and my family could not have been further apart. My mum drove home many nights from DG in tears when she saw who was caring for me overnight. Please whoever responds to this ensure that no other patient, young or old, has to experience care like this.