"I did not give informed consent"

The surgeon did not explain highly likely painful & distorted outcomes from the breast reconstruction I was advised to have. They only showed one picture of a perfect breast and minimal scarring. I realise now they didn’t even carry out that surgery, it was just a good image to show. They did not mention the high proportion of women needing further remedial surgery after this procedure. I therefore did not give informed consent.

I have now found out they did not carry out my surgical procedure either, but a junior doctor I never met before or since, did. This is after the charade of co-ordinating diaries to ensure they were available to do my operation. This surgeon still refers to when they (personally) removed cancer, when they (personally) stitched up, but I feel this is a huge deceit and not helping my recovery.

I am now 9 months post-surgery and have been in constant, agonising pain in addition to the upsetting distortion I’m left with. This surgeon says they have no idea why and they have offered no solution. I sourced appropriate nerve painkillers from my gp to lessen the pain just last week.

Radiotherapy were so rude to me and stated how much extra work I’d created for the dept because I didn’t want tattoos - one staff member rudely raising their voice at me in the waiting room/public zone. Only on the final day of radiotherapy did a caring individual suggest covering up by placing the gown to cover my non-treated breast, before this I did not realise that was an option. None of the previous staff had suggested/bothered and you are exposed to a bank of staff & screens and passing patients being moved to the different rooms who can also view you via the screens.

My personal experience was that patients are so frightened and vulnerable they don’t realise the shoddy care until they are long gone.