"Time taken for diagnosis of a broken spine"

Approximately, over the past 5-6 months, I have received this treatment from The Pilgrim Hospital Boston. Treatment I cannot still believe I got!

I fell very badly and damaged my back. I went to the A/E at Pilgrim on two occasions hoping for help but received  none. After hours of waiting, I finally saw a doctor. He briefly examined me and sent me home, and reported to my GP that I had overdosed on morphine. I wasn’t taking morphine!

He did not even look at my back and yet I had sat, in agony,  all night in the hospital, I received no drink, no attention and was told that it was the drugs that were making me thirsty. This statement left me puzzled as I hadn’t taken any. Of course this was due to the fact that they were convinced I I had.  My fall and back pain were not looked at. I felt that I was treated like an idiot.

Again after weeks of intense pain and illness, I had no choice but to go back to the Pilgrim. 

I felt that the ambulance service treated me as a joke. They told me that I would be sent back that same night so I wouldn’t need to take anything. As it happened, I was 5-6 weeks in hospital and had nothing with me. Living alone created massive problems.

Thank goodness the hospital provided me with some things. I overheard the paramedics saying that I would have a chair to sit in for hours, I felt like they were mocking me. I certainly did sit for hours - over 30! Thirty hours in A&E, but this time I was listened to, thank God!

This was nearly  three months after my accident, the GPs at Hawthorne Medical Practice were of no help either. I asked for a MRI scan on several occasions and even offered to pay for a scan. This time a doctor listened and had me scanned. It was found that I had a broken back! I was immediately put on a ward at the Pilgrim.

From this point I was treated very well and was told I would eventually end up at the Spinal Unit in Nottingham as I needed an operation.

After 4 weeks at the Pilgrim , I was moved to Nottingham. I was treated magnificently  and was scanned, constantly, to cover everything. Further fractures were also found. 

Unfortunately, it was discovered by the surgeons at Nottingham Hospital that an operation might be harmful at this stage as I had been operated on, many years ago, for spinal damage and this site is just below the new damage. They suggested pain management to see how I go. It’s unfortunately not working at present so I hope it improves.  

I Sincerely hope that if it does not improve that something will be done as I cannot live my life like this. It has taken me 5-6 months to get to this!

As I have said, I can at least  thank the doctors the last time I went to the Pilgrim who bothered to take notice of me, the other times no. Which has shocked me.

Waiting time

Staff attitude

Being listened to