So I have really high blood pressure which is being monitored by my GP and the Heartless Heartlands Hospital in Brum. It's been rising enough for my GP to get me an emergency appointment to see the consultant earlier than I should be seeing them.
Anyhoo the appointment dropped through the door last week telling me which clinic, Dr's name and what time - nothing else. I had 4 phone calls from the booking office making sure I was going to attend So I arrived 10 minute before my appointment, was booked in and told to wait. When I was called I was told I needed to have my arm measured for a blood pressure cuff for a 24 hour monitor to be fitted. Now I have bilateral lymphoedema which means I can't have needles for blood pressure cuffs on my arms (a fact that has been noted for 3 years with this clinic). Any thing like this has to be done on my leg. The nurse who was going to do the measuring fair shouted at me that I should have told clinic before I came that this was the case. I calmly told her that this was the first time I was aware I would be fitted to any monitor and had I been advised it was to be fitted to my arm, I would of course have told them.
She then tells me to sit down while she went out to make a phone call (one I could hear) where she tells person on the end of the phone that she's unable to do the monitor because I hadn't advised them of my lymphoedema before hand. When she came back into the room she said she couldn't do it. I then said it wasn't my fault as I wasn't aware any monitor was to be fitted and that they had my records clearly stating that I can't have needles/BP cuffs on arms. Furthermore, there was nothing on the appointment letter nor was there an enclosed leaflet advising me of what might happen at today's appointment. Snotty cah said that the person booking the appointment wouldn't be aware of my particular problem. Fair enough I said, but why is it my fault. She asked if I had another appointment coming up soon (it's on Monday) and she then patronisingly tells me that she never said I was at fault. Flounced out of the room and got back on the phone to whoever and said that she couldn't deal with me because I was very cross and that she hoped it wouldn't blow up again when I attended my appointment on Monday
I went out to the corridor where she was on the phone and asked her if she was insinuating that I was being aggressive? She just said she didn't want to deal with me. So I said fine, I'm leaving and when I get home I'll be making a complaint about my treatment.
Just to say I absolutely was not aggressive towards her nor did I even raise my voice. My body language, facial expression and tone of voice would be enough to tell people I wasn't happy but I felt that not only was she blaming me for the situation, but she was hinting that I was being aggressive as well I was annoyed, mostly at her for blaming me for the situation and then latterly because I felt her attitude was self-preservation because she knew a complaint was coming rather than any concern for her patient i.e me.
My blood pressure is through the roof atm and I'm trying to calm down (hence venting here) but do you think I'm being overly sensitive?? I've also not had my monitor fitted and I'm concerned that there will be repercussions on Monday whereby I could be unfairly labelled an aggressive patient when I'm not.