Systematic neglect & lack of treatment!

Sat here this morning, following another sleepless night of pain and discomfort, I can’t help but wonder how things have gotten this bad again. So I started to think about it. I certainly know that I’m not the only person who is suffering like this. There are so many others. Then something dawned on me. There is a distinct lack of action and compassion which our care system and givers are showing us.

As an NHS Registered Nurse myself (at least for a few more months, until my retirement is finalised), it is hard for me to look at or admit to the systematic failure within certain areas. My experience, as some of you are aware, is that of disregard and systematic neglect. Other than my acting GP, and the amazing treatment at kings veterans hospital in London, most others have done nothing but lend accusations of me lying about my condition, accuse me of self mutilation, or ignore me entirely.

Over the past 14 months, I have received no appointments, No investigations, & No treatment despite numerous visits and phone calls to my GP, which resulted in numerous referrals by him, and yet no appointments, investigations, treatment. My leg has never been examined or looked at at all. Instead I have been left trying to self treat the most painful condition known to human kind.

My condition, returned within weeks of my amputation for the condition itself. How do I know? Trust me, when you’ve had CRPS once, then opted for an amputation to rid yourself of it; there’s no greater fear than that of its return. Believe me; once you’ve had it, you will never forget it. To put it into context for those of you who are lucky enough not to know CRPS, I would ask you to imagine the following: Stick your foot in the oven and turn the temperature up to 300 degrees, and then sit there until you can’t stand anymore, but you can’t remove your foot. That pain and sense of urgency you feel to make it stop, is what any CRPS sufferer is living with every day. There is a reason it’s nicknamed ‘the suicide disease’.

I am sure we have all heard and seen many excuses for the actions, and lack there of, from some care givers. Well I say that there is no excuse for any of it. Refusal to treat, to act, to listen is simply neglect.

I am not writing to elicit a complaint, but to show solidarity to those who have suffered, such as I, at the hands of the Illinformed, and frankly neglectful people. Rather than ignoring us, hurling accusations toward us, stripping us of our medications, and leaving us in unbearable suffering; would it not be a better use of time to look into this horrific condition. My belief as a care giver is to learn and research any conditions which are new to me, and understand them….not make a judgement of ‘it’s all in your head’ It is not.

I had a physiotherapist acuse me of lying about my condition because I needed a wheelchair (and this was after my below knee amputation). A GP spent an hour detailing various similar stories to try to elicit a response from me, which matched her beliefs; that my condition was all in my head. An experienced pain Doctor, who had me in tears, when she told me that she thought amputating my leg because of the agony I was in, was ‘self mutilation’. Even someone I called a friend, tried to tell me I couldn’t possibly have the condition I have, because I don’t make a Broadway show of the pain I’m in. Newsflash idiot: the only person who gets to see me like that is my wife. If I’m having a flare up, I don’t go out or see anyone!

So what can we do? I wish I knew. But I do know that sitting back and letting this happen time and time again is not the answer. We need to build more awareness of our condition. We need to stand up to those who deny our condition exists.

I had the privilege of attending a pain management course which was organised by BLESMA at Kings hospital for veterans in London. The course was via zoom and it was completed a few weeks ago. I had the opportunity to learn more about the science behind pain, and techniques to help. I was told every day that it is not in my head. They were and have been since, incredibly supportive. This is the kind of treatment we deserve. I find myself very fortunate to have been accepted on the course.

This is the kind of treatment we deserve and are in desperate need of. We need to educate ourselves with an armour of informed responses, for those who do not know or understand our condition. Know our treatment options, so we can give our care givers options and ideas, and question when treatment is not given. Then maybe combined with our knowledge we can back up the need for them.

This condition is rare. It is not widely researched or known about; so those of us as the sufferers have the opportunity to educate, I form and help with the treatment we are lacking.