"I felt like a problem they didn't want to deal with"

In 2024 I gave birth via c-section at Darent Valley hospital in Dartford. Two weeks before my appointment my husband and I found out it hadn't even been booked in - when asked about it we were told very rudely over the phone by my dietician (who was a part of the c- section discussion) that they had other patients and they couldn't remember everything (we were never told we were the ones who had to book it).

I cannot fault the c-section itself - the operation went well and I was looked after and the staff in the recovery room treated me well, However I was then moved to the ward and that's when problems started.

I had a lot of trouble going to the toilet - I could not go - when I kept asking for help from the night nurses I was just told to keep drinking - all night - one nurse did come to the toilet filled up a paper bowl and threw it over me to try and get me to go the toilet- although she apologies she still left me unable to walk steady soaking wet.

The next morning I had a tonic clonic seizure - the day staff did act promptly and was shocked afterwards when was told what had happened during the night.

It was found I had a brain tumor (a benign menogima) I was kept in hospital over the weekend.

I was told I was to have a craniotomy 6 weeks at another hospital trust, however two days before my surgery appointment I went to A&E at Darent Valley as new symptoms appeared (I developed serious double vision and my right arm had started to shake uncontrollably) when telling the doctor in the A&E at Darent Valley, they were very dismissive and just kept saying basically I have my surgery in two days there was nothing they could do - I was never given any scan or medication - this was after been left waiting a few hours.

When I got home I informed someone at hospital where I was dur my surgery and they straight away was appalled that I had not been given a scan nor had Darent Valley had informed them - This team then put me on steroids straight away to reduce the swelling as my menogima had grown.

After my craniotomy at the other hospital two months later I developed very bad insomnia and a pain in my head (not a headache) and the only way I could sleep was if I ate something but then would be up an hour later - I went a few times to Darent Valley A&E and was always dismissed and once had to leave myself because my symptoms from the craniotomy and the long wait time was so bad.

Eventually after getting a doctors appointment who was worried about my heart rate sent me to Darent valley A&E and after a long wait as no department wanted to take me I was taken to a ward when patients with dementia were - I was placed in a windowless room.

I stayed for the weekend and I was treated awfully by the team on there apart from one nurse- no one believed or bothered to look at my notes (I had balance and visual problems) and the team got annoyed every time I rang the bell for help to go to the toilet and one nurse even mocked me when I had to do it myself saying - oh look you can do it.

I also overheard two security guards saying that two nurses had said I had a crown on my head because oh the way my hair was growing. Every night I had to remind the team I'd had a craniotomy and every time they were shocked.

I was also yelled at by the lead nurse one night throwing a walking stick and a zimmer frame saying - use this, you cant keep using the call button for help.

I was put on one paracetamol but this kept being ignored and I was constantly given the wrong amount - when I raised this with PALS, I was told because it was just paracetamol it was fine, however this was a ward with dementia patients, what if it had been another more serious type of medication?

I was given a standard antibiotic drip - every time a nurse could never find my vein they were annoyed with me and once even overheard them say - oh thank goodness her husband is coming we don't have to look after her.

I was left with very little support and I feel I was emotionally abused during that weekend and was ignored a lot of the time and when they did answer my call button the nurses were rude and basically I felt uncared for the whole weekend.

When I was discharged my head had erupted and there was an infection which had been missed on multiple scans - although I had been told the pain in my head was just a headache.

When I showed a nurse my head I was told it was where I hadn't washed my hair.

Arriving home, although I did feel better from antibiotic IV drip, we did send photos to the hospital where i'd had my surgery and a week later I was admitted for a washout surgery and they admitted they had missed it as well and apologised to me.

I cannot fault the hospital where I had my surgery as they at least tried to get to the bottom of my insomnia sending me on tests and took me seriously, however with Darent Valley, I felt more like a problem that they didn't want to deal with - apparently the other hospital had problems getting information from them about me like blood tests and other results.

I still have PTSD from Darent Valley. When I told PALS, nothing was done and I feel like the the whole thing has been swept under the rug.