I was recently admitted to hospital with what was thought to be a 'standard' COPD exacerbation.

[lindajane01]

I was recently admitted to hospital with what was thought to be a 'standard' COPD exacerbation. The hospital prescribed antibiotics and prednisilone as usual, and sent me home after a week but I became weaker by the day. When a week later I collapsed, the nurses who were regularly attending me via my GP had me readmitted to hospital. Nobody had checked the results –pseudomonas- of the original sputum test I’d had in hospital and I’d been sent home with the wrong antibiotics. Back in hospital for two weeks I remained very poorly and had various antibiotics via IV until the correct drugs were found. Treatment continued at home, via District Nurses, following my second discharge from hospital. CAT scan showed I now had Bronchiectasis. I lost weight, to 5 stone 8 lbs on final discharge. After being home for around 3-4 weeks now, a sputum test shows I am currently infection-free; but still weak, and monitored by nurses at home, and have just completed another 5-day course of prednisilone for breathlessness. My legs have lost much muscle and am having trouble walking normally. Am due to start Pulmonary Rehab in July, and still waiting for a Physio appointment. I was relatively fit and always active before, despite COPD which was well managed. Now I am a wreck by comparison: I can no longer travel, and have given up most of my activities because I am so breathless and weak (and sad!) for much of the time. I am trying to adjust to this life-change, as have always been a pro-active person, both physically and mentally. Finally, on what was to be my last night in hospital, I was woken up at 11.30pm by a woman who said she was the 'beds manager', and asked to leave my bed. She said it was needed for another patient, and that if I agreed, she would give me a bed in a gynae ward for the rest of the night, as I was to be discharged the following day. I refused, but she returned and asked again, and I refused again. I explained I was weak and unwell myself, and still receiving IV injections which were due the following morning before my discharge, and was to be discharged for ongoing injections via District Nurses on my return home. And that I felt it wrong to be asked to leave my bed - it was the middle of the night by then. I would appreciate any useful answers to these questions: (1) Should I complain about being sent home with pseudomonas on the wrong drugs, If so, how is this done and is it worth the trouble? Or is it better for one's health to just accept it, as complaining will cause more stress and anxiety? And (2) Should I complain about being asked to leave my bed - in the event I stayed an extra night, as the pharmacy hadn't got my drugs ready to take home on the day I was actually due to be discharged, so it was just as well I had refused to leave. I feel I was badly treated and have no idea how to deal with this, as well as trying to recover at the same time. I am still shocked that my life has changed so quickly. How does one get to grips with such massive life changes? I feel enormous loss about giving up so many of my everyday activities – such as walking my small dog and my social activities. Despite all this, I am trying to remain as cheerful and active as I can within the parameters that remain. I am not a confrontational person, so although I would like some explanations and apologies from the hospital, I am afraid I might make myself more ill by having all the stress and worry of taking my complaints forward. I really would appreciate some sound and rational independent advice. Thanks in advance to anyone who can provide this.