Hi, you are “face to face with Shell”.
I want to tell you another story about the physiotherapist that I have previously spoken about.
If you haven’t seen the previous videos, please click on the links below:
BURN SURVIVOR AND HEALTH CARERS (PART 1)
BURN SURVIVOR AND HEALTH CARERS (PART 2)
Please watch the video below and/or read on:
Please click on the link below if you would like to see the page on “The Garments”:
After I was discharged from the Burns Unit, I would return to the Plastic Surgery Unit for continued operations (skin grafts, etc,).
After one particular operation, I had stitches in my upper left arm, amongst other “wounds” and was feeling a bit “out of it”, as you are after an operation.
A physiotherapist came in at visiting time…no surprise there (not the “head” physio but one that worked with her). She wanted to fit a new “pressure garment” to my left arm. I told her that I had stitches in it from the operation the previous day. She quite clearly had not read my notes.
She persisted that she HAD to fit the “garment” and I told her that she wasn’t to fit it, as I didn’t want any damage done to my arm that had been newly operated on.
She just didn’t get it; I had a wound and by trying to get a very tight pressure garment sleeve over it, would most probably damage it.
Eventually she left…none too pleased.
A few days later, the “head” physio came marching into the ward (with the one that tried to fit my “garment”) and treated me terribly, in front of the whole ward.
I burst into tears, as she was giving me “what for”. She then proceeded to give me “physio” while I was very distressed and in front of everyone, who by this time were all looking at us. This was in the days of the “Nightingale Wards”, therefore, there was rather a large audience.
This “head” physio was trying to make out that we [my mum and I] were preventing them from doing their job. Eh, no, we were preventing you from doing damage to my wound.
This “head” physio’s behaviour towards me was terrible. I have NEVER seen a “professional” act in such a way. As I have said before, she really wasn’t a nice person.
I felt totally humiliated. Remember, I would only have been about fifteen at the time.
The nursing staff did ask if I was ok after she left but I wasn’t.
WHAT SHOULD WE HAVE DONE?
We honestly should have put a complaint in against this “head” physio. She was totally unprofessional and should not have conducted herself in the manner that she did.
I am sure that my Consultant would not have been happy if he knew about this; I mean, here he was trying to make my scars better and here was someone trying to make them worse!
We really should have reported them both, first of all for the physio trying to fit me with a pressure garment, that would have quite clearly damaged my wound and also secondly, for the way this “head” physio treated me after the incident.
I was speaking to my mum about it the other day and she agreed we should have complained but again, we didn’t want to “rock the boat”. To be fair, it was different times back then (in the eighties).
I will say again though. If you feel something is not right or you have been treated like this…SPEAK UP! It is happening to you. It is hard to do so but this type of behaviour should not be coming from anyone, let alone someone who is supposed to be there to help you and is supposed to be a health professional.
Stay strong and we’ll chat soon.