Help me, I am not dead

Last July I went into Ward 9 as a patient with my fair share of life threatening diseases — viz, heart, pressure, sugar, and to top it all an abscess on my back.

Ward 9 was responsible for my “heart, pressure, sugar” and Ward 6 was responsible for the incision of the abscess three times in two weeks. I was put in an unclean bed with my back oozing.

No one ever bothered to treat my itching back except to give me the anti-itch medication three times daily.

No one sent off any swabs from the bed I was on, or from my oozing, itching back. I was sent home with my back oozing for a further month; no antibiotics, no antifungal tablets or creams were given me.

I wrote asking for leniency to get my salary to be able to seek private treatment. After six months “whole pay” to be followed by six months half pay should have been given me.

Instead they just stopped my half pay from November 2005 — April 2006.

Three months ago two Ward Sisters came by my house to investigate my complaints and so far “no money.”

The rash continues to spread and itch and now it’s oozing again. I’m afraid that it could get worse or yet incurable unless I get medical treatment. I feel like I am being victimised because I complained last year when hospital pharmacists went on strike and later resigned.

I had to purchase medication at a cost of $1600 per month, so all my meagre savings went through. I’ve had a mortgage, two bank loans, unpaid taxes to pay up but with the move to have me branded “medically unfit” a bank is breathing down my back for their money.

I’ve the feeling that they have left me for dead. After 30 years of dedicated service, is this my thanks? I cry myself to sleep most nights.