Kent

My beautiful friend of 3 years had a stroke and was admitted to hospital.
He was there for 1 month and during that time I believe he was neglected regarding food and liquids. It took 3 days before he was put on a drip and he got better. His food intake wasn’t monitored but I started to take food into the hospital to ensure he was fed.

From that hospital he was transferred to a rehab unit for 6 weeks but he had a fall and was sent to hospital for a scan. He stayed in this hospital for weeks where I watched him deteriorate. On Christmas Day I visited him and observed his wet sheets and wet pad with a reduced staff on duty.

He stayed in this hospital for weeks, where they kept visitors out by relentlessly locking down due to Coronavirus. When I could eventually visit he was so dehydrated that that he was rambling. I was approached by a staff member who discussed the issue of DNR and my agreement to put this on his medical records. I declined on my friend’s behalf but later that evening I was phoned by that same person pushing me to reconsider as my friend was now on oxygen according to him. I declined again and suggested to him that I contact CQC - he then backed off. I did report this incident to social services to protect my friend.

He is now in a care home but I’m still fighting for his rights as due to COVID within the home they are in lockdown with a no visiting procedure in place. This means the residents are confined to their rooms with no interaction whatsoever for over 3 weeks which I believe is detrimental to their health and well-being. I’m powerless to do anything about it.

This so called virus is not life so threatening as the impact of isolation and lack of physical touch and comfort from loved ones which is the very best medicine to heal.

What on earth can we do to save these tragic people.

I just fight on for my beautiful friend who wants nothing more than his freedom.