June 2012

By the time I pitched up at my GP’s, I was running a temperature of over 100 for three days running! My back was killing me and I had tonsillitis! This is not the first time I have felt like this! Every time I over exhaust myself, this is how my fatigue manifests itself. I had been over doing things!

I had builders in flat in May - apparently some research has been done which indicates that having building work & builders in your house is more stressful than a chronic illness! When the builders left, I had to clean my flat and put everything back to host a big birthday lunch over the Jubilee week-end! The only help I could get was from my nieces (18 & 9 years old) and a couple of hours from my boyfriend to lift a few heavy pieces of furniture! A few days after the Jubilee week-end, I then travelled for work and delivered a full on 5 day workshop to about 40 participants. By the time I got back to London, I had swollen glands, I so exhausted and realised that I needed to take some time out. But not without seeing a doctor!

When I turned at my GP practice and the receptionist realised I did not have an appointment, she started screaming at me and told me I should have called ahead – it was 9:15am and I was told I need to call at 8:30am! I told the receptionist that I thought it was better to come in, in person instead! She insisted that there was nothing she could do and no one was going to see me.

I was determined not to leave without seeing a nurse or GP, so I started plotting. I responded to the receptionist and said so my only option was to go home & die, especially as she had not even had the decency to ask what was ailing me! I told her that I wondered how it would look if I actually died after leaving the GP practice! I asked her if she was willing to take the chance to let me leave without asking me why I needed to see the GP.

Having realised that I was making a good point, in a very sarcastic way, she asked me why I wanted to see the GP. I told her that I was burning up, I had tonsillitis and because I am HIV positive, I thought it was a good idea to see my GP. She actually calmed down & started looking at the GP’s schedule for the day. And as if by magic, another receptionist appeared from another room from behind the surgery and said that there had been a 9:30am cancellation and they could fit me in! I didn’t even care how she got to hear my conversation with the rude receptionist, I was just relieved because I wasn’t sure what I was going to do next other than fake a fainting episode! I was that desperate!

I was able to see a nurse, who I could barely understand, but didn’t even dare to challenge! She gave me the prescription and I was out of the GP surgery in less than 30 minutes! I went straight to Boots to get my medicine and from there back to my flat! I was down for about a week, I worried that I was going to turn into one giant bed sore!

I have already promised myself to complain about the rude receptionist but I am also going to attend the next meeting of my local Health Watch to get more proactively involved as well as find out how I can help improve services at GP practices!

Find out more about how you can find HIV-friendly GP practices.