FORMER Bolton General Hospital medical director and elderly medicine expert Prof Arup Banerjee recently discovered what it was like to be a patient. He reveals his experiences in a bid to help and reassure others.

AS a practising physician looking after very ill, grossly or minimally disabled mostly elderly people for more than 55 years, one can sensibly conclude that I do have some knowledge and understanding of the "suffering" aspects of disability.

In medicine, we always tell our students and trainees that there is nothing better than experiencing illness to grasp its true nature and various implications.

Sadly (or fortunately!) that does not always happen and the true effects of any illness remain largely unperceived by the doctor, nurse or any health care professional.

While teaching the clinical picture of stroke, I often advised juniors to try to live for just one day without using one side of their body, my expectation being that would make them a more caring person.

However, apart from a couple of planned surgeries and one or two day procedures, I have been fortunate not to experience any kind of long-term severe disability myself until a few months ago.

On a bright, sunny summer day in August, I had an accidental "mechanical" fall from the steps in my garden. It was not from a great height, but my right knee got caught under the lower step and I fell on the concrete slab.

I was not ill, did not sustain a stroke — I was able to move all my limbs, see and talk — or had any chest pain or shortness of breath, so it was just a fall due to my slipper slipping on the steps.

I live alone, I was not holding a mobile phone and I simply couldn’t move. I was in excruciating agony in my right knee. I began to shout for help from my neighbours, two of whom appeared fairly quickly

Well the rest of the story will be boring — 999, ambulance, hospital A&E, waiting on a trolley inside a cubicle, X-ray, ultimate transfer to an orthopaedic ward — and took approximately five hours.

There is no point in describing the correct diagnosis reached or investigations carried out. I was operated on my right thigh to stitch up a torn major muscle right above the knee.

Everything was fine, everyone did their job well, but I was totally dependent.

Everyone was satisfied that I was okay medically, but I was not entirely happy.

My real problems commenced. I wanted to return home but there was no one there and I couldn’t even get in and out of bed or use the loo properly.

What will happen to me? Where shall I get cooked food or other usual household assistance?

Rehabilitation commenced virtually immediately so that I could get back on my feet and manage stairs (my bed room and main bathroom are all upstairs).

A very helpful therapist and a social worker came to see me in hospital and we discussed the various practical issues and I must say they were all very kind caring professional, not just because I was a well-known senior doctor, but a human being in distress!

During my stay in hospital, community rehabilitation/re enablement team /occupational therapists visited my residence, taking the key from my good neighbour, and commenced sorting out a few basic necessities such as a special toilet seat, a high kitchen chair with handles, a key safe facility outside the rear door where I fell for access to the house when I returned home.

After about 11 days I was discharged. Two care assistants were deployed one for early morning and one for late evening to attend to my extra needs.

The principal food supply was being provided by friends and neighbours — some home cooked, some from supermarkets.

I remained seated on a settee all day, going up to my bedroom at night and coming down in the morning.

I couldn’t take a bath/shower as my bathroom only had a bath tub into which I couldn’t step in.

I was also fitted with a Careline alarm in my wrist, which, fortunately, I had to use only once after a fall in my living room whilst going to the downstairs loo.

I was provided with two elbow crutches. No proper physiotherapy yet until the tear stitches had properly healed after six weeks.

I was house bound totally for nearly seven weeks. Afterwards, kind friends used to take me in their cars for a meal somewhere or even minor shopping.

I was bored, depressed, tearful and lost all my confidence and courage.

Someone who had infused courage into umpteen number of disabled patients all his working life, it was indeed a queer feeling and a horrid experience.

Yes people did visit frequently to help, but I have always been a very active, agile individual, fiercely independent.

It was a terrible experience.

Friends and family were encouraging me all the time, but I was wanting to become independent and to commence doing things for myself.

I was totally frustrated and down in the dumps.

My constant companion was my computer, my hi-fi set, the TV and books!

Incidentally, my family — my children all grown up but not living nearby — did, of course, visit me often, but they are all busy with their own lives, work, children, etc, and I did not expect anything more from them.

Despite everything, I hadn’t stopped my usual activities. I had an eye test for a new pair of glasses — my old ones got broken during the fall — and a friend took me to the optician; I had a hair cut with the help of a friend I visited my usual hairdresser; I had to get some cash, either from a friend against a cheque or from an ATM taken by someone whilst supermarket shopping.

I also had to attend a large regional medical conference. I was due to chair a session at the University of Manchester Conference Centre at Fallowfield, again, taken by a colleague.

I never accepted a total surrender from life because of my apparent disability.

Mine was not a permanent disability. I knew I would gradually get out of it.

But the feeling was awful. I felt lonely, mostly cut out from the world, sad and pensive.

Despite all this, I continued to fight on, carrying out the instructions of the therapists with the hope I would become fully independent again.

Will power and determination ought be the main ingredients for a successful rehabilitation!