That was one of three ordeals Brazilian national Andressa Steno experienced at Southland Hospital which left her with little faith in the New Zealand health system.
"I feel traumatised by the treatment I received. I would never think a human being could be treated like this in a hospital in New Zealand," she said.
Mrs Steno’s hospital visits were connected to a historic condition causing cysts in the Bartholin’s gland, which is located on each side of the opening of the vulva.
After the problem recurred in May last year, a doctor referred her to Southland Hospital where — against her wishes — the cyst was drained.
"I was literally [pleading] for them to not [drain the cyst] because I knew from previous experiences that it wouldn’t be effective, but they [doctors] didn’t give me any options. They said that was the standard procedure in the hospital.
"I felt powerless to discuss with a doctor in a country I didn’t know much about, so I just accepted the treatment they decided because I was in a lot of pain."
Two months ago, the cyst returned and Mrs Steno went back to Southland Hospital.
This time she waited in "excruciating pain" for more than six hours in the emergency department with her husband and child until a doctor was able to see her.
After she was eventually examined at 11pm, the cyst was confirmed and she was told to return the next day for a marsupialisation, a procedure where the cyst and gland are surgically opened and the edges sewn to the surrounding skin to keep it open to prevent another cyst forming.
After being told not to eat or drink from midnight, she arrived at Southland Hospital at 7am and was taken in for the procedure at 2pm. Once it was completed she had been 14 hours without food and water.
"The actual procedure is quite simple and takes only about one hour."
ACC did not cover the medical procedure and she had to use sick leave to stay at home for two weeks to recover.
Less than a month later, the cyst reappeared.
She believed it was because the marsupialisation was not done correctly.
"I’m pretty sure they failed in the first procedure so [the abscess] got back very shortly after."
After another long wait, doctors informed her she would have to have another marsupialisation.
When asked to return the next day, she told staff she would be alone because did not want her son and husband to go through the same stress again.
However, the next day she was told she could not have the surgery if she had no support person with her and that there was no available bed.
"I could not believe this was happening. I started to cry like a baby, I was so weak, frustrated, humiliated — and said I would not accept that decision."
After a lot of stress and discussions with staff, a bed was eventually found for her and, 10 hours after arriving at the hospital, she was rolled into theatre.
Afterwards, she asked for food, as she had not eaten for 23 hours, but was told by staff they could only provide coffee and toast because the kitchen was closed and they were busy.
"After all the fighting to get a bed, then I had to fight to have food. I was exhausted and feeling completely humiliated."
Mrs Steno was discharged the next day but she is scared the cyst will return.
"Will I need to have five times the same issue for them to consider a permanent solution?
"I don’t believe medicine is about hope or luck. It’s about making serious, effective and assertive decisions."
She felt her views and information fell on deaf ears and this time she had to take unpaid leave for her recovery as she had run out of sick leave.
"I’m struggling financially and I believe this all should be considered to make the right treatment for patients — especially when you live in another city.
She hoped talking about her experience would prompt change, so no-one else had to go through what she went through.
She complained to the hospital while she was there and was talking to an advocate and her lawyers.
Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora Southern group director of operations Hamish Brown acknowledged the situation and said they were working with Mrs Steno to address her concerns.
"We sympathise with any patient that needs to wait for treatment, especially while in pain and from out of town, and we understand that it can be distressing to be in this situation."
