On 5 July, I went to the Emergency at Mater Dei Hospital with a very swollen finger and was there for nearly five hours. I had an X-ray taken after numerous questions were asked like – Do you remember if you hurt yourself etc... etc... After the X-ray, the doctor told me I have acute arthritis and gave me a prescription to take anti-inflammatory pills. I was also told to go and give blood at the Out patients Department the following Monday.

In the meantime, I went for a second opinion at a private clinic in Sliema as I was in a lot of pain and was told to see a Rheumatologist.

After a 10-minute visit, the doctor just looked at my very swollen finger and I was again told this was acute arthritis, plus I was told to pay e64.

I have just returned from UK and I visited a hospital there where I was told i have a broken finger and it very clearly showed on the x-ray that there is no bone at all at the side of my joint on the finger in question.

Can someone explain to me how the doctor at Mater Dei did not see this on the x-ray and just told me that I have acute arthritis?

What is even worse is that the doctor I got the second opinion from in Sliema told me the same without offering to take an x-ray. I am livid and very frustrated at all of this. Now I have a CD of the x-ray from UK to show what’s going on. Third time lucky, they say.

I have yet another appointment at the same private clinic but now with an Orthopaedic surgeon. Maybe this time I will get an answer to all of this.

Fleur Cilia Buckett

Balzan