Richard C.
5/5
Let me first paint the picture. At the age of 73, an old friend of mine invited me to join him and a few friends to sit back in a four at Gloucester rowing club to form an ancient mariners crew and take part in a friendly regatta later in the season. Having given up rowing in 1969 after a car crash, and returned in 2011 at 63 to do a charity row, I jumped at the chance.
After the first outing I had suffered from breathlessness so I decided that I should submit to a "Well-Man" check up. whilst I admit, the results not only annoyed me (I was invincible) it frightened me. It highlighted a few problems, the main one being a potential problem around my arteries to the heart. Two chest X-rays, an Echo Cardiogram and a subsequent MRI, confirmed to the Consultant that there was need for him to carry out a Coronary Angiogram to investigate where he considered lay the problem and if possible to treat that problem at the same time with an angioplasty.(reading the long words from the instruction letter.)
I duly attended the Cardiac Day Clinic on Thursday July 20th at Gloucester Royal Hospital. That brought back memories, we were married there 55 years ago after the aforementioned car crash. From the minute I walked in to the ward, the atmosphere of care and reassurance was palpable. Of course one is nervous, but one puts on that smiling face to disguise fear. The staff were just amazing. I have written a personal letter to Dr Baskar , the consultant to thank him and his team but I take this opportunity to make my thanks public and hopefully to reassure other who may find themselves in similar circumstances.
This is an excerpt from my letter. -
"The whole experience yesterday, from the minute I entered the ward to your visit just before I left, was one of total care and support. The reason for my letter was not just to thank you for the remedial work on me, but to ask you to pass on my thanks to every member of your team. I shouldn’t name names but two were outstanding creating an air of reassurance. One nurse carried out the pre operation procedure in the ward and was there in theatre, and another picked up the pieces when I returned to the ward and emotion spilled out in tears of relief. (Grown men don’t cry – oh yes they do.) I didn't name names as noticed each patient was ascribed a team member to support them. Every team member in that ward and in surgery created an atmosphere of care, support and professional expertise in the part they played for each one of us in CDU yesterday as patients. There is no doubt that that special ethos emanates from you, Dr Baskar, and from the conversations I overheard as I lay on my bed waiting to go in, each of your staff hold you in great respect and are proud to be part of the team you lead.
From that car crash 55 years ago, my wife and I learned to hand ourselves over to the experts at GRH who put us back together. To those who might find themselves in the same position as I did three years ago, do not delay, go and have a check up and do as you are told. DO IT NOW! if you end up with an appointment in the CDU, be reassured you could not be in a better place or under better supervision and care. My sincere and grateful thanks to "the Team" for what may be all in a day's work for you, but it means so much to me and my family, and yes, Dr Baskar was right three years ago, when he spotted a shadow on an Xray. 55 minutes in theatre, angiogram,. angioplasty and stent fitted. Who is lucky boy then! Thank you all for your care, and the cups of tea with milk!
