"Fantastic Team Response at Great Western Hospital"

Anything else?

I woke at 02:45 with acute chest pain. I called 999, 02:55: a paramedic in my room taking details on a portable ECG. 03:00 the ambulance arrived from GWH. 03:10 in the ambulance and away to hospital. I was constantly monitored, an emerging picture recorded. I was on an ECG in the ambulance and was medicated. ECG trace and full history passed to A&E on arrival. by 03:30 I was on an ECG in the hospital in the care of a doctor and three nurses. They took bloods and continuously feedback on my situation. My condition stabilised. . By 05:00 I had been seen by three doctors who decided that the incident may not be a heart attack but that they would give me an intravenous injection just in case. I had an x-ray, which was clear. Throughout my time in A&E, each time a member of staff, irrespective of their uniform, passed my cubical they looked in and made eye contact and checked that I looked ok. At 06:00 I was moved up to ACU for further investigations by a consultant. Here I got breakfast: choice of cereals, toast, choice of jams, my wife offered tea. By 08:00 I had seen a doctor and the consultant who went into great detail about what the team considered to be happening and how the treatment and investigations would continue through the day. A second set of bloods to look for an enzyme to see if heart attack could be ruled out. More tea, coffee, and water and orange squash were on hand. I was in a comfortable chair and after the blood test ruled out heart attack, I would have a teadmill test. Lunch arrived: a packing up. Sandwiches, Walkers Crisps, fresh orange juice, an apple, and a Penguin. The sandwiches were fresh and there was a choice of Chicken salad, Cheese and Tomato, Ham and mustard, Turkey, Tuna and my choice, Corned Beef and Tomato. It was all very fresh and satisfying. I was taken to the treadmill where the test was explained and where I was taken through the procedure.. A doctor explained my heart is fit and healthy and the episode was not a heart attack. My details passed to the Stroke team. At 16:00, more tea. A specialist Stroke Nurse, explained what a TIA was and I would have a CT scan. I am old enough to remember when CT scanners were on Tomorrow’s World and when a consultant could get you on a CT scanner in 5 to eight weeks. The Stroke Nurse explained I would have a CT Scan that day! I was amazed, A nurse from ACU explained I was already booked and I should go straight away!! I was offered two dates for my follow up clinic the next week. Arriving in CT I was collected by a member of the CT team and had my CT scan and was back in ACU within 20 minutes! I was released on asprin and even given a form for my cancelled holiday insurance. I even won half price entry to an English Heritage property in the Walkers Crisp packet I got for lunch. What a great day at Great Western Hospital.