"These little touches are so very important to patients"

I began to feel more unwell than usual, I decided to attend the A+E department of the the hospital. I know A+E is not to be used as a GP overflow but as I have some cardiac issues and as I was finding myself to be short of breath and perspiring greatly, I decided the best option would be A+E. My story starts here.

I arrived at the A+E department. As usual, it was busy with people who have fallen down stairs, fallen from ladders and injured playing sports. Of course there were also some who called in to get some time off work and paradoxically there were elderly relatives who have been brought in by relations as they wanted to stay at home and not make a fuss.

It was March the 17th a great day for my country men as it was the feast of St Patrick although I am sure not many of us understand the rational between a bishop of Ireland and ending up in hospital with alcohol poisoning.

But I digress, I was asked to wait in the triage area, I took my seat with the lame and insane and after what seemed only a few moments I was brought straight through to the resuscitation lounge. I was quickly seen to by a Doctor and a nurse who gave me oxygen and took bloods. The Doctor told me he wanted to keep me in as he thought I may have pleurisy, or blood clots upon my lungs and they would find out more as time went on.

I was taken up to a ward and given a nice clean bed and after some more paperwork I settled down for a good nights sleep snoring my head off and possibly keeping the ward awake all night.

In the morning I was told that I was to be moving to ward D3. It was upon my arrival on Ward D3 that life for me began to improve. I was looked after like a lord of all that I survey, ( and trust me my youthful good looks and well toned body has long since deserted me so it was not a case of mares flocking around a hot young stallion. ) slowly over the three weeks of being in hospital I became much better. I did talk with some of the patients and with relatives of the patients who were so very unwell, Using my pastoral experiences and giving help and an ear where I could, we got the Hospital Chaplin onto the ward and we would have a simple communion service at the bed side. (There were three of us could have been more but I moved).

I watched nurses trying to deal with families of a man who would not be with us the next day to try and make them aware of the situation. I watched them deal with a very frightened and confused elderly gentleman who started to attack people staff and patients alike. I saw nurses both registered and auxiliary trying to keep a ward running when clearly there were not enough staff.

I observed a nurse being racially abused by a patient, and yet through all of this still they behaved as professionals. I was saddened when a nurse I called Pixie and at times Pixie head was afraid as my hand was in a fist as pain soared though my body. I asked what's wrong and she told me that she had been hit before by patients and when I open my hand she would give me my morphine. Of course I was horrified that anyone could think I would consider such an appalling action and I suppose it is a sad indictment upon the society we have created for ourselves today.

I had a wonderful time upon my ward and after several weeks I thought I was just another name in a book but no as I would make my way from out patients along the corridors of healing, I would see staff and they would ask how I am doing. These little touches are so very important to patients. It shows that they were not just bay 3 bed 3. The dinners and the food in general what can I say? I can honestly say that I have yet to have a bad meal within the hospital. I enjoyed every single one.

I have read stories of how bad everything was for some people and to be honest I do not know where they have been. For in my opinion this has to be the best hospital I have ever been in. I cannot fault the hard work and dedication that is shown by all the staff in the hospital.

The cleaners do a wonderful job. The porters should be in the Olympics after pushing beds and people all day. They must be so very fit. The nurses deserve the name given to them; that of ministering Angels. The Drs and consultants work such long hours. It is often forgotten that this is not a job or a career in the normal sense of the word for. It is much deeper than that. It is a vocation.

So thank you all, from the office staff to the pharmacists, the Doctors and the nurses. A big thank you not just for me but for every one.