"Rushed to Derriford Hospital in an ambulance!"

Following a long-haul flight home I began to get chest pains about 24 hours after I landed. At first I just dismissed it as a bit of an ache and pain, but the pain increased. Around 48 hours after the flight I awoke at about 2: 00 am with intense chest pains and I couldn't breathe properly. My wife telephoned an ambulance and they quickly diagnosed bi-lateral pulmonary embolism (PE) and I was rushed off to hospital. Once I arrived at Derriford I was quickly assessed and given pain relief.

I was in Derriford Hospital for 7 days and it was my first experience of being an in-patient, so I had no pre-conceived ideas about what to expect.

For the first couple of days I was heavily medicated but I still knew what was going on around me, and in the days that followed I was able to assess the medical staff and the various other people who worked in the hospital ward.

Every single person I encountered made me feel very grateful and humble, because they were professionals and they knew what they were doing. I needed looking after both from a health perspective, but also for my welfare. Nurses and doctors tended to me, and other people brought me food and drink, and other people kept everything hygienically clean.

Some people stood out more than others for their exceptional standards, but nobody fell short of my expectations.

I cannot praise everyone highly enough.

One more thing, I am a middle-aged man (and I am a moderately successful businessman) and I believe I am qualified to assess the performance of other professionals. I was discharged six weeks ago and my thoughts and reflections are based on clear thoughts, not a knee-jerk emotional assessment.