"And Dream of Sheep"

Chosen a famous Kate Bush track as my title, since it’s the perfect song for anyone suffering increasing levels of stress – as I was on my entry to Ward 16A for a CoC hip replacement. What a fool I was when I was about to encounter one of the most professional groups of individuals that I have had the pleasure to meet over the last 30 years. Entering the theatre environment, felt as though I was taking part in a Radio Four play whilst discussing creationism/evolution that one detects within Maxwell’s 2nd equation with one of the doctors who – very professionally – was bringing me out of the emotional stratosphere and relaxing me! Transients are, of course, everyone’s enemy, but the talented anaethetist reached steady-state before one could say: ‘Remember You’re Womble’. Marks for talented theatre team? 10/10 Returned to the ward after the operation with great care and respect – the story of my whole Aintree experience. I’m not the kind of individual to bother people, but if anything was required, the response from the nurses – both male and female - was exemplary and there was always a perfect balance between the practical and emotional in respect of the nursing care. Marks for nursing care? 10/10 Experienced a faint during one of the days whilst recovering (nothing to do with the hospital care). The consultant who was on duty that day didn’t have a clue who I was, yet treated my faint with extreme thoroughness – and even checked before discharge that I was OK. Marks for Consultant care? 10/10 MRSA is, of course, on every patients mind at the current time and so cleaning was an issue. It is hard to describe the thoroughness of the cleaning – and it certainly wasn’t simply a case of a few squirts of a floor cleaner, comprising a few random sweeps with a mop. The whole room was cleaned in a methodical and detailed manner. Marks for cleanliness? 10/10 The only minor criticism would be the quality of the vegetarian menu which included describing one salad containing shelfish as suitable for vegetarians and also a salad spread which contained shrimps. My thanks to all the staff and consultants associated with ward 16A