"Well co-ordinated care for my faulty speech valve"

I'm a Laryngectome, who breathes through my neck and have a speech valve fitted between my gullet and airway to my lungs which enables me to talk.

My speech valve began to leak, resulting in fluids swallowed leaking into my airway, resulting in heavy constant coughing.

I attended the weekly clinic at Monklands Hospital who removed the faulty valve. My valve is in a particulary difficult location and they arranged with the Ward 9 team, headed up by the consultant to replace the valve under a general anaesthetic. This was well coordinated, efficiently carried out and I was released back home talking, a few hours after surgery.

Once again I received they very highest level of care possible. All the various specialists who make up the teams on ward 9 communicate with each other to ensure the patients always get the best possible experience. They should all be very proud of what they do.