"My ERPC experience"

This morning (27th April) I woke at 5.15am, panicked and really scared about the procedure I was about to face. I had had all sorts of nightmares the night before, from getting blood clots in my rather large and swollen legs (nasty hereditary trait, I blame my Mother), I would wake up during the surgery and be in absolute pain, to the Anaesthetist not being able to get me to sleep...the list goes on. I have a very vivid imagination when it comes to dreams...On arrival to the QA, I was extremely tearful and scared, even my Husband could not fully understand why I was so concerned and kept making sarcastic jokes to try and ease the situation. From setting foot in the EPU at 7.00am this morning every single member of staff I came into contact with was supportive, caring, empathetic and just generally lovely! Every single step of my first experience of hospital was carefully and clearly explained and I felt utterly supported and cared for the whole time. I particularly want to say thank you to my Anaesthetist, a wonderful professional, who's face on entry to the operating theatre made me instantly feel like I was in the safest of hands. The laughs and jokes the Anaesthetist shared with myself their colleagues, two lovely doctors, who I assume, try and take my mind off of what was happening put me at ease (which was hard considering I was extremely scared and tearful). I was surprised by how the experience of having a cannula put in and being put to sleep was not nearly as scary or painful as I had imagined with those members of staff by my side. On waking in recovery a smiley, warm Nurse made me feel extremely comfortable and I also saw my Anaesthetist and Doctor again. Once more they were friendly, warm and simply lovely, checking on how I was. Finally in the day surgery, my final stop, the nurses there were just as wonderful as the staff I had met previously. I would be interested to find out what butter you use on your toast, it was simply amazing! Comedy aside, although this experience has been extremely drawn out one for my Husband and I and the 7 weeks of limbo were very hard on me emotionally I am now out and standing on the other side, really thankful to your team and I literally cannot praise them enough. I am normally not one to write something like this but you truly made the experience one that I will not fear so much in the future. Your staff are a credit to the NHS and I really hope they see this email and know that today they really made an impact on my life.