"Nothing but praise for everyone who helped me"

I was shaken out of my sleep about 5am early October 2024, I felt it through my whole body. I went downstairs, took my blood pressure, it was 198/98, I took 2 low dose spirit and went back to bed  and slept to 9am. I didn’t feel great during the  morning and took things easy. My wife was expecting a call from her Consultant and I did not want her to miss it. When the call was finished, I asked her to bring me to A&E at Antrim Area hospital.

I arrived at A&E just after midday, the waiting area was crowded, 3 people were at the reception counter. The receptionist was so good with each person, calm and thorough with each of us in turn, despite the pressure she was under. I had just sat down when the triage nurse called my name, again calmly and assuredly took my details and made me feel at ease.

I returned to the waiting area, then was called to have an ECG taken by yet another friendly nurse. I returned to the waiting area where my wife had just arrived after parking the car. I brought her up to date and then my name was called again for a second ECG, the nurse was so quick to assure me that it was a problem with the machine. As she took the second ECG a doctor came in and asked if I had ever had a heart attack as the ECG was showing I had and that’s they had contact the RVH for confirmation of their reading and to assess the next step. He left and returned with a wheelchair and wasted no time taking me to the resus ward. He was the fourth person I had seen, yet again clam and assuring in his actions showing only concern for me.

Next I am on a bed with yet another friendly smiling nurse going about her job efficiently and telling me what she was doing and why. Next in pops the A&E consultant, Dr Campbell?, he explained what was happening in a calm and friendly manner. All of this helped me to feel I was in good hands. As I lay waiting for an ambulance, the triage nurse walked passed recognised me and had time to talk to me. 

The ambulance team arrived and went about preparing me for the transfer to RVH in a friendly and efficient way, again reassuring me all the way that I was in the right place. They blue lighted me to the RVH where they brought me to the theatre. The first doctor I saw again took time to explain the procedure as I was wheeled to theatre. The team went to work on me I in prep for the procedure, no hesitation everyone knew what they were doing. Dr McKavanagh introduced himself explained what they were doing going to do in a calm assuring way, I felt I was in good hands with this team.

I did not feel the incision or the probe entering or travelling to my RCA, the camera whirred and clicked, the team discussed the solution they asked me how I was feeling. The only sensation I had was a warm flowing though my chest at one point, maybe when the blockage was cleared and a strawberry vanilla taste in my mouth. I was shown the video of the probe clearing the blockage.

Thank you to everyone who got me to this point and gave me a second chance. But it doesn’t end there. I was taken to a recovery ward shared with 3 other patients, I was the fortunate one the other 3 had had a much harder time, I felt for them. I was able to get up after 3 hours with no dizziness.

I watched the nurses take care of the others in the ward, I can’t praise them enough for their attitude to helping the patients, it made me feel I was in good hands but also to do my best to cause them as little extra work. A nurse, the first of many, attended my needs and gave me my meds.  A doctor (Katie?) came to see me and took time to listen to my ramblings, I felt I was talking to an old friend. Then came Sister Kee, if I had doubts about my care they left when she arrived. She explained the logistics about my care. I didn’t realise at the time about postcodes and admitting hospital protocols. In the background she and her team sorted it all out, I am sorry I caused them so much bother.

The next 4 days went in a flash. I was kept in until the results of the echo which came through on the Friday. During that time every doctor, nurse, pharmacist, radiologist and auxiliary I met was so friendly, helpful, reassuring, and willing to help, it was a boost in itself just to have them turn up and talk with their busy schedules, they always seemed to have time.

I have nothing but praise for everyone, at least 40 people, who helped me.

I am writing this as the NHS is taking another undeserved bashing to let the staff know they are appreciated in their efforts to help sick people.