"Excellent care at Causeway Hospital"

I recently suffered a miscarriage of a very much loved baby. It has been the most difficult and devastating event of me and my husband's lives.

I attended A&E on a Saturday afternoon as I was bleeding heavily, and I was very scared and worried. The staff in A&E listened to how concerned I was and recognised the seriousness of what was happening me. I was taken to a separate room and triaged immediately, and had a line in my arm within half an hour. They could see how devastated we were and that the appropriate care I needed was at the Gynaecology unit, so I was spared any examinations by A&E doctors and treated with kindness and compassion by both Malicka and Sophie, while feeling safe that they weren't going to let me deteriorate unnecessarily.

Within 1.5 hours I was at the Gynae unit. After a shaky start with the doctor due to some communication issues, he performed a procedure I required in a very gentle and respectful manner, for which I will always be grateful.

But the main person I wish to thank here and the reason why I am taking the time to write this is Gynae nurse Laura. She went above and beyond the call of duty to be kind and compassionate to my husband and I at our lowest ebb. It was clear from the start that we had built a rapport with her and she was very much helping to put us at ease in a difficult situation. She recognised this and stayed with us for the rest of our time there, which ran into several hours. When we asked about taking our baby's remains home, she gave us all the various options so that we could decide what was best and gave us plenty of time to make that decision. When we said that we would like to take them home, she facilitated this by providing a small casket which allowed us to bury our baby in a beautiful and dignified manner. She provided us with materials donated by a baby loss charity that have given us great comfort in the past few weeks.

I had to attend for a follow up scan and wasn't intending to meet Laura but she happened to be there. She came over to ask how we were doing and even gave me a little reassuring hug. This gave me some confidence and strength going in to yet another upsetting procedure. Tracey, the ultrasonographer on this occasion again couldn't have been kinder or more facilitating under such difficult circumstances. Without the help and support of the people I have mentioned above, this would have been a far worse ordeal to have to go through. I can never thank them all enough for the standard of care I received and the fact that they treated me and my husband like human beings, not just patients.