"How great the NHS staff are"

I woke up feeling very poorly - hot, clammy and with a pain in my jaw like I had been clenching my teeth all night. I got up, made a drink, let the dogs out as I do every day but it was all a struggle. Sitting down to catch my breath, I had a very hot flush and was covered in full body sweats. My jaw still in pain. I washed and went to work. Over the next 2 hours I was struggling to breathe, talk and to lift anything heavy. I told my staff I was going home for a nap to see if I could shift this feeling. In the 5 min to walk home, I was dizzy, pale, really short of breath and now had severe chest pains. My left arm was heavy, tingling and unresponsive. 

I was having a heart attack.

I got my partner to drive me to Louth urgent care unit, the receptionist recognised my symptoms immediately and got me layed down and hooked up to the monitors, within 5mins I had medication, an iv drip and 3 staff attending me. I was kept informed constantly,  reassured and made to feel safe. An ambulance was called and within 20mins I was inside and on my way to Lincoln hospital. The driver and the paramedic attending me were caring, knowledgeable and funny. I felt looked after. The drive took about 20mins and when we arrived at Lincoln the next series of NHS staff were ready to take me straight into theatre.  Again, I was constantly kept informed and reassured, which really helps when you are trying not to panic. 

The doctors were very professional and knew very quickly what they were looking at and how to best go about it. 

40 mins I lay on the operating table to have an angiogram and 2 stents fitted to a blocked artery.

The procedure was efficient and successful,  I started to feel better before the hour was up. I was kept on Lincoln's cardiac care ward for 48hrs where I was constantly monitored and tests taken to check the procedure was working and my heart returning to a more normal rhythm. 

The NHS nurses on ward were amazingly caring, knowledgeable and funny. They were patient with their patients and very hard working. I really couldn't have asked for better care.

I am back home now and starting to feel better, I have a stock of medication that will see me till I can get to my GP, I don't know if I was in any danger of death but it did cross my mind  a time or two on that morning. Either way,  I know I wouldn't have gotten any better without the great British national health service. 

Thank you to all involved.