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I can not praise nor thank them enough

Posted By wezenjd36

"I can not praise nor thank them enough"

About: Cardiac surgery / Cardiac Intensive Care Unit Lagan Valley Hospital / Cardiac Rehab Lagan Valley Hospital / Medical Day Case Unit & Cardiac Centre Northern Ireland Ambulance Service / Emergency ambulance response Royal Victoria Hospital / Cardiology

(as a service user),

I experience a heart attack whilst cycling mid July 2024. My husband rang an ambulance, even though we were miles from home on a deserted rural road the ambulance service tracked where we were and an ambulance arrived within 20 mins. Three wonderful paramedics assessed my condition, administered drugs, relayed information through to the Cardiac Ward in RVH.

On arrival at RVH I was taken immediately to the Cardiac Ward - assessed and stabilised, taken to theatre and had 4 stents inserted by Dr Murphy. Dr Murphy was reassuring including concerning my need for follow-up surgery on another day, but clearly my crisis had been averted.

My indebtedness to all concerned is boundless - heart felt.

Following stents I spend 6 days in Lagan Valley and received wonderful follow-up care from Luna, Andrea and Alara. Their reassurance did much to repair the psychological damage which my unexpected heart attack caused. Further reassurance was gained by my attendance in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Service, ran over 6 weeks by the LV Cardiac Team lead by Laura.

During Aug-Sept 2024 I had a follow-up at RVH during which it was decided that I needed by-pass surgery. From my first meeting with mr Ahmed I knew I was in excellent hands. I had surgery in late november 24 followed by 5 days in RVH Cardiac Intensive Care. Although a difficult time the expertise and care of the team effected successful recovery. Since surgery visits with Mr Ahmed have confirmed a successful operation and participation in a further cardiac Rehab Programme again at Lagan Valley has helped me enormously in regaining my confidence and getting back to a lifestyle similar to what I had before the heart attack. 

I have resumed back to cycling and riverboat paddling, albeit with a bit more care than before. I know I have been lucky in surviving and recovering fully from my attack, but that luck has been made possible by the wonderful people across RVH and Lagan Valley who have cared for me - from the vigilant ambulance paramedics to the wonderful Cardiac teams and life saving surgeons. I can not praise nor thank them enough.

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Responses

Response from Emma Herron, Cardiology Service Manager, Adult Cardiology, RVH,MIH,BCH, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust last month
Emma Herron
Cardiology Service Manager, Adult Cardiology, RVH,MIH,BCH,
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust

Submitted on 05/09/2025 at 16:05
Published on Care Opinion at 16:05

picture of Emma Herron

Dear wezenjd36

My name is Emma Herron, I am the Cardiology Services Manager in Royal Victoria Hospital. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, I will make sure to pass on your lovely comments to Dr Murphy.

I am truly glad to hear that you are still able to continue doing the activities you love.

Wishing you well in your recovery.

Kind Regards

Emma

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Response from Maura Quinn, Assistant Service Manager, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust last month
Maura Quinn
Assistant Service Manager, Cardiothoracic Surgery,
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust

Submitted on 05/09/2025 at 17:30
Published on Care Opinion at 17:30

Dear wezenjd36

Thank you very much for taking the time to contact us following your experience through cardiology and cardiac surgery at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

We appreciate your lovely feedback for your surgeon, Mr Ahmed and the cardiac surgery team which will be shared with all the teams involved.

Great to hear you are recovering well and are able to partake in hobbies you enjoy.

Wishing you very best wishes in your ongoing recovery

Maura Quinn

Assistant Service Manager

Cardiothoracic Surgery

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Response from Luna Cousins, Cardiac Rehab Co-ordinator, Lagan Valley Hospital, South Eastern HSC Trust last month
Luna Cousins
Cardiac Rehab Co-ordinator, Lagan Valley Hospital,
South Eastern HSC Trust

Submitted on 09/09/2025 at 12:12
Published on Care Opinion at 12:24

Dear wezenjd36,

In behalf of LVH Cardiac Rehab Team, it is our privileged to be part of your cardiac recovery. We could not imagine what you been through from heart attack treated with stenting to open heart surgery.

Your positive feedback will be shared to the rest of the team, and I re assured you that your story will continue to inspired us to deliver the service that puts patient like yourself our top priority!

Wishing you well and have fun to all the hobbies you love to do.

Luna Cousins

Cardiac Rehab Coordinator

LVH

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Response from Maggie Hamilton, Experience & Involvement Facilitator, Quality, Safety & Improvement, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service 4 weeks ago
Maggie Hamilton
Experience & Involvement Facilitator, Quality, Safety & Improvement,
Northern Ireland Ambulance Service

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) Experience and Involvement Facilitator is responsible for developing and delivering high quality, effective services and processes for NIAS Service Users, Carers, their Advocates, the Public and NIAS Staff across Northern Ireland (NI) to facilitate and enable them to fully contribute to and participate in experience and involvement in relation to the NIAS.

Submitted on 10/09/2025 at 11:34
Published on Care Opinion at 11:34

picture of Maggie Hamilton

Good morning Wezenjd36,

Thank you for taking the time to share your valued feedback. We are always grateful to those who share their experiences of the services they have received. It was heartening to learn how wonderful the paramedics were and how they relayed information through to the Cardiac Ward in RVH and how vigilant they were.

It means such a lot to our teams to hear that they have a made a difference to those they care for and I am sure they will be delighted to hear your lovely words.

I wish you the best with your recuperation.

Kind regards,

Maggie

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Response from Caroline ONeill, Lead Nurse , CSICU, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust 3 weeks ago
Caroline ONeill
Lead Nurse , CSICU,
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust

Submitted on 17/09/2025 at 13:43
Published on Care Opinion at 13:43

Good afternoon wezenjd36,

On behalf of the team in the Cardiac Surgical Intensive Care Unit thank you for your lovely feedback on the care you received and your whole experience. I will be sure to share this with the CSICU team. I'm pleased to hear you have been able to resume the activities you enjoy and wish you the very best of health for the future.

Many thanks,

Caroline O'Neill

Lead Nurse

CSICU

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