"I have never felt so vulnerable in my entire life, yet I'd never felt so safe."

I was admitted for surgery to remove my stomach due to the presence of a tumour in my lower oesophagus.

I awoke in the critical care unit and simply cannot praise the nurses and support staff on this ward. I was unable to leave my bed for 2 days and was in so much pain that I had to have everything done for me. This first 3 days were incredibly bleak and were it not for the professionalism and support of the nurses who were assigned to me on a daily basis was beyond compare.

I have never felt so vulnerable in my entire life, yet I'd never felt so safe. I haven't even scratched the surface of the encyclopaedic knowledge these nurses had, no question went unanswered, or the impression they gave that their only duty was to go above and beyond the call of duty. They all clearly loved caring for people and it was an inspiration to watch them work.

I will be writing to my consultant  to ensure that they are given the recognition they deserve and they are spoken to personally, but I feel it is important for members of the public who may be facing a similar procedure to mine to be aware they will be in the safest hands imaginable on the other side.

Thanks