"They related to me as a human being"

I had a hysterectomy last month and was looked after on Loxley Ward at City Hospital Nottingham for four days. While my experience was mixed I wanted to mention the staff who made a positive difference to the way I felt (and there are other staff who were kind but I only encountered them once and did not find out their names)

- in no particular order: Jerry, Ashley, the student from Birmingham whose name I do not know, Laura (student midwife), Sarah (auxillary), Steph and Sue (agency staff), the staff nurse on Tuesday morning (Caroline perhaps? can't remember - she asked me about making my room available earlier)

All of them related to me as a human being rather than as a task to be done. They did not spend longer with me in completing their tasks but they spoke with me rather than at me and it made me feel better. Ashley came in to my room at the start of her shift and asked how I was and I found that remarkable - to have my voice heard rather than just the handover information - it built my confidence and sense of wellbeing. 

Finally the nurse who explained what would happen with the new medication and how they saw the situation even though I gained the strong impression that they thought I was being demanding. It was helpful that they overcame their initial reaction to give me information and help me understand.