"There are not words to thank them for all that they did"

My husband passed away suddenly recently in Western Isles Hospital, Stornoway.  I want to thank all the staff who cared for him so well, and showed such care and compassion for my daughter and I.

I phoned our GP for an urgent phone appointment but an hour later, they had not phoned back.  I called 999 and an ambulance arrived within a couple of minutes, the paramedics were so professional, kind and compassionate.  I couldn't go with him to A&E but the paramedics told me to phone in a couple of hours for an update.  I did, and the doctor I spoke to said I could come down and she would talk to us both.  He had had morphine by then though and so I never spoke to him again.  The doctor explained he was very sick and would go to HDU, and said my daughter could also come to see him despite lockdown.  We were both able to stay with him for an hour or so until he was transferred to HDU.  Again, we couldn't go with him but he had an iPad so I thought we'd be able to chat the following day, and I knew I could phone HDU for an update at any time.

An hour later, his consultant Mr El Bana phoned me to say that he was unlikely to survive the night, and that I should come up to the hospital straight away; our daughter could also be there.  I went up to HDU in Medical 1 where the nurses were preparing to move him to a side room and my daughter joined us shortly thereafter.  I cannot ever thank them enough for all they did.  They cared for my husband so well, and allowed us both to stay, bringing us tea and blankets so we could stay the night more comfortably, and continued looking after us all the next day.  They made the worst experience so much more bearable.  

My husband had been a patient of Mr El Bana for a couple of years and I cannot find the words to thank him for all he did; my husband was often an uncooperative patient and Mr EB only ever showed him the utmost kindness and courtesy, doing his very best for him.  Likewise the staff on Surgical ward who looked after him when he was previously an inpatient - I truly believe that we would not have experienced such a high level of care anywhere.   Afterwards, we were not hurried out of the ward, and we were given all the support we needed, including how to start making practical arrangements. 

The only thing that bothers me is that, while we were waiting for the GP to phone back, I considered taking him to A&E myself, but I was genuinely very afraid that A&E would refuse to see us because of the Covid lockdown, (I know of others genuinely unwell in the previous couple of weeks who had been refused entry) and so I called the ambulance. No-one should ever have to feel that way when they or family members are sick and I hope this point will be remembered in any future Covid planning.  

This is a long story but I wanted to thank the paramedics, the staff in Medical 1, Surgical, A&E and Mr El Bana.  We are very privileged to have such caring professionals to look after us and there are not words to thank them for all that they did.