"Various admissions over many years"

I’ve just come across this feedback platform after over 40 years of treatment for epilepsy.

To cut a long story short, a head injury at 18 months old brought on seizures and I am told on admission to hospital I was dealt with by a Junior Doctor called Dr Gerrie.

She is now about to retire but has been my Consultant Neurologist for most of my life (I’m now 45 yrs old). She has given me consistent care to handle my epilepsy which became difficult to control when I started working, resulting in many a shock for my colleagues, an ambulance trip and admission to A&E. Often I am out for the count or spaced out at this stage so thank you to ALL Ambulance staff and A&E staff - I wouldn’t be here without you. ‘I’m just doing my job‘ you all say! I was with my kids sledging a couple of weeks back and took a mild seizure which I ended up on the snow with. Who came across to help? - an off duty A&E Nurse - Thank you very much!

In 2007 my seizures became more complex and now often result in admission to ITU. On that occasion I was there for around 10 days. Care was amazing during what was a hard time and I remember many of the staff and their kindness.

ITU can feature several times a year due to seizures, most recently in January 2020.  Sometimes I walk out of there and on others am admitted to a Ward - generally a bit spaced out!  So thank you to all ITU staff - past and present - as I’ve met many of them again on other wards! Names I can think of are Rita, Shamish, Bryce, and Paul.

Having been in so many wards it’s difficult to know where to start showing gratitude - so thank you to them all. AMAU, short stay wards in green zone and of course Ward 40 (or 205 now to be precise!) and others.

They have handled me graciously and with great respect so many times. End to end care - walking me to the front door for pick-up when necessary.  When there have been issues as there are bound to be, staff have listened to my family and acted to improve things, and also calmed me down when in my confusion there was no real issue at all! Apologies where I’ve maybe caused a bit of distress and paperwork.

In 2019 after ambulance staff picked me up from Union Square shopping centre, although it was a bad seizure all seemed well, but a few weeks later undetected aspiration into the lungs led to an empyema and subsequent rib resection operations.  The GP Practice at Elmbank was fantastic in admitting me and providing after care, blood tests, etc.

But I never thought I’d be so glad to have a chest drain bored into my back to release the fluid from my pleural space! Thank you Ward 107 so many of you helped me through and brightened what was a really dark time for me, as you battled infection with every antibiotic under the sun (including one that was said to be like Domestos!). 

A young nurse, Catherine I’m sure was her name, sat with me when I was really low and then later a doctor friend Alison came to strengthen me. I’ll never forget the eastern European nurse in 107 who shone her torch in my eyes one night and demanded my bank details! I only wanted some water! Such was the great patient / staff rapport.

The greater part was spent on Ward 216 though, where the length of time made me really appreciate how well a ward is operated, and how so many different staff are involved in patient care. 

Those who cleaned my bed area and toilet, changed and washed my bed sheets, cooked and served me breakfast and many other meals, cups of tea, fresh water, took blood (an excellent trainee included!), inserted canulas (no mean feat as my veins slowly gave up the ghost!) and ultimately a mid line. (Why is there only one real expert in ARI for these?  Thanks Robert, I think that was your name!). 

Thank you to the porters and to Helen, a fellow RGU  Business graduate who obviously found a better life, and took many a chest X-ray. Not to mention the CT and Ultrasound staff and  those who anaesthetised me who oddly I don’t remember too much ab.....)

Fantastic male and female nurses, some single mums who juggled family and worked so professionally. One nurse even bought me flowers to give to my wife on our anniversary - that IS going above and beyond the call of duty.

Thank you John, Wendy, Annie, Nicole, so many others, Ward admin staff, Practitioner Nurses and pharmacists (James) who kept the Surgeons and Doctors right! Not forgetting Microbiology - hidden yet very cultured.

Of course the surgeons need a mention too - Mr Khalil with his great skill - thank you. 

Also to Mr Buchan who before operations and at other times during my stay, came and prayed with me at my bedside. Please NHS Grampian, never prevent your staff from offering to pray with patients. To be reminded there is a loving God who has a plan for our lives is so strengthening when you’re weak and troubled.

Thanks to Robert, a volunteer on the ward. His visits refreshed and brought much comfort as did Dr Deans‘ and so many others who visited when they could.

So to boil it down  - The service you provide is amazing, unparalleled. Please encourage your Board Members, Managers and the host of Business support staff in the background for ‘just doing their job’. 

The most amazing thing to me is that for all the time in hospital, I have never spotted one of the elves who fills up the surgical glove dispensers - maybe next time!