"My son in critical care"

I took my son to hospital (A&E) last week, at his request. He was unable to coordinate his movements and was hallucinating. I think it is important to understand here that my son has been slowly rehabilitating from addiction, but is in a precarious condition clinically.

We attended A&E where he had a seizure in the waiting room and fell out of the wheel chair. Staff attended him immediately and took him to resus.

I want to share our experience. It was difficult for everyone - it took a very long time and a number of skilled practitioners to access a vein. My son was terrified, anxious, hallucinating and the coordinated effort of the team to manage his anxiety whilst accessing a vein was moving.

At 5pm the consultant came in and did something unfathomable - he communicated fluidly, clearly and with an honesty and sensitivity that I can only have the utmost respect for. His interactions with his colleagues that supported a single coordinated effort whilst still managing to make my son laugh and keep him calm was, quite frankly, unfathomable. My son was treated as a human being, not a junkie off the streets.

Another consultant came in - his colleague - and they worked seamlessly together. Eventually a decision was taken to call in the ITU specialists. The level of compassion, communication and care between this team and with myself and our family was extraordinary. I have rarely felt so focused and calm in a situation like this. And they have continued to follow through.

I knew then and I know now that if my son died in there, he would die safely, peacefully and with a team that cared, surrounded by people who love him immeasurably. It is difficult to understand how a parent can see this, know the possible outcome and still maintain this level of gratitude and peace.

In a very dark time, the team of doctors, nurses, cleaners, porters, were second to none.