"The excellent care given to my husband from a district nurse."

My husband's health has been deteriorating over the last couple of years but it has been more rapid in the last year.  Part of the problem was that he had a brain tumour in 1976,  and the damage that the radiotherapy and  chemotherapy has caused is now becoming more apparent.   Also he had a stroke in 2014 plus tia’s.  He got a peg fitted in the Ulster Hospital in August as he can’t swallow anymore.  He then took a total blockage in September 202  and it got so bad we had to get an ambulance and he was admitted to RVH Belfast where a catheter was inserted. He got out 4 days later,  but seemed very ill. His mobility was very poor and he now had a bad pressure sore.  

My sister-in-law (she was a nurse for 20 years) had to move in with us as we didn't have a care package in place at that time and we needed two people to care for him.  Over the week his health was getting worse.  We did have occupational therapists out and also nurses to dress his pressure sore etc.  

In October a nurse called Emma came to check on my husband,  Emma had been out to see him before and was unhappy about his condition as he was so ill.  She was very professional and did some checks on him,  but said she was going to speak to the Doctor.  She phoned soon after to let me know there was an ambulance on the way.  It just seemed as his body was shutting down.  Sepsis was queried, and after doing tests and scans in the hospital they discovered he had an infection in the gallbladder and had gallstones. We now know that if Emma had not acted the way she did we could have been in a totally different situation.  

Unfortunately my husbands health has not improved as much as we would have hoped.  I have no medical experience but we are managing ok,  although problems seem to occur so quickly and we just have to keep on top of things if we see any change we have to deal with it as soon as possible.  Once again Emma has come to our rescue on a few occasions. She has called with us when there have been problems with infections, the catheter and the peg feeding. The adapter split and although I got in touch with the dietitian,  the district nurses and also the Ulster hospital,  no one had any replacement adapters.   The Ulster hospital left me two but when I brought them home they were the wrong size.  I was using a piece of electrical tape so that he was able to get his feed.  

Emma had suggested that I contacted the Ulster Hospital as the nurses did not have any,  I left a message to let the nurses know I was going to the Ulster hospital to get one.  The next day Emma called to make sure I had been able to fit it,  and when she saw I was not getting anywhere she got on the phone and was able to source one from a hospital she had previously worked in.  She went and collected it and fitted it for him and then ordered some to replace the borrowed one and to be able to give us a spare if it happened again.

Sorry about the big long story,  but I think people are quick to complain,  but when someone is doing a great job it is not mentioned.  My husband and myself feel Emma is such a brilliant nurse it has to be noted. Since covid our Doctors Surgery has completely changed now and she has been our link when we are having difficulties  and we appreciate everything she has done for us.  She is so professional when she is doing her job and we know she cares about her patients. She also does not make me feel stupid with my lack of nursing knowledge and I have no worries asking her about any concerns that I have. Emma is definitely a great asset to the nursing profession and she has definitely chosen a career that could not be more suited to her.