"A resume of my care"

To put this epistle in some sort of context, until the age of about 80 I was lucky to require only minimal and routine medical care. That came to an emergence halt in April 2021 when I suffered a minor heart attack and from then my calls on the NHS have been extensive and the provision has been unstinting, highly professional and cheerful, even though during the period in question the NHS has gone through the most difficult conditions in its 75 years history. What follows is a resume of my care.

Rosmellyn Surgery, Penzance .

I have required fairly regular blood tests, blood pressure monitoring and cholesterol checking which is always accomplished quickly and competently. But my main call on the surgeries resources comes from dealing with two leg ulcers which require the dressings to be changed weekly and emergency treatment if and when they haemorrhage. Over the months I have become on first name terms(hesitate to quote names in case I overlook someone)and they are always so cheerful and welcoming that I look forward to my visits. I realise that the receptionist have got a very difficult job but I have received nothing but courtesy and a smile no matter how busy they may be.

Emergency care, West Cornwall Hospital Penzance

The ulcers mentioned above tend not to haemorrhage at convenient times and thus my wife and I frequently end up in Emergency care at ungodly hours but however busy they and no matter how tired they look the staff are unfailingly helpful and prepared to devote as much time as is required to my care. Once again because of our regular attendance we have come to know some of the staff as friends, but again I hesitate to use names.

I have been provided with a large sheath called(I think) Limbo which protects the dressings whilst I shower. Its also useful to collect the escaping blood on the way to hospital but by the time I get to triage it looks pretty gruesome. I think cleaning the Limbo is something that should be left to me but is always done for me.

Vascular Surgery, Treliske hospital ,Truro

I was invited to this hospital for a consultation with the vascular consultant Mr Chant, I found Mr Chant and his team very welcoming and there was an atmosphere of controlled professionalism with each member knowing what was required without having to be asked. In my naivety I was amazed to be offered a C T(?)scan there an then with the result in Mr Chants hand before I got back to reception.

As a consequence of the consultation I was invited to undergo minor surgery at West Cornwall Hospital. Mr Chant was the consultant surgeon but this time the team was different although the atmosphere in the theatre was very similar to that experienced at Treliske. I suppose that like most people I was nervous at the thought of surgery but whilst Mr Chant quickly put me at ease I was surprised to find that we all got involved in a discussion so the time passed very quickly.

Whilst I was again on first name terms I will refrain from using them for the same reason.

Nuclear Medicine Department, Treliske hospital, Truro

I was invited to undergo a Myocardial perfusion scan at Treliske hospital. The explanatory leaflet that came with the offer mentioned a number of questions that I would need to answer, one of which was are you severely claustrophobic? I understood that the test in question was undertaken in a sealed tube, With the scan programme 4 weeks away I had some time to think about what could be an ordeal. I googled the scan but whilst there was plenty of description there was no photography of the machine. When I arrived on the ward I told a nurse, Joy, that I really wanted to do the scan but I might panic and need to stop. Joy took me I to the scan room, explained what was required of me and my now galloping claustrophobia disappeared. I apologise for that lengthy discursion/.

which leads up to the suggestion that when the leaflet mentioned above is reprinted the anodyne photography of a lady with just her head on a pillow be replaced with a photography of lady with her body in the scanner( as would be the case) and taken in such a way that it is clear that the scanner is not a "tube" as I had worried about.

Cardiac Department, Treliske

I have written to my Cardiac Consultant, Mr. Baricevic, to thank him for the skill he demonstrated and for providing an explanation of my condition and the reason why no further medical intervention is needed. Hooray!

Cornwall Ambulance Service Treliske

I can no longer remember the names of the crew but I know they were highly professional, reassuring and patient .Again in my ignorance I thought that the job of an ambulance was to get the patient to hospital as quickly as possible. The number and complexity of tests carried out prior to departure soon disabused me of that notion.

So glad to have got that of my chest and hope some of that is of use.

Now for the pub.