"Very positive experience on Tolgus Ward & Pre Op..."

I was admitted to Tolgus Ward on the 4th March for a total hysterectomy. There's a bed crisis at the moment and this did affect me in as much as I received a phone call the night before my admission to say that there was a 50/50 chance I could be cancelled. I really appreciated the honesty of that phone call because it put me in the right head space for the following day and to be honest I was thoroughly expecting to go home again and that would have been ok. Everyone is working so hard to resolve the bed issue but it's going to take time and I understand that. As it happened my surgery went ahead and for that I was very grateful because I was very anxious pre op about my forthcoming surgery and keen to get things 'over and done with'. I hardly know where to start with my praise. Every member of staff that I came into contact with was friendly, informative, caring and made my whole admission an incredibly positive experience. The lady who sat with me in theatres before I went into the anaesthetic room was incredibly supportive. In the anaesthetic room and recovery afterwards - very supportive. Back on the ward that first night post op when 3 of us were having hourly obs. The staff were amazing and so so so friendly during the night hours. The following morning when the day staff arrived, the changeover of staff and continuation of my care was seamless. What I appreciated more than anything was being kept informed about what was happening and why it was happening. Communication is everything and Tolgus Ward have it in abundance. I was an inpatient for 48 hrs and had the best of care. Everyone from the tea lady, the cleaning ladies, the ward day staff, the ward night staff and right to the top - the Sister. They all made my inpatient stay an experience that I will never forget and all for the right reasons. They do a fantastic job and I felt like I was in safe hands. Thank you so much Pre Op Assessment - I can't finish this plaudit without a quick mention about Pre Op assessment. I was incredibly nervous about this day as it made everything real. Surgery really was going to happen. The staff were both so kind, they paved the way for my admission and for that I will always be grateful.