"Thank you"

Dear Staff at Royal Berks, I recently had an unexpected stay in your hospital and am writing to praise the unbelievable care I was given pre and post operation. I was emitted as an emergency on 2nd November at about midday. I was assessed by two consultants from gynaecology and the bowel department. It was decided that my condition was most probably a gynaecological issue and so was taken into surgery at 8pm that evening. The nurse who accompanied me was so friendly and professional explaining all the consequences of the operation to me. However, when she looked she found it was not a gynaecological issue but rather my bowel had got caught under some scar tissue and so called in the surgeons who proceeded with the operation. Throughout the 5 hour operation my parents and husband were kept fully informed and given tea and access to a wide screen TV. These are small things but made a very anxious time much more bearable! From Surgery I was taken to intensive care where I had one to one nursing for the next 12 hours. The nurses were amazingly reassuring, explained what had happened and were there to answer my questions at every stage during the night. As you can imagine I had many questions!! From Intensive care I was taken to Trueta ward where I stayed for the next 5 days. The nurses, health care professionals and tea ladies were so lovely. They treated me with respect and professionalism, nothing was too much trouble and they catered for your every need. I have so much respect and admiration for their tolerance and focus over the long shifts that they do and it has completely changed my perspective on the role of nurses and their assistants. I was also privileged to come into contact with the physiotherapists, dieticians and pain specialists on the ward. I was encouraged to get up and stand only 10 hours after the operation and was walking the following day. All professionals encourage you to challenge yourself but in moderation. For example, the dieticians told me I could eat whatever I fancied whereas without their encouragement I may have been tempted to eat nothing and the physiotherapists even made me a snuggle blanket to help cope with the pain when coughing or being sick. By every professional I saw I was treated with kindness and respect. Finally, I would like to say that every single person I came into contact with introduced themselves by name and gave me time to explain the situation and what care I needed. I feel very lucky that I was taken by ambulance to your hospital and the care and consideration I was given has helped to make a very scary and shocking experience as easy as possible. Please extend my thanks to all of your colleagues involved in my care at The Royal Berkshire Hospital.