"The Kindness of Strangers - The Whittington Hospital"

I went in for minor surgery (laparoscopy and hysteroscopy) in the Day Treatment Centre at the Whittington Hospital and was amazed by the care I received while there - the staff were wonderful and good humoured.

I also really appreciated the kindness and attentiveness of the nurse(s) in Recovery, the competence and clear communication of the anaesthetist and gynaecologist and their teams, the gentleness of the orderlies and the thorough cleaning that was going on around me.

Going to see a doctor - let alone being in hospital - has always been something I've dreaded. Like most people, I don't relish the idea of being vulnerable. In fact, my fear of dying has largely been born out of this dread.

But while I was in the care of the staff at the Whittington, I felt a weight lifting. The dread has disappeared, and while I hope that I'm not a patient again for some time, I don't mind now if I am.

My recovery has been easy - no doubt because I was treated so well.