"Emergency treatment of my son"

My 24 year old son Alex recently underwent surgery at Gloucester Royal for removal of part of his bowell as treatment for his Crohn's Disease. Unfortunately the operation was not a complete success and Alex was still very unwell a week afetr the operation. This led him to discharge himself from Gloucester in the hope that he would find some respite to the pain and nausea at home - as Gloucester had said that all he needed to do was eat and drink. We got him home at about 10pm on Wednesday 20th April. Sadly by 6am the following morning he was in a really bad way and a few hours later we had no choice but to call an ambulance and get him admitted to A&E in Hereford (where we live).

Fortunately for us the consultant in charge of A&E that morning's decisive action may well have saved Alex's life. Within a few minutes of examining Alex they recognised that there was something seriously wrong. They galvanised the team to rehydrate Alex, take blood samples, x-rays and shortly after a CT scan. This revealed that there was a perforation in the section of intestine that Alex had been operated on, which I understand was leaking poison into his stomach. He was full of infection and extremely poorly. Soon after this the Registrar and the surgeon attended Alex and an emergency operation was arranged for early the same afternoon.

I cannot express enough our gratitude to all the A&E staff who acted so decisively - particularly the consultant. Also the surgical staff and anaesthetist who kept us informed throughout the period leading up to the operation... and whose skills have led to Alex already being well on the way to recovery.

We must also include the wonderful staff in Monnow ward who are taking such good care of Alex throughout the days and nights of his stay. It almost makes us feel like Alex is the only patient there and we cannot imagine anyway that he could be receiving any better care.

I am sorry that I do not have all the names of the staff who have been involved in helping Alex... indeed saving Alex for us. We are deeply indebted to you all.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts from all of the family.