"Aortic Valve & Root Replacement Aftercare in ICU"

I've just been discharged from a week at the Hammersmith Hospital for valve replacement surgery. I was in The Sainsbury's Wing before discharge but I wanted to make a particular comment about the ICU Dept where I spent 6 days due to developing the common Arrhythmia post op. I'm was a fit 52 yr old asymptomatic man so the diagnosis and procedure were a complete shock. I think this is the reason that I found my post op state so difficult to deal with. Medicated, tired, sleepless, connected to machines - it was very hard. Throughout that period in ICU I was treated with the utmost respect by a team of professional and highly skilled people. At all times I felt confident that I was in safe hands. But more importantly it was the kindness on offer. Nothing was too much trouble, even when there were busy times in the dept such as emergencies arriving. Removing of tubes, helping me to start walking, dressing wounds etc were all explained and undertaken by gentle hands. I witnessed this same approach to all my fellow patients. My abiding memory though will be me, a grown man, walking around the ward like a child at 3am unable to sleep for the 5th night, getting upset and a busy senior sister taking time to sit with me, hold my hand, change an uncomfortable dressing and tell me a story in order to calm my mind. I fell a sleep soon after.