"TLC at it's best"

Three years ago I had and horrendous experience in the R. D. & E hospital in Exeter, when things went wrong with what should have been a routine gall stone operation. I ended up in intensive care for 11 days in a coma. I was given no post intensive care support and spent 4 weeks in the R. D. & E. where my wound not close and they fitted me up with a Vacs. machine. I was then transferred to Axminster Community Hospital, unfortunately not now there for inpatients, where I spent another 4 weeks and then went home with community nurses coming daily to dress my wound and reset the machine for 5 weeks. Thirteen weeks in all. My consultant, told me at my one and only post op. consultation that the problem had been I was given almost twice the dose of anticoagulant than I should have had. This left me phobic about the hospital having breathing difficulties even when I went in as a visitor.

Recently I have had some gynae. problems and had to got o the Centre for Women's Health at the same hospital. A separate entrance with convenient parking. The atmosphere is calm, clean and pleasant and I was OK. I have now made 3 visits for various investigations and on each visit I have been treated with the kindness, warmth and understanding. My last visit was for pre-op tests and the nurse, JO, taking various details was incredible. So caring. My consultant, Mr Clarke, came in to see me and was superb explaining everything to me and instilling confidence in me for the op. I am about to undergo.

The Centre for Women's Health at Exeter deserves gold stars all the way from the receptionists through to the consultant and everyone in between showed the greatest tenderness and understanding thus allaying my fears and phobia and I am now quite comfortable about going in for my op.

Well done Mr Clarke and your team.