"My Journey as a patient."

My story starts with a bout of feeling poorly and tired and putting this down to the senior role that I had working in the NHS. After several trips to the GP and countless blood tests I was called one afternoon by my daughter who informed me that our GP was trying to contact me and had been all afternoon. I knew this had to be bad news and was dreading the call but eventually made it.

The news that I received took my breath away and left me standing in a state of shock. I was looking around at all that was familiar and it just kept moving but me I was still. Getting home was like walking in a trance and then realised that my phone had been ringing and ringing my daughter at home frightened of what the news could be. After breaking the news, I kept thinking but how why when it must be a mistake. I felt ashamed and then a rush of fear I had been a one parent family my children regardless of them grown up with children I was all they had. The emotion was over whelming and I felt so alone.

The GP told me that I had Hepatitis C. I have never smoked never drunk alcohol, never taken drugs of any kind and only ever slept with the father of my children so how could this happen. I have children and 3 wonderful young grandchildren how could I touch them cuddle them I felt dirty. I stayed indoors and told them not to come around they were inconsolable and for the first time in their live scared of what could happen to me. After referrals to the gastroenterologist, more blood tests and scans I was referred to Basildon Hospital to a wonderful doctor, Dr Wright and his amazing liver specialist nurses. I woke on the morning of my appointment with great apprehension and that looming fear as I had spent hours and days searching the intranet to find out all about Heb C, treatment, cure side effects and mostly would I die.

My appointment with Dr Wright was reassuring and for the first time felt safe and confident that I was been given the best care and by people who cared about me. Dr Wright and the fantastic liver specialist nurses talked me through what was going to happened and explained every single detail to me. When I got home and told my family I called the next day and spoke to the liver specialist nurse who again reassured me. I had ultrasound scans, more blood tests and a fibroscan to determine the damage to my liver.

Then the wonderful news I was given a new drug with minimal side effects. The liver specialist nurses talked me through the treatment and told me to call them anytime I needed to how blessed I was to have such a wonderful team of people looking after me. I had to have a blood test after the first month the phone call from the liver specialist nurses to tell me I was undetectable. I cried and sobbed and thanked god that these wonderful people had given me my life back. Dr Wright and the liver specialist nurses are the most amazing people I have met bringing me back to live my life and be with my children.

I have worked in a senior role in the NHS for over 20 years and seen many changes, some good some not so good. The people who work for the NHS are caring and committed and as an employee seen changes that deliver good practice. I now as a patient was fortunate to experience patient care that takes it above and beyond this. The liver unit at Basildon demonstrates to patients who are frightened and lost there is hope and this comes not only from the consultant but the important role that nurses provide to support the consultant. Amazing team working.