Grateful for the generosity of time, service, and hospitality

Never forget to be thankful

It crossed my mind that for the many acts of generosity I have recently experienced, I have not properly acknowledged and paid gratitude. A few weeks before, having acknowledged my hospital and shortly after my original consultant in Amsterdam and my current consultant in Manchester on Twitter, they both sent their greetings.

In our exchanges, I promised to visit my old consultant in Amsterdam after this Coronavirus pandemic was over to thank him for the decade after we first met. My consultant here then informed me that I would not be meeting her, this time, but the consultation would be done over the phone in early April, a few weeks ahead of the scheduled appointment.

I am grateful for their professional care, the confidence they all have exuded in attending to the critical and general issues to do with my health, I feel I have always been well cared for.

Calling me on the phone

When the call came in early April, we went over results of the consultation in October, checking what might have changed in health and life, both would be registered as considerably improved. Beyond that, they arranged for me to visit the hospital for a phlebotomy and at the same time pick up my prescription. Much consideration had been given to ensure we have a separate area from the common blood room for the blood tests.

On my visit, there were a few administrative issues which would have required going to the common blood room, but the nursing staff ensured that would not be the case, they worked to ensure the arrangement they had made with us was kept, without my insisting on it. They recognised they some might be anxious about being in crowded places in a hospital.

Gifts and swifts

The nurses were interested in my FFP2 respirator mask and asked where I got it from. I noticed I had a more sophisticated mask than what they were wearing. They had plain surgical masks that would offer no little protection from the Coronavirus. Whilst I was waiting to be attended to, I was the only one in the waiting room and I was offered a cup of tea.

Blog - Masking all attempts at convenience

A nurse on finding out how much I had paid for my respirator, was aghast, that we went away and brought me a couple of surgical masks that I could have as spares if needed. Quite helpful and generous they were in time, care, concern and service.

Picking up my 6-month prescription, the paperwork shows the order was put in on the second, filled in and packaged on the sixth even though I was not expected to pick it up until the fourteenth. The pharmacist had my bag of medicine in my hands within two minutes.

Despite the few difficulties during the day, in all, I have much to be grateful for, the NHS, the people who staff it, the consideration and care by everyone I met. I had to make a note of thanks and gratitude for it all.