What a fantastic feeling

06th, May 2015

At Kingsbridge Private Hospital we continually strive to deliver clinical excellence and five star hospitality to each and every one of our patients, so when we received this testimonial from Paula, a spinal surgery patient, we were delighted. We value our patients feedback and are so grateful to Paula for taking the time to tell us about her experience at Kingsbridge Private Hospital for spinal surgery.

At Kingsbridge Private Hospital we continually strive to deliver clinical excellence and five star hospitality to each and every one of our patients, so when we received this testimonial from Paula, a spinal surgery patient, we were delighted. We value our patients feedback and are so grateful to Paula for taking the time to tell us about her experience at Kingsbridge Private Hospital for spinal surgery.

Paula's Story:

“I have to say, I'm impressed with myself, which is rare for me, but the reason for my completely out of character self-praise is that its two days after my spinal surgery and I am up and about and feeling terrific – it’s truly amazing. I had a lumbar discectomy and lumbar spinal decompression on Saturday 21st March 2015 at Kingsbridge Private Hospital, to relieve the horrendously debilitating sciatica I have been living with for the past two and a half years.

I admit to not having had much experience of hospital stays, in fact, only an overnight stay many years ago, but my recent experience knocks them all into a cocked hat. It was almost a joy to have the surgery just to experience being there.

I had been attending my Orthopaedic Consultant Surgeon, Mr Paul Nolan, at Kingsbridge Private Hospital for a number of steroid injections to satisfy my slightly panicked mind that there was no fixing my worsening sciatica - surgery was the only answer. He told me he would fix me and he did.

I was booked in for 7.00am on Saturday morning and the surgery was to take place at 8.30 am. No messing about; as soon as I arrived at the door (just as boxes of delicious fresh fruit and vegetables were being delivered for the kitchen) it was plain sailing.

I was taken to my room, with a view of the Kings Hall, which was better than some hotels I have stayed in, complete with wardrobe, en-suite bathroom, toiletries, bathrobe, slippers and satellite television.

The one thing you notice is the absolute clinical cleanliness of the hospital and the staff - all completely pristine, the way a hospital should be.

Although spinal surgery is a very daunting prospect everyone immediately put me at my ease. Everything was explained to me from the word go which took a lot of the fear out of it for me.

The Anaesthetist came to speak to me, Mr Nolan came to speak to me, I was assigned a lovely nurse called Carol Dobbin who walked me down to surgery where I met the theatre nurse and I have to say the craic was great!

Everyone seems really happy to work there, and everyone is friendly and great fun. My surgery went ahead bang on time as planned and I knew nothing more about it until I woke up in recovery just over an hour later - absolutely amazing.

After a short while I was wheeled back to my room and napped on and off while watching back to back rugby matches as it was the last day of the Six Nations - not a bad way to recover! From the minute I woke up, I was aware the sciatic pain in my legs was gone! What a fantastic feeling; they felt light as air and still do. I had become used to the constant all-consuming pain that was seriously curtailing my very active lifestyle - I can climb every mountain again... in time of course.

Carol looked after me brilliantly and we chatted about our love of wine, cats and numerous other bits of nonsense which was just what I needed.

My observations were checked every half hour and pain relief was fantastic - I was hardly aware of my wound at all, except when the nurses checked it regularly.

The caterers arrived with a fabulous menu for me to choose my dinner from but having felt slightly nauseas from the anaesthetic, I opted for yummy wholemeal toast and tangy orange marmalade, then some locally produced granola with Greek yoghurt - all delish.

The main meal is provided by local restaurant, Beatrice Kennedy, and I am just sorry I didn't get to try it!

Visiting is unlimited and my visitors were afforded some very tasty looking buns, tea and coffee which was lovely. I was helped up to see how I would do getting back and forward to the bathroom and I admit to feeling a bit apprehensive about how it would feel moving around but it was absolutely fine and I got washed and changed into my new jammies in time for my visitors returning in the evening to keep me company.

After a very comfortable night, during which I was given all the pain relief required and checked on regularly by the lovely night time staff, I woke early and decided I would get up and get myself washed and found that walking about the room was actually more comfortable than lying in bed.

After another delicious breakfast with more cereals, granola, toast and coffee, I was visited by the Physio who talked me through the exercises I should do, what I could and couldn't do for the first while and I was given lots of information sheets to take away with me. She talked to me as an active and fit person who likes to exercise and made it more tailored to me, which was fantastic.

Mr Nolan came to seem me which I thought illustrated his professionalism and attention to detail for him to come and see his patients on a Sunday morning, and he told me how well the operation had gone, what he did and what I should do, putting my mind at rest and answering all my questions.

I was then given my supply of pain relief, had my wound redressed and an appointment for a week later for a wound check and that was it. I walked out of Kingsbridge Private Hospital just before 11.00am, only slightly slower than I walked in the day before, but I was on such a high!

I would highly recommend it to anyone needing surgery. All the staff at Kingsbridge Private Hospital will make your stay there so pleasant and comfortable, from the Surgeons, Doctors, Nurses, Catering staff, Receptionists… they are all stars! I would like to thank Mr Paul Nolan first of all for fixing me as he said he would, but also my fantastic Nurses Carol Dobbin, Janet Murtagh, Pauline McKee, Joanne McCawley and Dolores Patterson - if I have forgotten anyone please forgive me, you are all angels!"

Paula Gracey, Spinal Surgery Patient

If like Paula, you are suffering with back and spinal problems, Kingsbridge Private Hospital can help. For more information on the back and spinal services offered at Kingsbridge Private Hospital, please click here.