Jim and Pennee have been married for 47 years and together since they were teenagers.  In June last year, days before a planned holiday in Cornwall, Jim suffered terrible chest pain while at home and was rushed to A&E….

Jim said...

I was taken into hospital by ambulance on 10^th June last year. I went straight into BRI A&E and then onto the Bristol Heart Institute (BHI) before the night was over. I couldn’t think of anything except that I was in terrible pain. 

I can remember getting into the hospital and being triaged but not really anything more than that. What I do remember is everyone being so kind and so caring.

I was diagnosed with an aortic dissection. I had to be stabilised on the Coronary Care Unit for a week before I had extensive surgery to repair this and other problems with my heart.

The surgery

The surgery lasted all day on 18^th June. I went to the operating theatre just before 9am and was taken to Cardiac Intensive Care at nearly 7pm. I then spent a week in Intensive Care and another week in the High Dependency Unit before being transferred to a ward then discharged home on 7^th July. My recovery felt very slow to begin with but I now feel very much better than I did when I first came home.

Everybody was so lovely - that I can remember. This included the people bringing me meals, the porters, the nurses and the doctors. And of course, my Consultant Mr Eltayeb Mohamed Ahmed, and all of his team.

If I could say anything to that team I’d say thank you. I’m still here. I’m with my family, my wife, daughter, son and daughter-in-law and our two grandchildren whom we adore. I nearly didn’t have that.

It makes you appreciate how quickly things can change because none of us know.  On that day everything had been normal and we’d had family come here for tea, but had no idea what the evening was going to bring.

I just appreciate everything.  It makes you even more aware of how much you have.  And how quickly you could lose things.

---

And Pennee said...

I knew it was something serious because Jim suddenly had such severe chest pain that he couldn’t speak.  I rang 999 straight away. I know him well enough to know that he was in terrible pain and needed someone here quickly to help him. The call handler stayed on the phone to me giving advice until the ambulance arrived, which it did very quickly.

It had been an ordinary evening at home. I was about to watch a medical programme on TV. I used to work in Bristol Children’s Hospital and find such things interesting but would prefer them not to be happening in my own home!

The paramedics made it feel like we were in safe hands. They didn’t know exactly what was going on, but probably had a reasonable idea. When we got to the BRI it was just a whirlwind. Jim was rushed into A&E and then straight up for an angiogram.

It was three o’clock the next morning and I was waiting in the relatives’ room. A doctor came to say Jim had been admitted onto the Coronary Care Unit, but he wasn’t going anywhere as it wasn’t safe for him to be anywhere other than there. 

The first thing I had to do the following morning was to contact our two children to tell them what was happening. This was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do.  I then had to contact Jim’s mum, my mum and the rest of the family and our friends. I remember everything and it is all documented on all the WhatsApp messages that went to and fro.

The BHI Team

It was terrifying, absolutely terrifying because we have been together a very long time but I have to say all the staff were just fantastic.

Everyone was so calm and lovely in the most frightening of circumstances. One nurse, Jen, on the Coronary Care Unit asked me what music Jim liked and put it on an iPad for him to help him relax. Bowie and the Beatles, with some classical music, as I remember.

The care they gave to Jim and to me was just wonderful.  On the first day after Jim’s surgery he was in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and was looked after by a lovely nurse who was I think called Elaine. She was so kind to him and also to me as it was such a new and frightening environment to be in. 

Jim’s surgery lasted all day and that was very, very hard. I know it was hard for Jim but he didn’t really know much about it. Waiting all day was horrible. I came home because there was no point waiting in the hospital. I did a lot of cleaning that day!

Thankfully for Jim, he can’t remember a lot of what went on in the early days. It’s a way of him being protected from it.

The support of our family and friends

Our children have been just amazing. They could not have done more to support us both and I don’t forget how upsetting it was for them that their dad was so ill. Our families and friends have also been so supportive. You certainly find out how loved you are.

The staff were lovely to me as well. They’re not just kind to the patient, they include their family and they kept us well informed. At times there wasn’t much to say but they were very reassuring through all of it.  We think the staff at the BHI are absolutely first rate.

When you’re visiting someone in hospital every day for a long period of time you become aware of where things could be more comfortable. Of course the most important thing is patient care and I would have sat on the floor if necessary, but it would be nice to improve relatives waiting areas in the future.  

We will be forever grateful to the team at BHI and our NHS for their care and for giving us more time as a family. 

---

Making a donation or fundraising is a great way to say thank you for the care of you or a loved one.

Make a donation