It has been over 3 years since my stay in the hospital, lasting about 8 weeks, during which I received wonderful care and as with my recent visits to the Stoma Department, there are so many people across wards and departments whom I could recognise.
However, from the first visit with me prior to surgery to the visits and telephone calls over the years, Sam has always shown me wonderful care and consideration with a really friendly, warm approach.
She has always dealt with and solved problem issues that I have had speedily and successfully.
She is a ray of sunshine.
***
I was diagnosed with diverticula disease and with a neuroendocrine bowel tumour in January 2017. I was totally shocked and devastated, and like many other people, my world fell apart.
I had an ileostomy in March of the same year, but things were worse than expected and I am left with a stoma which cannot be reversed.
I have found the whole traumatic time so hard to accept, as my life has not always been easy. I have a wonderful husband who is so supportive, but since surgery, I have found it so difficult to cope and just recently things had become so bad, I have had very dark thoughts and sometimes wished my life had ended on the operating table, but then there was Sam.
My doctor recommended I should speak to her, which I did. Sam listened to me and I found myself telling her things about my life which I have never told anybody. She listened to me with such care, trust, and understanding. I never felt I was taking up her time. It felt that I could talk to somebody and have their complete trust and confidentiality. Sam helped me to understand why I was feeling so very depressed - thanks to Sam I can now move forward and with her continuing support, I feel I can cope with life with a stoma.