Praise for hospital

Readers often contribute to these columns regarding their experiences whilst in the Waikato Hospital. I have just spent the best part of a month on the hill and would like to pay especial tribute to the nurse aides – those in the red uniforms.

They are paid but a pittance and although their duties are perhaps menial, they play a pivotal role in the recovery of those in their care. Two examples will illustrate this.

Following surgery, I needed a bed pan no less than five times during the night – but they were just as sympathetic the last time as the first. And when I was transferred to the rehab ward, one of them noticed I was missing when she came on duty. She then came over to find me, telling me she could not let me go without saying goodbye – and gave me an enormous hug; it was as much as I could do not to let the tears flow.

They are a real United Nations, but the comaraderie is so apparent. A small bonus for me was that I can now say ‘‘hello’’ and ‘‘thank you’’ in 15 languages, one of them Ndebele!

And as for the meals, despite the enormity of the operation, the standard would not disgrace anything that one might expect at any of the better restaurants in town. Despite its internal administrative problems, we are indeed fortunate to have such a facility at our disposal.

Frank Bailey, Hamilton

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