Grateful for the NHS

I know there are often road bumps and frustrations using the NHS. I’ve experienced some myself.

However, as I’m sat in the hospital in the middle of the night due to some bleeding ( pregnant) I just think how grateful I am. This pregnancy has been a bit of a rough ride specially early on. I had four early scans, and again back for similar reason. If this was in America I dread to think of the bills I would have for being in the hospital this much. Baby is fine, but it’s just so reassuring knowing I can go to the hospital when needed and get care without huge bills. I like that they let ME choose whether or not I come in, which eases my mind greatly. 

I hope everything is okay, I can only imagine how scary it is. My wife had a rough time with her pregnancies including a few days in hospital and while it all came out well it was very worrying at the time.

We have been back over 3 years now and have used the NHS far more than either of us would have liked, included a heart op for me and eye surgery for my wife. It really is nice to never see an invoice or battle with a raft of “EOB’s” from the insurance company. As you say, there are plenty of other issues, sometimes a love/hate relationships over things like faxes going astray but definitely a whole lot more love than hate from our family.

Whenever I have vague thoughts of moving back to the US, I then remember the NHS and it immediately puts a stop to that thought.

I’m glad to hear everything is alright.

I too had a really rough pregnancy after being given ivf on the nhs. Without the nhs, my daughter wouldn’t exist. That thought makes me well up. I can’t believe how fortunate we are. It’s worth fighting for with ever fibre of our beings.


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I know there are often road bumps and frustrations using the NHS. I’ve experienced some myself.

However, as I’m sat in the hospital in the middle of the night due to some bleeding ( pregnant) I just think how grateful I am. This pregnancy has been a bit of a rough ride specially early on. I had four early scans, and again back for similar reason. If this was in America I dread to think of the bills I would have for being in the hospital this much. Baby is fine, but it’s just so reassuring knowing I can go to the hospital when needed and get care without huge bills. I like that they let ME choose whether or not I come in, which eases my mind greatly. 

Massive hugs.  I hopped they get you stable and the rest of your pregnancy is smooth daily!

I hope everything is okay, I can only imagine how scary it is. My wife had a rough time with her pregnancies including a few days in hospital and while it all came out well it was very worrying at the time.

We have been back over 3 years now and have used the NHS far more than either of us would have liked, included a heart op for me and eye surgery for my wife. It really is nice to never see an invoice or battle with a raft of “EOB’s” from the insurance company. As you say, there are plenty of other issues, sometimes a love/hate relationships over things like faxes going astray but definitely a whole lot more love than hate from our family.

Oh wow!  I’m so glad you got the treatment you needed without worrying about the bills.  I honestly have moments when you feel like you’re going in circles but anytime something’s been an emergency in my eyes they’ve been absolutely fabulous. I’m with you on more love than hate

Whenever I have vague thoughts of moving back to the US, I then remember the NHS and it immediately puts a stop to that thought.

I’m glad to hear everything is alright.

I too had a really rough pregnancy after being given ivf on the nhs. Without the nhs, my daughter wouldn’t exist. That thought makes me well up. I can’t believe how fortunate we are. It’s worth fighting for with ever fibre of our beings.


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That made me tear up. I’m so glad you have your precious baby she is worth every battle you had to go through ( which I hope are becoming distant memories as she grows). It’s incredible that the nhs offered ivf, I know that can absolutely break couples financially.

Massive hugs.  I hopped they get you stable and the rest of your pregnancy is smooth daily!

Thank you! I’m absolutely fine and went home this morning, just think my body likes to give me a scare every time things are settling down! I just felt so emotionally overwhelmed because ( at least in my region) the maternity unit is absolutely amazing. If I could show my eternal gratitude to them I would.

Thank you! I’m absolutely fine and went home this morning, just think my body likes to give me a scare every time things are settling down! I just felt so emotionally overwhelmed because ( at least in my region) the maternity unit is absolutely amazing. If I could show my eternal gratitude to them I would.

Great to hear that you are back home again, I hope everything runs smoothly from now on.

This weekend I visited my sister and her husband who has recently had his 4th brain surgery in 20 years. They saved his life in 1999 when he went in for an MRI investigating why he was having dizzy spells, and kept him in because they discovered a grapefruit sized tumor  wrapped around his brain stem. Surgery can’t remove it all but it is slow growing and every 5 years  or so he has to go back in for a “trim”. Absolutely amazing what they can do these days. Apologies for the thread drift  but  I’m still in awe how well he is only 4 weeks after major brain surgery.

Great to hear that you are back home again, I hope everything runs smoothly from now on.

This weekend I visited my sister and her husband who has recently had his 4th brain surgery in 20 years. They saved his life in 1999 when he went in for an MRI investigating why he was having dizzy spells, and kept him in because they discovered a grapefruit sized tumor  wrapped around his brain stem. Surgery can’t remove it all but it is slow growing and every 5 years  or so he has to go back in for a “trim”. Absolutely amazing what they can do these days. Apologies for the thread drift  but  I’m still in awe how well he is only 4 weeks after major brain surgery.

Oh wow! Both my grandad and uncle passed away from brain tumours that were cancerous. Makes one think I have a great future.. I’m not glad he’s going through it but absolutely glad he is getting what treatment he can. It is quite amazing what they can do these days. No need to apologise, medicine has come a long long way and it is quite amazing.  I’m glad he is doing well!

I have to say, it's so nice not receiving bills in the mail! Today I had a liver ultrasound as part of standard screening for one of my conditions, in the US that would've been a couple hundred dollars and I know it cost the NHS much less, and I don't feel guilty for needing routine monitoring due to the cost. I just wish that when you do need to pay out of pocket the costs were not so astronomical, especially for mental health support and tests for "non urgent" but very painful conditions.

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I saw this heading yesterday and it hit me.  The husband unit and I (touch wood) have both been healthyish-- in January he ended up going to A&E by ambulance.  They were 10 points beyond wonderful!!  There was about an hour when it got very scary but everything simmered down.  He's on regular medication now (after they found out what the problem was) but I cannot fault them for their time and immediate attention.  Even during shift change they were EXCELLENT.  My immediate concern was that it was a Saturday night/Sunday morning and we were going to have to wait but they could see how ill he was and sprung into action and keeping me well informed along the way.

I'm sending them a Christmas card this year.  Thank you doesn't seem enough but I feel it's important.

I'm sending them a Christmas card this year.  Thank you doesn't seem enough but I feel it's important.

In my experience, they will greatly appreciate a box of biscuits or sweets with that card! 

In my experience, they will greatly appreciate a box of biscuits or sweets with that card! 

+1

Last year my wife had eye surgery and it was the first op of the day. We got there early and were sat outside the operating theatre when the surgeon turned up carrying a box of biscuits. He chatted with us for a few minutes and commented that his staff had a lot to put up with but he found that a box of chocolates or biscuits always went down well. He then  said “see you shortly” and used his access card to go in. Really nice guy, always invited me to join my wife during the pre and post op visits.

Now that this thread has been well and truly hijacked.....

Did you see this on the news last night:
A guy was scheduled for an operation and they did the nil by mouth thing as normal.   The operation was postponed for 5 days and they kept up the nil by mouth thing for the whole time until he died!  I'm unclear on the details, but he had disabilities that prevented him from protecting himself, and was not protected by others .  The hospital is very sorry. 

There's a lot good about the NHS, but we shouldn't get too starry eyed.  And we shouldn't stop blaming the political parties that have run it down over the years. 

Now that this thread has been well and truly hijacked.....

Did you see this on the news last night:
A guy was scheduled for an operation and they did the nil by mouth thing as normal.   The operation was postponed for 5 days and they kept up the nil by mouth thing for the whole time until he died!  I'm unclear on the details, but he had disabilities that prevented him from protecting himself, and was not protected by others .  The hospital is very sorry. 

There's a lot good about the NHS, but we shouldn't get too starry eyed.  And we shouldn't stop blaming the political parties that have run it down over the years.

Yes, that was a horrible catalogue of errors! Absolutely disgusting. His parents were advocating for him and ignored. This can happen anywhere, but it is exceptionally pronounced here where they consider disabled people annoying and a bother. He'd been admitted to the wrong area, no one was tracking the things they should, and it was an incredibly tragic incident.

I think it goes without saying that in any medical scenario you are you own advocate, and the NHS is critically underfunded and now has scared away the many people who were previously willing to put up with he quality of life that comes with the prestige of being an NHS nurse. Why would anyone work for the NHS when they can be an agency nurse on the same wards earning twice (or more) as much due to staff shortages?

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