"Wonderful Dr Amelie"

My darling elderly mother was admitted to Albany Hospital recently with a perforated bowel (it wasn't the special dinner I cooked, either!)

It was a real shock to receive a call on the next morning from the Surgical Ward, explaining her condition and its severity. I believe an urgent operation was needed.

I felt very blessed that the doctor who phoned me was Dr Amelie. What a lady!

Dr Amelie explained the entire situation to me with poise, compassion, intelligence and efficiency. By the end of the conversation she had answered all of my many questions, and I felt I knew exactly where we were at.

I felt Dr Amelie did not "gild the lilly". She told me kindly that there was some chance Mum may not survive the operation, but a much greater chance of her dying if she did not have it. It is always so much easier to deal with things when you have full knowledge in my opinion.

Dr Amelie's communication skills were especially important due to the distance of Mum's large family, who all wanted very much to be informed about what was going on. Thanks to Dr Amelie, it was possible for everyone to know exactly where things were at, despite distances, and make sense of the reason for the operation.

Mum is making a wonderful recovery now, and we hope she will be home any day.

In my opinion, Dr Amelie (and Mum's fantastic surgeon, Dr Edward, along with Dr Alice who was kind and gracious in answering my post-op queries re Mum) are all fabulous assets to the Albany Hospital.

May God bless each one of you.

Thank you for the great care you have taken of my Mum, which in my opinion, will enable her to see another Easter!