‘I love the NHS. Without it, I wouldn’t be here’

I attempted suicide. Without the NHS, I wouldn’t be here

When I was 20 I attempted suicide. I ended up in A&E where every staff member I came into contact with was patient, kind, and calm, even though the department seemed busier than usual. I was treated with compassion and respect, and one nurse even succeeded in making me laugh on what was the worst day of my life. I could feel the support all around me. They made me feel less alone and I can’t thank them enough.Even though a couple of years have passed, I still think about how fantastically I was treated in my vulnerable state, and how different my life could have turned out if it hadn’t been for their kindness and understanding. Without them, I don’t think I’d be here.
Student, Gloucestershire

I’ve lived in the US. I’ve seen what worse care for more money looks like

The first time the NHS saved my life I was trapped under a car after an accident with a fractured pelvis, skull and three crushed vertebrae as well as a haemorrhaging liver. The eight days I spent in hospital would have bankrupted my family if I had been living in the US. I was 13 and by the time I was discharged I didn’t even want to leave. The care was so good they even brought in school work so I didn’t fall behind in class.

The second time my appendix burst and I underwent an operation. I missed the first day of my finals but the surgeon gave me the smallest appendectomy scar of anyone I’ve ever seen. They obviously took immense pride in it and I thought that was very cool.

I’ve lived in the US. I’ve seen what worse care for more money looks like. I’ve seen people die of preventable cancers because they were too poor to go to a doctor.
Huw Gildon, 40, marketing professional

It’s amazing when patients that have nearly died several times walk out of hospital

I love the NHS because every day I see people who are at their most vulnerable and the sickest they will ever be. The standout stories for me are when patients have been through the biggest fight of their lives, have nearly died several times, have been hooked up to a ventilator for months on end and they then walk out of our unit and hospital.
Jenny, ITU nurse, 32, Liverpool

My consultant came in to operate on me on his day off

I had a radioactive plaque fitted into my eye five days after a diagnosis of eye cancer. A while later, I was lying on a theatre trolley waiting for surgery to remove it. The consultant who had fitted the plaque previously warned me that he had a day off and so would not be doing the removal. Obviously all surgeons are perfectly qualified; I had no need to be fearful. But, it had been a stressful week so I lay having a silent sob about how I was about to die and only one person could save me but they weren’t here. Just as I was being pushed into theatre, someone touched my arm; it was my original consultant. “I’ll be doing your operation today Mrs Dimmock,” he said. Those words are now up there with my husband saying “I do” and my kids first saying “mumumum”.
Victoria Dimmock, 41, Brighton

As a doctor it is marvellous to be able to treat everyone without worrying about them having to pay

I remember about 30 years ago a baby was born in severe heart failure. She was transferred to a specialist heart hospital and then had to be transferred to another hospital in Scotland. Sadly the treatment failed and the doctors explained that the baby was going to die. The parents asked if they could be transferred back to their hometown so the grandparents could see the baby before she died. She was accordingly helicoptered back to where her family was and she died surrounded by them.

The marvellous thing was no one argued about financial matters – it just happened. As a doctor, it is marvellous to be able to treat everyone without worrying about them having to pay.
Anonymous

Woe to the British citizen who doesn’t vigorously defend the NHS

My favourite story is the birth of our third child which was our first to happen through the NHS. Our eldest were born in the US and even though we had “good” health insurance we still received bills for about $ 1,300 after each child was born.

And the NHS has midwives who have the goal of making birth as easy and humane as possible for mum and baby. In the US, birth is much more an assembly line situation that feels like some sort of costly corporate emergency. In the UK, our son swam out into a big birth tub while my wife sucked on some gas and air (which they don’t have in the US). It was just a kinder, gentler experience and while there were doctors nearby if we needed one, we never even had to see one. My wife was coached through labour by a lovely young woman while I tried to stay out of the way and shout nice things or grab a flannel when asked, that type of thing.

Woe to the British citizen who doesn’t vigorously defend the NHS. You do not know how lucky you are. Do NOT take it for granted and fire politicians who you think don’t take care of your nation’s most precious achievement, the NHS.
Rob Delaney, 40, comedian, from the US but lives in London

Sometimes there are wonderful stories of survival

When I was an intensive care nurse, I looked after a patient for several weeks who had a number of setbacks along the way to recovery. One day, it was decided by the doctors that he had reached a stage where survival was unlikely and that, should the time come, he should be allowed to die with dignity. It was agreed to transfer him to a hospice.

I ensured that I was his nurse on each day. He started in a catatonic state. I made enquiries about transferring to a hospice nearer his home, but none of them had any beds. We were told to try again in a few days. Three days later, he had made a strong recovery and was sat out in a chair eating breakfast when his family came to visit.
Nurse practitioner, 40, Cheshire

I have seen HIV go from a death penalty to chronic manageable illness in my time working in the NHS

I worked on a HIV ward in London in the early 90s. We cared for patients who were slowly dying as their immune systems were attacked by the virus and they succumbed to various infections. It was a heartbreaking time with so many people affected and no hope in sight.

There were various drugs being trialled, and the patients were happy to be guinea pigs – they had nothing to lose. There was a breakthrough in the late 90s and I witnessed the introduction of triple therapy. I saw the illness go from a death penalty to chronic manageable illness.
Anonymous

• In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here.
  

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‘I love the NHS. Without it, I wouldn’t be here’