In January 2024, Gabrielle Hiscock was admitted to A&E at Dorset County Hospital with a rare condition which made Gabrielle seriously ill. She was cared for in the Intensive Care Unit for two weeks.
Gabrielle experienced memory loss and delirium during some of her time in the ICU, but the lasting memory for her friends and family has been the amazing support they received from the staff on the ward.
“The staff are not just supporting the patients; they’re also supporting their loved ones. My husband was phoning at 3am for updates and the nurses were so kind and supportive with him while still being honest about my condition. They suggested practical things he could do such as compile my favourite songs, collect up messages from friends and family – even record my dogs barking – so they could play it to me. The support they gave him was phenomenal.”
“For me, as I slowly started to recover, the little touches in my care really made a difference – making sure my skin was moisturised and looking after my hair; the care and the empathy that they had for me was incredible. It takes a special kind of person to do those things for someone.”
Often the story doesn’t end when a patient is discharged: Gabrielle’s recovery has been long, and physiologically processing the traumatic experience has been an important part of helping her adjust back to her new normality. The staff at DCH have helped her with this by inviting Gabrielle to come back to the ward and explain her treatment in more detail.
“This isn’t for everyone, but it helped me a lot with understanding what happened to me. They explained how my bay was set up and showed me where my husband sat by my side.” said Gabrielle. “They also set up a support group, which was daunting to attend but has been hugely beneficial to me to know I’m not alone. The staff have gone above and beyond to arrange this, often using their own time. I don’t think I can ever put into words just how important this has been to me. I can’t thank the staff at DCH enough.”
