Surgeon recovering from suspected coronavirus praises care he received at West Suffolk Hospital
A surgeon has praised the care he received at West Suffolk Hospital after he was taken ill with suspected coronavirus.
Dr Dermot O’Riordan, a general surgeon at West Suffolk Hospital, was bed-bound for more than a week after he began suffering headaches and muscle pain.
He was admitted to the hospital on Monday after 10 days of feeling unwell and was discharged on Wednesday.
Although a test for the virus came back negative, Dr O’Riordan said he doesn’t think there is ‘any doubt’ that he had the virus.
The 55-year-old, of Elmswell, said: “It wasn’t very nice but I’m very grateful because it could have been much worse.”
He expressed gratitude to those at West Suffolk Hospital who looked after him who were ‘very professional and caring’.
“It does show fundamentally West Suffolk remains a very good hospital looking after the population,” he added.
His wife Liz, who has been self-isolating after having received two rounds of cancer treatment since 2015, said she was ‘overwhelmed’ by the kindness of villagers in Elmswell.
Speaking to the Bury Free Press before he was admitted to hospital, Liz said: “The support in the village has been fantastic, there is a real sense of community which is brilliant.
“People have dropped round to see how I am and to ask after my husband. I’ve met so many lovely people and I want to say thank you to them for looking after me. It really means a lot.”
And having seen what her husband has had to go through, the former breast surgeon urged anyone who feels unwell during this time to get in touch with their GP.
“It’s awful to watch him go through this and I can’t imagine what it is like for people who are on their own suffering like this,” she said.
“It is a proper influenza and he doesn’t want to eat or drink. He just wants to sleep it off until he feels better. It reminds me of what I was like when I went through chemotherapy. If anyone feels unwell, whether with the virus or with a stroke or heart attack or anything else, ring your GP because you will still be treated. The NHS is here to help everyone.”
