Good service at hospital, and on Air Chathams

MIKE: In a recent article Joan described her stay in Whanganui Hospital, expressing her gratitude for the caring attention she received. The upshot of her stay was a CT scan which was then sent to Palmerston North Hospital for assessment.

Last Wednesday we drove to Palmerston for our consultation, fully expecting to be given a date for further treatment. It would be an understatement to say we were surprised to be told that Joan would have a necessary procedure that day!

My wife has an irrational fear of general anaesthetics, and it crossed my mind that I might have to tie her to the waiting room chair to avoid her running away. She stayed. Indeed we both stayed “in situ” for a good number of hours. Nobody’s fault, but having been placed on the “acute” list, we metaphorically had to step back, when a sudden Caesarean and other urgent operations moved above us on the list. By 4pm Joan had told every member of staff she encountered of her “anaesthetic terror”. By 6pm she assured me that escape was quite likely for that day. At 6.30, however, we received the call to arms — and other bodily parts! A wonderful anaesthetist from Blackpool promised to take good care of her, and she was wheeled away.

Naturally enough, everything went well and, an hour later, I was summoned to say goodnight to a happily smiling, though somewhat vague, Joan. The next morning, she told me, she was woken by a nurse offering a refreshing, warm facecloth, as if after a long Air NZ flight.Great service! To all the doctors and nurses, my most sincere thanks and deepest gratitude.

JOAN: Two days later we were on our pre-booked flight to Auckland, our first experience of Air Chathams.We had heard excellent reports of the airline ever since it came to

Whanganui’s rescue, maintaining the essential link between our city and Auckland. A quick check-in, a short walk on the tarmac, a welcoming smile from the hostess and we were off. The plane was full, yet comfortable, with breathtaking views of Ruapehu and the landscape below. During the short trip of one hour, our hostess, Alana, managed to serve us with water, then excellent coffee, followed by a tantalising Tim-Tam. Never harassed, she collected empty cups and prepared the plane for a smooth landing.Without any hesitation we both recommend Air Chathams.