I WAS admitted to Musgrove Park Hospital on new year's eve as an emergency.

Once my problem was diagnosed I had an emergency operation.

Afterwards, I was taken to ITU as (no fault of the hospital) I had sepsis, sepsis shock, my left lung collapsed and I had pneumonia.

I was put into an induced coma for a week. For a few days it was touch and go whether I would make it.

When I was brought out of the coma I was transferred to the HDU ward, where I spent two weeks having my lung slowly reinflated and the other problems sorted out one by one. I then moved to Montacute ward.

During all my time in hospital the care, attention and professionalism I received was faultless.

Family and friends say that while in the coma there was a nurse was at the bottom of my bed 24 hours a day making sure all that could be done was done.

On HDU, the staff (one nurse to one or maximum two patients) was faultless. Every four hours they had to do many tests on me. Nothing was neglected, overlooked or was too much trouble if asked by me to do something to make me more comfortable.

On Montacute Ward the attention was the same.

Many people knock the NHS; I have nothing but absolute praise for all the surgeons, doctors, nurses and all the "background staff" for all they did for me and the other patients I met while there.

To say thank you seems totally inadequate for what they all did for me.

PAUL WOOD

Cotford St Luke