Dr Hywel Jones 2016-07-25 Person 5 5 0

I had a total knee replacement at Springfield Hospital on 22nd July 2016 and I am sitting at home now on 25th July, already feeling better with respect to the operated knee than I have for several years. For some reason I had a phobia about being anaesthetised and this fear had caused me to delay having a much-needed knee operation. Upon meeting with Dr Hywel Jones on the morning of the operation my fears completely disappeared on account of his charming, reassuring and totally calming manner. He absolutely inspired me with the confidence that I needed to undergo the operation. I was delighted to learn that I could have an anaesthetic procedure that would completely obliterate the pain of surgery on my leg whilst leaving me fully conscious and able to follow the procedure including the very robust noises of the surgery as well as the interesting conversations between surgeon, anaesthetist and the rest of the operating room staff. The anaesthetic procedure itself was carried out such that I felt no pain either from the initial drug administration procedures by Dr Jones or during the actual surgical procedures carried out by Mr Stephen Palmer. The feeling of "not having a lower body" was strange, but comfortable. Dr Jones talked to me throughout the procedure and showed me fascinating pictures (and pieces of bone!) as the operation proceeded. I have been promised a disk of some of the most interesting pictures. Maybe not everyone would like to be so closely associated with a major surgical operation such as this but in my case, as a university research professor and scientist, it was the ideal solution to allaying my unnecessary fears. Perhaps a constructive suggestion would be to make it possible for patients to be aware at an early stage of hospitalisation that these patient/surgeon/anaesthetist interactions are possible? I am very thankful for, and thoroughly commend the phenomenal skill and care shown by Dr Jones and the surgeon, Mr Steven Palmer during the repair of my right knee. They created an atmosphere of calm confidence in the operating theatre and I felt completely assured that they were doing their absolutely skilful best for me, their patient.