Former columnist Harry in the Conquest - no expense was spared on return journey to health

Because I am old will I receive the best medical treatment, and will I be treated with dignity?

They say old gardeners never die, they merely go to seed or fade away, but I chose a different way, I developed jaundice becoming as yellow as the new Helenium Double Trouble. I therefore sought help from the Conquest Hospital to restore me to normal and after a dreadful experience in the Medical Assessment Unit I arrived at the Macdonald ward where I spent the next five weeks including my 90th birthday.

There I was initially treated by Dr Muhammad (although his surname is actually Rahmani), an expert in geriatric medicine, who arranged an ultra sound and a CT scan which showed I had gallstones.

From then on my consultant was Dr Stuart Bruce, a specialist in various disorders of older people.

Life in the ward is dependant upon establishing a good relationship with the nurses who will look after you. Learn their names just as you would for special plants in the garden, chat to them and try to establish a relationship. After all they are there to help you and deserve to know that you appreciate them.

The ward is divided into various bays each of which contains six beds. It is guaranteed that in each bay there will be one patient who talks all night and/or someone who wanders about, knocking over medical equipment, taking off his clothes, pulling off his catheter and generally causing mayhem, again at night.

At last the day came for getting rid of my stones.

It starts by having two bags of blood dribbled into you. This is normal procedure and applies to everyone. After this you are put on an X-ray table, your throat is numbed with a special spray and a tube placed in one nostril to provide oxygen. An injection is then given through your drip, making you very sleepy.

Dr J. Rademaker will then pass the endoscope, a long, thin flexible tube with a bright at one end through you mouth to your stomach and the duodenum (the small intestine). X–ray dye is injected down the endoscope which enables the pancreas and bile ducts to be seen on X-ray films. Dr Rademaker gets rid of the gallstones by enlarging the opening of the bile duct with an electrically heated wire (diathermy) and the stones pass into the intestine to be excreted..

Unfortunately, my blood pressure crashed and it was feared my duct might have been damaged or internal bleeding had been caused. It was decided a further look should be taken.

Next day therefore I was given the usual bag of blood but after the first one, a message was received that they would not be able to fit me in that day so the inspection was postponed. Next day therefore I was given the usual two bags of blood.

Meanwhile I was approached by Amy, a student for a nursing degree at Brighton University, for permission to watch which I readily gave. I never saw her again after the process, perhaps the sight of my insides proved too much for her! Anyway nothing of any significance was found.

Now, having had the bags of blood the rumours started that I was seriously ill and had five blood transfusions, to which the only reply is compost.

I have listed all these treatments to show that no expense is spared in trying to nurse you back to health no matter what the cost.

So far as the dignity is concerned the Ward Registrar, Dr J.Hawkings, asked me to arrange a blood test with my GP and notify him of the result. I have already spoken to him on the phone about something else and he explained he wanted to be kept informed as to my progress even though I was no longer at the hospital. How dedicated is that?

Harry Hamilton, former Observer gardening columnist

Peartree Lane

Bexhill-on-Sea