by InTrieste
One of InTrieste’s readers shares a deeply personal story of gratitude after her husband’s life-saving surgery at Cattinara Hospital.
Every print issue of InTrieste brings letters from readers with ideas, memories and reflections on life in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Occasionally, one arrives that feels less like correspondence and more like a testament to a city.
This summer, Miriam Tolmer wrote to us with a request: not to tell her story, but to publish the letter she once sent to the cardiology team at Cattinara Hospital after her husband underwent a triple bypass and heart valve replacement.
“A few years ago my partner went into Cattinara Hospital for a triple bypass and valve replacement operation,” she wrote. “It was the most amazing experience we have ever had as a family. The operation was a huge success and also cost nothing. I wanted the whole world to know how lucky we were to be here in this marvelous city with such amazing facilities.”
For Miriam and her husband, John Douglas Tolmer, what stood out was not only the success of a complex operation, but the humanity they encountered throughout their stay. Despite John speaking only English, she says he never felt isolated or misunderstood. Instead, he found reassurance in doctors, nurses and staff whose professionalism was matched by warmth.
Below is the letter Miriam asked us to share.
Love Letter to the Polo Cardiologico Department, Cattinara Hospital
Dear Doctors, nurses and all the staff at the Polo Cardiologico Department in Cattinara Hospital, This is my little love letter to all of you, to say a huge thank you for the wonderful care and kind attention you gave my husband when he recently had a triple bypass and valve replacement operation.
Everything seemed to flow in the ward. The interconnecting teams worked seamlessly in movement, medication and energetic spirit. My husband never felt afraid of being left alone or misunderstood, which wasn’t easy considering he speaks only English. He felt safe in the hands of very competent people who were willing to listen and smile as they carried out their demanding work.
Today, five weeks later, he is in tip-top condition and feeling extremely grateful to everyone involved at Cattinara. It must be the Italian way of loving life and laughter that we have been so fortunate to experience.
The city of Trieste is a glorious city.
With love and sincere gratitude,
Miriam & John Douglas Tolmer
In an era when public healthcare is often discussed through the lens of waiting lists and strained resources, Miriam’s letter offers a different perspective: one patient family’s experience of compassion, excellence and hope inside one of Trieste’s leading hospitals.
Sometimes, the most powerful stories about a city are written by the people who simply wanted to say thank you.
