Those dreaded words, Palliative Care and Hospice.
The love of my life is released from the Hospital after major surgery and I am all positive, this time he is going to get better! I’m going to be the best nurse/carer Anything he wants, nothing is too much, sick of my cooking, we will order in from the best restaurant (Prawns Thermidor) this will make him happy, also some Caviar, it won’t be long before he is back on his feet.
Morphine patches and handfuls of pills, day and night.
Keeping his chin up for us all. The District Nurse Grace calls, Changes his dressings, talks with him, tries to keep him positive, he always looks good, a lifetime of grooming habits, never lost.
All so kind and helpful, anything you need, special cushions, hospital bed, wheelchair, commode and Oxygen……there like a flash.
Then the dreaded words are said……Palliative care and Hospice.
It’s like being hit by a brick….we are all sure he is going to get well, are we kidding ourselves?
In reality we have exhausted every avenue and we are trying to give him HOPE, that’s all that is left, and us all being there for him.
The Palliative care Nurses call to him, they are so kind and unbelievable in their attitude. He would ask all the awkward questions of them, How long have I left? When am I going to die? Sarah would hold his hand and comfort him and tell him that he knew his body best, and really only God knows the answer to that question.
The Pastor would call and of course he was asked the same questions, he suggested setting goals, dates to aim for, this was a great help and he reached a lot of them!
He was finally getting weaker, although his mind was as good as ever, The damage to his voice and breathing was getting chronic .
It was suggested on different occasions that he should go into the Hospice, I always left it up to him, as long as he wished to stay at home, that’s where he would be and we would do our best for him.
Grace the District nurse suggested he should perhaps go into the Hospice for a week, assess his medicine and give me a little rest.
They phoned, had a bed, I got him ready, in his Blue suit and pink shirt and the ambulance arrived, The ladies operating the ambulance remarked how Natty he looked! He looked well, as usual but felt Krass.
After all the fear of the Hospice, it turned out to be better than a 5 star Hotel! He was told he could have anything he liked to eat, anytime of the day or night!
The staff, I mean all the staff were par excellence! The kindest and most caring and sympathetic I’ve ever encountered. Always called by his name and treated with respect. What more could one ask for?
When the week was up we were all ready to bring him home, we had a meeting with the consultant and the group caring for him. The Consultant had spoken with him in the morning and he had said he wasn’t well enough to go home, needless to say we were disappointed, but in reality we wouldn’t be able to supply the incredible care he was receiving from the Hospice staff, also I must note all the voluntary workers, giving their time and energy for free.
We, the family were made welcome to stay with him around the clock.
My husband passed away peacefully one week later RIP.
I HAVE TO SAY THE HOSPICE AND THEIR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS AND STATE OF THE ART CARE, HAS REKINDLED MY FAITH IN HUMANITY!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!
