Going the extra mile

 

Our team of doctors, nurses, therapists and carers know how important small moments can be at the end of someones life. Below are some stories that have been shared with us by some of the staff on our Inpatient Unit at the Hospice in Winsley.

 

A final gift

A young patient with a wife and family who was coming to his last week of life, was very worried about the need to buy his wife a birthday present as well as the need to sort a few gifts for his family. He was profoundly fatigued and almost bed bound. One of the nurses was able to organise a wheelchair access taxi and she was able to go to Chippenham to the shops with the patient so that he was able to buy the things he wanted for his wife and family. He was completely exhausted on his return, but the excitement and delight on his face as he was helped to wrap his gifts was amazing. He died a few days later

 

A special moment

In the height of the pandemic a patient’s daughter was due to get married in the distant future and he knew he wasn’t going to be here to see it. Despite the restricted visiting on our inpatient unit, the daughter came in and was helped to get in to her wedding dress so her dad could see her. The next day our spiritual lead, Dave Smith, organised a hand tying ceremony in the Beacon at the Hospice. The patient was wheeled down to the Beacon in his bed so that he could witness the ceremony. Afterwards, our team organised for a trolley with a beautiful wedding cake and a few drinks to be taken to them to toast that special moment. There was not a dry eye in the house.

 

A friendship filled with fun!

An 18 year patient who was receiving end of life care, was visually impaired and bed bound, had been attending the young adult’s support group prior to her admission into the Hospice. Through this group, she had made friends with another young lady. The patient desperately wanted to have a special girlie/pamper night with her friend. Her family organised a massage, a manicure and they both had their nails embellished with crystals and sparkles that she could feel and touch. The patient was staying in room 3, where there is a spare bed. This made organising a sleepover that little bit easier. We arranged a tasty pizza to be delivered, balloons, banners and sweets. There was much merriment and joy that night from both teenagers, and very little sleep, we suspect. The patients friend later went on to become end of life herself and because of the experience she had had that night, she felt both safe and happy to come to the Inpatient Unit when it was her time.