Joanne Taylor - Patient Relative

“On the day that mum was told her life could be measured in weeks rather than months, the room was full of nurses along with the doctor, who all supported us.”

“In late 2007 my mum was diagnosed with a secondary ovarian tumour. The tumour was inoperable, and the prognosis was poor, although we didn’t fully appreciate that at the time.

Mum also suffered with Multiple Sclerosis, and this meant she was in a wheelchair and unable to use her lower body at all. Following the diagnosis, Hospice immediately invited mum to join the day centre, where she went once a week. She was an incredibly sociable person, and her condition left her unable to get out and about in the way she wanted to, so she loved this time. Hospice also offered alternative therapies to the family, and my sister and I gratefully accepted Reiki sessions, that we had every couple of weeks.

As mum became gradually weaker, it became much harder for her to be cared for at home, and she was able to have respite care for a week at a time at Hospice, until in July 2008, when her pain increased significantly, it was decided she should stay rather than be moved home.
The care mum received from the wonderful doctors and nurses at Hospice cannot be described. Nothing was too much trouble. They kept her spirits high, and ours, and helped answer any questions we had. She was never treated like a terminally ill patient – she was treated like the fun and spirited 48 year old she was.

On the day that mum was told her life could be measured in weeks rather than months, the room was full of nurses along with the doctor, who all supported us. It was obvious she wouldn’t be going home, but we had never asked, and so to hear the words was extremely difficult. After this day we knew there wasn’t long, and we were able to use the family rooms to sleep in, so that there was always someone with mum around the clock. She passed away peacefully in July 2008.

Support from Hospice didn’t end there. We were offered grief counselling, and the lady that did this for me is now a true friend and much loved part of our family. An extra gift from Hospice.

At the toughest time, the medical teams cared for mum; washed her, dressed her, made her comfortable (and very naughtily took her outside for sneaky smokes!). Outside of the doctors and nurses there are others behind the scenes – the kitchen staff, the auxiliaries, the admin teams – who all work together to make the Hospice what it is. They fed us, talked to us and made each stage that bit easier.

No value could ever be put on this and as a family we will be forever grateful.”