Rosemary Povey - Patient Relative
“This was the beginning of a devastatingly sad, short period in our 53 years of happy marriage, but also the time we got to meet, and know the most amazing people who we will never forget.“
“On the 9th September 2019 my husband Bernard (Bernie) received the devastating news that he had stage 4 lung cancer.
The options were 1) have a biopsy to determine which type of lung cancer it was and if it was one that was receptive to chemo, but only as a palliative treatment. 2) to go straight into End of Life care with Hospice - which was the path he chose. This was the beginning of a devastatingly sad, short period in our 53 years of happy marriage, but also the time we got to meet, and know the most amazing people who we will never forget.
Bernard was given his diagnosis by Dr Alapati, who was the most caring, sympathetic, empathetic man you could have had to tell you such devastating news. As time was of the essence, the following day we were visited by Gerri Allinson and members of Hospice Care at home to explain to us what their role was, what aids they would supply etc, phone numbers for contacts 24/7 . We also had visits from District Nurses to explain their role in conjunction with Hospice. It was a lot to take on board in a short space of time but I was fortunate that both our daughters were with me and between us we took it all in. Our older grandchildren managed to get over to see their beloved Pops and he was still able to know and enjoy this short but precious time with them. The younger two who live on the island saw him regularly until the last week or so when he no longer alert.
We had two amazing District Nurses who came daily from Ramsey Group Practice, Steph and Matt and they had a lovely rapport with Bernard, and our GP Dr William Cowie also visited him.
Hospice at Home Care staff; Gerri Allinson, Anne Byrne, Jan, Justin, Sheila, Janet, Viv, I apologise if I have missed anyone are the amazing people who cared for Bernard at the end of his life. There are no adequate words to do justice to just how special each and every one of them is. Everyone I have mentioned shone a light in our darkest hours, making a terrible situation bearable.
Bernie passed away peacefully on October 3rd, here at home.”
