“My mum Brigid loved to clean. She as so house proud and was doing what she loved best on the day she had her stroke. That day is was like someone had switched the light off. It was the end of March and we were in the midst of Covid-19. She lost her speech and the movement down her left side. She was admitted to hospital but because of Covid, we couldn’t visit her. It was awful. Eventually we got her home but she was very ill. A doctor talked to us about palliative care and ‘the amazing people at Isabel Hospice’ who could help.
When Nurse Kirsty from the Hospice at Home team first came round it was an amazing day. We felt like we were being taken under their wing and they looked after both Mum and Dad who had been married for 42 years. Kirsty was so kind and calm, she helped us have difficult conversations. All the team were incredible, Kirsty, Rachel, Linda and Espe. One night, when Mum was not drinking, Espe sat with her all night and dripped water from a syringe into Mum’s mouth. I’ll never forget that kindness.
I was so worried about Mum. I was worried about her being in pain, scared what the end would be like, what it would be like when she was dying. They reassured me, they said they were controlling her pain and put my mind at ease.
Espe was due to come to us on the night that mum passed away peacefully on 30th June. She was on our way but just didn’t get there in time, so we rang her. We just didn’t know what to do. When she arrived it was such a relief. She washed and dressed Mum, phoned the funeral directors for us and helped us so much.
Whilst Mum was ill the Hospice Family Support team helped us too. Buddhika video called my children, age 13 and 9 and supported me. I didn’t know if I was telling them too much, not enough… you just don’t know because you’ve not had to do this before. He reassured me I was talking to the children in the right way, not giving false hope and being answering their questions.
Looking back, I just don’t know how we would have coped with out Isabel Hospice. My two year old still calls out for Nanny when she goes to their house which is heart-breaking but I know the Hospice is still there for all of us.“
