Denise tells us about her stay on the In-Patient Unit, what she wants to achieve when she goes home and that the Hospice is not a place to be scared of.
“I worked as a local carer but had to give up working due to my breast cancer diagnosis in 2019. I now have secondary cancer, which I was diagnosed with in 2021. I came to the Hospice initially to join the Wellbeing Programme and before this I didn’t really know much about the Hospice. I did some Guided Relaxation with Colin and I took part in a couple of sessions. I fell asleep both times! I know they call it relaxation, but I don’t think you’re meant to relax that much!
“The team mentioned the Thursday Coffee Stop to me, but I didn’t want to come in on my own so a volunteer Lisa, met me outside the first time. That’s also where I met Sue, she’s a volunteer but also now a good friend of mine. People come to Thursday Coffee Stop for all different reasons, not just because you’re sick or ill, it’s a social place and it gave me a good excuse to get out of the house.
“I’ve been in and out of Hospital but a recent incident meant I needed support from the Hospice. To be totally honest, I was scared about coming here at first. I hadn’t seen the In-Patient Unit before, or the rooms, I didn’t know what to expect. I knew I wasn’t dying but being here has been a life changing experience. The care here is personal and I feel much better than I did before. I’ve been here for just over two weeks now and my dog Hugo has been able to visit me which has meant a lot. I’ve been able to go to Thursday Coffee Stop while staying here, my friend Val and I are having lunch together this week in the Hospice café and we are going to play Bingo.
“Even though it’s lovely here, I’d like to go home and get on with my life. My goal is to remain independent and do things for myself. I’d like to walk again with my stick, as I’m currently immobile, and I’ve been having some physiotherapy for that. I’d also like to continue to come to the Hospice for Thursday Coffee Stop.
“When the time comes though, I’d like to die at the Hospice. It’s such a lovely place, it’s worth it’s weight in gold and the staff are absolutely fantastic and nothing is too much trouble. I’ve made some good friends here too. You couldn’t ask for better support.
“The Hospice is nothing to be scared of. Yes, it is a place where people die but it’s also so much more than that. It allows you to spend what the time you have left in a positive and good way. It’s a place where you can learn to live with your illness and just try and carry on as normal. The word Hospice is nothing to be afraid of.”
Find out more about our services here.
