When Time Matters Angels Do Exist

By Phoebe Harper

I started to write my thoughts and feeling down as a way of documenting my personal journey and experiences as a hospice at home nurse and carer, a mother and daughter,in the hope it may help you even if it is in a small way. Working out in the community in different roles of healthcare, I have had the privilege of meeting so many people and families as have other healthcare workers. We all work hard, have a shoulder to lean on and help when it matters the most. If you have any questions regarding a loved one who is sick or at their end stage of life we are there to help i dedicate this to All the families i have met and Health care workers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Apr 2, 2018
• ISBN: 9781483482682

Book preview

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JUDGE ME NOT

T

ODAY I ARRIVED AT A

very poorly lady, her family have let her down at a time she needed their support love and help, for what ever reason only they know why .? I’m not here to judge. As a nursing carer I have a duty of care to all, not just the sick and dying . If I see someone in distress or not coping I will try my best to get the help they need.

Now this lady has end stage of cancer, very frail and crying out for help but not from nursing staff (There’s only so much we can do) but from her son and daughter, neither of which I have ever met. She had a syringe driver to control the pain but yesterday she ripped it out from her arm. On talking to her she said I do not need it my heart told me all she wanted was to die with her children around her. She was wondering the street and was at risk being a vulnerable adult. I tried to explain we have a duty of care and it will be the nursing team who will be held responsible if anything was to happen and her safety is our top priority . I have flagged her as being at risk and asked for her mental capacity to be assessed . She needs 24 hour care and cannot be left alone in her own home . I hope we can get her the help she needs and let her pass with dignity with peace in her heart. And her family find in it there hearts to forgive and put closure to whatever it was that broke the family apart.

THERE IS NO LIGHT

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W

HEN YOU ARE YOUNG WITH

a family you will hope there’s a light at the end of the tunnel but, for some this is not so. Sometimes people fall through the safety net that is there to protect them and their family. When it is overstretched holes start to appear.

Today I was called into a young family, his wife is in the end stage cancer at only 50 years old. All her family are around her, none of whom have any medical training and are trying their best to look after her needs.

She is one of those patients that had fall through the net! I quickly got on to the phone to arrange all the care she will need . Everyone was in tears with the knowledge that she is very close to passing I recognised the sign straight away and called for the syringe driver to be put in place to keep her comfortable .

It’s not easy staying strong for her family, remaining with her and the family all day and making sure they have a nurse overnight . It is upsetting for everyone involved.

Her young daughter had lots of questions which I tried to answer honestly, with compassion and empathy. I did not want to overload her memories .

Her husband sat quietly in the other room, I could hear him crying, upset at what was happening to the love of his life. I tried to console him. Sometimes you need to be in your own thoughts to cope with a loss even before she’s gone .

HUGS

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EARS OF SADNESS OR TEARS

of joy we all need that human touch from time to time . When you are at the end of your tether and feeling alone no where to run to feeling lost in the middle of pain and grief anxious unable to sleep .

All you need is a Hug someone to hold you and take those feeling of out of control away to help you see threw the fog of the unknown to clear your pathway to help to sort the mess out .

Today I enter to all these feeling and quickly rap my arms around her .Your not alone And help to alleviate all those feeling .

Even if it only for a short time . Taking over and arranging rest bite for her friend so she can mentally rebuild her strength Time out. Me time is so important hopefully she be able to continue to take care of her very dear friend until the end.

THE LAST CHAPTER

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HE LAST CHAPTER! OR IS

it??? No one knows when our Time is up .We all have our own Beliefs and that’s okay .

Mine belief is that there is no end just a Beginning. We make life what we want it to be, no one said it was easy .

It has been tough at times and I have cried a lot of tears over the years. I have been broken and picked myself up and tried to put the pieces back as have many other families.

To this end, I dedicate my work to all the families I have met, the Health care workers across the globe and most of all to my local Hospice and all the staff who work hard.

It been an honour and a privilege to working along side them, raising funds to keep the Hospice at Home nurses out in the community and the Day care staff who work hard to make a difference to the patients day .

Angels do Exist .

Please support your local Hospices in your home towns we never know when we might just need their help.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my journey . It has been full of mixed emotions.

Kind regards

Phoebe. .Hospice at Home.

ONLY THE LORD KNOWS WHEN HE COMING

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I

ENTERED TODAY TO SUPPORT A

lovely Lady who has end-stage lung cancer and liver metis’ I have been supporting her and her family for nearly six months. Taking over from the family, while they left for work for the day. She was asleep when I arrived I waited for her to wake up, on her waking she had tears in her eyes I gently held her hand and ask her why are you crying?.

She remains quiet for a short time and said! ( Am I dying) Holding her hand I reply to her question, Only the Lord knows when he Coming. But know you are loved by your family and people who care. We talk about her Children and grandchildren and all the silly jokes they pulled on each other the place they visited as a family, the wedding of her two daughters and been blessed with 6 grandchildren her first date with her husband she laughs at all those memories she had made with her family.

She realized she had a loving family and proud of all they have achieved.

She then took a deep breath and said( I am ready now ) to meet my maker. She died peacefully in her sleep that night surround by all her family. She passes away with peace in her heart.

WHERE HAVE ALL THOSE YEARS GONE

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T A 102 HE IS

doing just Fine a little confused since loosing his soulmate 3 months ago at the amazing age of a 100 years old.

They raised a family and watched the world change from just having the radio to having television, having to wash by hand to washing by machine. they are of a generation who built the future we now have today.