Palliative care

 

I’ve finally heard from palliative care. I’m not sure it told me anything I didn’t know already. I certainly don’t feel I’ve got to the stage of needing a lot of nursing yet. However, they do seem to have a co-ordinating role with the various services – the hospital, GP, hospice, district nurses, CancerCare, churches. It’s as well to know what services are available for when I do need them.

 

So far the only practical thing achieved is that I’ve requested a “Do Not Resuscitate” form. I see very little point of going through the agony of  being resuscitated, which I gather often means the pain of broken ribs for months afterwards, when I’m going to die soon anyhow.

 

The other thing is that I’ve established my preference to die at home. But I have made it clear that if the Fox is finding it too difficult to cope with me then the local hospice is my second choice. Having visited it a few times, & from all that friends of said, it seems a peaceful place to end one’s life. It has beautiful gardens where they encourage the wildlife to feed just outside residents’ bedrooms. That will do me.

 

Most areas of need I think we’ve already sorted out due to the fact I am already disabled. As a result we have made our home accessible. We have all the state benefits I‘m entitled to as well as a blue badge. We’ve updated our wills.

 

The palliative care team will be keeping an eye on me from now on. As I deteriorate their intervention will increase. However at the moment they are thinking of just sending a whole lot of material for me to read through & a follow-up visit/call sometime next month. They are available 24 hours a day if I have any questions in the meanwhile.