WHEN DIY loving David Smith was referred to Birmingham Hospice, our Community Team supported him when he needed it most and took some of the weight from the shoulders of devoted wife and full-time carer Chris.
David was a cheeky chap who loved to work with his hands and never let his COPD diagnosis slow him down when he was working.
a popular pet in the Inpatient Unit (IPU) when
visiting husband David
But as his condition worsened and he developed a range of illnesses, including chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), emphysema, bronchiectasis and dementia, he was referred to the hospice for palliative and end of life care.
David was regularly visited by Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Kara Volante, who provided advice on Advanced Care Planning (ACP) and help with symptom control.
Kara was a reassuring presence and quickly built a strong relationship with David, who had become withdrawn and worried about contracting further infection, which left the couple isolated.
Chris said: “It didn’t matter what, everything was about his illnesses, and he became paranoid about every little thing that was going on.
“But he loved Kara. He used to say to me, ‘I like her, she’s all right’ and I knew she had won him over.”
For Chris, who supported David in their home 24 hours a day, the extra help was a lifeline.
She added: “She supported me more than anybody; Kara was absolutely amazing.
“There were times when I would call her and I’d just burst into tears, and she’d say, ‘don’t worry, I’ll come and see him’.”
As well as this, David attended our Living Well Centre (LWC), where he made firm friendships with fellow patients, and received guidance from our Therapies Team.
Most importantly, healthcare assistants (HCAs) from our Hospice at Home Team would look after David for several hours a week, which gave Chris vital time to buy food and have a much-needed break.
Chris also experienced her own health problems and had an operation in October last year but struggled to take the recovery time she needed because of her responsibilities.
“For me, getting out for two hours was just amazing because I wasn’t seeing anybody,” said Chris.
“Even going to the shops without having to worry made a difference; it was a relief.”
Kara was also able to communicate clearly with David, so he and Chris were able to make an informed decision about where he would be cared for in his final days and he opted to go into our Inpatient Unit (IPU).
There were several times when was admitted to IPU for symptom control which brought memories flooding back to Chris, whose first husband, Paul, had been cared for in our Oak Ward in 2001. Chris struggled to walk past his room but with the reassurance of one of our HCAs, Barbara, she was able to overcome her apprehension.
During his time in IPU, David played chess club with another patient in the LWC, and he also loved to watch the birds in our garden. Meanwhile, Chris was impressed by the delicious food made by our chef, Mark and was touched by the compassion of IPU nurse Tony. Much-loved pet dog Lilly also visited and was popular with patients and the team.
At the end of May this year, David’s condition deteriorated, and he was admitted back to IPU. Chris stayed by his side and was able to use the shower in our Family Centre while a member of the IPU Team sat with him. He died peacefully while holding her hand.
“I was holding his hand while sitting talking and he went at 5.15pm. It was peaceful, he just went off and that was it,” said Chris.
“There’s nothing bad I can say about the hospice; without them, I’d have been in trouble because I hadn’t been seeing anybody.”
