Eunice's Story

The following story of Eunice has been written by her husband Adrian.  It shows the journey Eunice and her family took with the assistance of the holistic care provided by Hospice in the Weald.

 

Eunice Carlton was born 11^th June 1960; she was diagnosed with scoliosis at the age of eleven.  She fought all her teenage years, as well as all her adult years too, with pain.

She underwent several operations throughout her adult life.  Her last operation for corrective surgery for scoliosis was on 14^th February 2013, where she underwent two operations to insert two plates either side of her spine and then connect them together with screws through her vertebrae.

It was while she was recovering from this, that she became jaundice, she was admitted to Pembury Hospital, where we were told that she had got liver and pancreatic cancer, and that she had only a few months at best.

Eunice was rushed up to University College Hospital, where they attempted to insert stents from the liver to the pancreas; it was eventually achieved after a fourth operation.

Eunice came home for three weeks after her diagnoses (1^st July 2013). It was then that we were first contacted by the Hospice in the Weald. They came out the next day and we were obviously distressed at the news that she hadn’t long, but also that a Hospice were quick to get to see her.

But when the hospice nurse came, she almost immediately put our minds at rest that they were here to help both Eunice and the family in whatever way they can.

They got to work in organising any benefits or grants and equipment that would help Eunice cope and have some control at home i.e.; Hospital bed, mattress, recliner chair and rails to help her keep her independence. They also helped with benefit forms for myself, as I had worked all my life and never claimed before and I was now a full time carer. They also offered a place at the Hospice Day Service on a Wednesday.  Eunice was scared, people with cancer in a cancer Hospice, what a depressing place to be, and she also didn’t want reminding of her terminal illness.

How so very wrong our conception was of the Day Service. I dropped her off and she was feeling very scared but it was a different person I picked up. She was so happy she didn’t want the day to end, she had, had a very good day.

After that, no matter how ill she was, she would do her best to go. She loved Wednesdays coming round.

The Hospice nurses and staff were not the doom and gloom you would expect, but they were helpful and jolly, they always had a smile and a kind word for you.  Eunice had a councillor to chat to about her fears and worries.  We had a regular visits from Tracy and Kerry (Hospice nurses) at home to see how she was.

We obviously had to face the inevitable question of death and where Eunice wanted to be. Eunice chose the Hospice In Patient Unit as we had a twelve-year-old boy, Kyle, and Eunice was reassured that they would make it happen, as it was possible.

Eunice started making a bucket list, one was to get married, which we did on the 13^th September 2013, Nell (Creative Artist) from the Hospice had an idea of a tree of life, where guests would put their finger print on a canvas on which Nell had drawn a tree. I hang this in my front room as a happy reminder.

Kerry (Advanced Practitioner and Head of Hospice Day Service) contacted us soon after to let us know that she had been contacted by the “Air-Smiles” company to see if we would like a flight in a light aircraft and stay in the George Hotel, in Cranbrook. What a gift it was, we loved it so much, we had photos taken and were treated like royalty.

Eunice had a few infections during her illness, and at every step of the way, the Hospice was helping me cope, with their support and kind words,

Eunice was afraid of dying in Hospital, so when the Hospice had a bed, Eunice would be offered it. She was frightened of the Hospital but when she knew she was going to the Hospice calm would descend on her it really felt like a home from home.

When Eunice was in the Hospice the nurses would chat to the early hours if necessary as Eunice was suffering with panic attacks, they were wonderful. I could stay until I wanted to go home or even stay all night, there were no visiting hours. I could stay how long or how little I wanted to.

Eunice became very ill at home on Christmas night, she was advised to contact a doctor, but she refused as the doctor would just send her to Hospital so Kerry from the Hospice, organised a bed for Eunice on the 27^th December 2013.  When she was taken to the Hospice and she was much happier in herself.

We were offered a family room so that we could be with her all the time and they fed us as well as Eunice. On New Year night I bought some buffet food in and as a family we saw the New Year in with Eunice.

Eunice died in the Hospice on 26^th January 2014.

The Nurses, doctors and all the staff were wonderful, supportive and helpful to us all as well as my beautiful wife Eunice.

I do believe Eunice wouldn’t have lasted as long if it wasn’t for the medical, emotional and spiritual help from the Hospice in the Weald, it is a marvellous place where the fear of terminal illness seems to fade a little. Eunice had fought most of her life with illness and pain, but the Hospice helped. Eunice was at peace right to the end with me by her side.

The Hospice haven’t washed there hands of our family since Eunice has gone, they are still supporting me and our family even now.  THE HELP SUPPORT CONTINUES UNTIL  IT  ISN’T REQUIRED ANYMORE.  Thank you Hospice in the Weald from the bottom of hearts

Love

Eunice, Adrian, Kyle, Chris, Paul, all of our parents, brothers and sisters.

The Weald's Biggest Bake Off

Hello,

I am Kerry Harrison, Head of Hospice Day Service (HDS). Every day in the Hospice Day Service I am amazed by the dynamics and atmosphere created in the room, by patients, carers, staff, volunteers, drivers and anyone else who may be visiting.

Today we have been supporting Hospice in the Wealds Biggest Bake Off by welcoming Cookies Kitchen to demonstrate cake decorating, Maxine and Claire from Cookies Kitchen were kind enough to donate the cakes, icing and equipment for our patients to have a go at decorating the cakes baked by our wonderful volunteer, Annie.

Linda “ I found decorating the cakes very therapeutic, I have never done it before, I made pink rosebuds and leaves.”

Sue “It is my introductory day in Hospice Day Service today and I was nervous about coming for the first time, but getting involved straight away with decorating the cakes was a great distraction and a new experience. I made sunflowers because they are my favourite flowers”

Jacquie “It was fun, my favourite colours are sky blue and pink, I made flowers from these colours”

Charles is 19 years old and comes to HDS weekly, he finds it difficult to communicate and use his hands but with the help of his carers he decorated his cake with a guitar

Sue made a look-a-like cake resembling Jeremy Clarkson because he is in her gallery of rogues she is currently creating!

And just look at the lovely cakes we all made!  A big thank you to Cookies Kitchen. http://www.cookieskitchen.co.uk

Wonders of the Weald Challenge

In the Autumn of 2013 I got the chance to work with a very special patient named Jo, which led to a gigantic fundraising event being held on May 16^th 2014.  Her mother Angela has written the following to show you how this all started.

‘While my daughter Jo was under the care of the hospice last year, she benefitted so very much from the help of Nell in the Day Service.  She was given help with letters, memories and clay modeling. 

She made an adorable model of her pet dachshund Rocky just before she died there, which we now treasure dearly, in her memory.’

After Jo died in November 2013, her colleagues wanted to do an event celebrating her life and raise money for Hospice in the Weald at the same time.  The fundraising department were in deep discussions when someone remembered the clay model of Rocky Jo had made with myself on our InPatient Unit.

Before I knew it, volunteers, several patients and myself were elbow deep in plaster of paris making TWELVE larger than life versions of Rocky.  These were going to be hidden around the Weald for the participants to find armed with clues and co-ordinates.

The real fun came when painting them in outrageous designs and colours.  The patients thoroughly enjoyed the decorating.  We also had two special helpers, Lilly and Charlie.

Lilly and Charlie’s Grandma is currently staying in our InPatient Unit.  Both Lilly and Charlie have been with their Grandma for a long amount of time in her room and were grateful to have the time and space to be themselves whilst creating their own design!

The real Rocky with one of his replicas!

It was an absolute pleasure working with Jo and this event has brought departments within Hospice in the weald working together as well as the pleasure and relaxation of modeling and painting that the patients, and of course Lilly and Charlie, have benefitted from it.

Jo’s firm LDC have also written about the hugely successful event.  Read more about it here: http://www.ldc.co.uk/blog/community-activity/ldc-the-wondrous-weald/

Nell Mellerick
Creative Artist at Hospice in the Weald

Our First Post

Welcome to the News and Views from Hospice in the Weald, every week we would like to tell you a little about ourselves and the patients, carers and families we support.  From personal stories to activities that have been enjoyed in the Hospice Day Service, we’d like to share it all with you. 

In the first post from our Hospice Day Service we would like to tell you a little about what we’ve done over the last month. Patients who come to the Hospice Day Service have multiple types of illnesses, some have cancer, some have neurological diseases, and other have long-term chronic conditions.  During April 2014, 268 patients attended the Hospice Day Service.  We have made 302 telephone calls to and on behalf of our patients and our new Drop In Sessions have received 18 attendants!

A patient and relative at the Day Service Drop In Session

The Drop In Sessions are for Hospice in the Weald patients and are run on a Tuesday morning 11am to 12.30am and Thursday afternoon 2pm to 3.30pm.  There is a timetable of activities for the Drop In Sessions that include: exercise; reminiscence; crafts; complimentary therapy; poetry reading. 

Look out for next week’s post when we will be showing you why we’ve been creating a pack of model dogs all colours of the rainbow......!