Creating space to pause, reflect and share experiences with dying and death

Posts Tagged Markham

Markham

I look back to that night

I look back to that night

The first patient who passed in my presence….. 5 y.o boy…I thought I will never go back to nursing, instead I am in palliative care. Whenever I am in doubt of what I am doing in life I look back to that night, to that little boy

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The nurses held her hand

The nurses held her hand

The nurses worked collaboratively to care for a mother of 2. She was 38 years old. The nurses held her hand, took pictures and helped to keep her pain free. There is a picture of her on our tree in the office with her husband and children.

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I needed to be with him

I needed to be with him

When my son was dying, I needed to be with him at all moments. I needed to continue to be his caregiver. I needed to be able to not follow typical hospital rules.

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Arriving at her home

Arriving at her home

When my sister passed a DNR was not in place. She was terminal with breast cancer. Arriving at her home and meeting a police officer in the driveway telling me my mother had died was not a positive experience. Seeing her at the hospital with the resuscitation

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Until we meet again

Until we meet again

My last visit to see you at St Joes hospital was not was I expected. I opened the door and went in your room. I was in shock. Was I in the right room? You were zipped in a bag, a room that was very quiet. I

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The most joyful and painful day

The most joyful and painful day

Losing my dad the same day in fact almost exactly 12 hours after the birth of my grandson was the most joyous and painful day I’ve experienced.

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His last days were calm

His last days were calm

All my thanks! My father was well looked after for 5 months in the McNally Hospice in Grimsby. It was the best decision we as a family made. His last days were calm and he was comfortable. He was able to have an early “5 am” breakfast

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She had the most amazing spirit

She had the most amazing spirit

My Gran was an amazing woman. She left an abusive relationship in Scotland with three young (under 10 yrs) boys and flew to Canada to give them a better life. She was at end of life, we didn’t know- she didn’t want treatment for her cancer, and

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He called me by name

He called me by name

I wasn’t there when my father died. I had been visiting him every day while he was in hospital but on that particular Sunday I stayed home to care for my children while my husband ran out to get groceries for our family of 6. My sister

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The kids used their emergency kit

The kids used their emergency kit

About 5 years ago a team of nurses was supporting a 40ish year old man in his palliative care. He wanted to die at home with his family. He had 2 young children and he had very high chances of bleeding out. The nurse worked with the

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