Lessons

It is official. I dislike nursing homes. I am not going to delve in to the politics surrounding the death traps but I am just not keen on them. I suppose they are like any other care facility, you get some good and some bad. However, I only ever seem to turn up to the most horrendous nursing homes you could ever imagine!

I had spent the best part of my Friday with a palliative care nurse specialist and so far so good. I had met two patients who were having regular reviews and emotional support, and both meetings went extremely well. The last patient of the morning was an elderly lady who had been referred to the palliative care team from a nursing home.

We were led through a maze of corridors to the patients room where we were greeted by an odd looking lady. Why does she look so... oh dear god, don't tell me she's gone before we arrived!

We approached the patient's bed side with caution, looking listening and feeling. To our surprise she took a breath. A sigh of relief made its way around the room and we proceeded to change her syringe driver. Sadly, we concluded that she would not last the night.

I suppose it is meetings like this that make you come away and think long and hard about how you would feel in that situation. If it was a loved one, if it was you even. By dwelling your not helping anyone, and I think I am slowly learning that lesson.