Easter Wednesday, Frenchay Greetings, hopefully for the last time from Frenchay Hospital in Bristol. All being well tomorrow, Thursday 16th April, I am being transferred to St Margaret’s Hospice in Yeovil. St Margaret’s is part of the great independent hospice movement that specialises in caring for those suffering from cancer. So I shall be going into a specialist environment that thankfully is only fifteen minutes or so from home in Ilchester. In many ways leaving Frenchay will bring a tear to my eye because of the sheer professionalism, dedication and care that I have received from everybody here. As well as the professional skill of the doctors the frontline nursing team have been absolutely second to none. I wish I could name them all here on the blog but it wouldn’t be proper to do so, but thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all that you have done for me. An example of their care and concern was last night when for some reason I just couldn’t get comfortable and between 11pm and 3.30am I rang my buzzer about four times to get the nurses to come and move me into a new position. The patience and the concern they showed for my welfare was just incredible. With no word of complaint from them whatsoever, au contraire, their overwhelming concern was that I should be as comfortable as possible. By 3.30 I was comfy until they came round with breakfast at o’crack sparrow!!! As a result I dozed for most of the morning. Along with the good news that I’m moving to St Margaret’s my wound was redressed this morning. They took out the 35 clips and redressed the wound which, said the nurses, was looking clean, dry and healing well, much to my relief. On the pain front – thank God I’m in very little pain and what discomfort I have is managed mainly by paracetemol and the occasional, infrequent shot of low-level oral morphine (not as tasty as gin though)! All in all I’m delighted with progress so far although my legs still remain largely immobile which is a major cause for concern. In myself I’m feeling good, delighted to be receiving cards, letters and messages as well as visits from family and friends, including today Fr Danny Hernandez and Fr David Wylie and of course my family. May I tell you that every contact is a real source, not only of delight, but of real encouragement and again I’m grateful for them all. Please may I remind you again that I’m not currently accessing my hotmail account and any messages should be sent via Fiona at elmores@btinternet.com Next update from St Margaret’s Hospice – yippee! G

Comments on this entry:

  1. I shall be thinking of you all as you move to St. Margaret’s today and as ever much love and prayers. So glad you have been finding so many people to look after you well . Rosemary

    — Rosemary Freeman · Thursday 16 April, 2009 · #