Janet’s story
Janet McCombs, 34, is the carer for her husband Jason, a Hospice patient who attends the Day Unit and has spent two weeks as an in-patient.
I am glad he went into the Hospice. We stayed together in the room. Staying overnight is just something I never ever thought I’d be able to do with him. It was absolutely fantastic. They treat you so well, it’s just like an extension of your own family. That’s how they made you feel. The nurses are just absolutely fantastic.
I feel happier knowing that if anything were to happen to him while he were there, there wouldn’t be any problem. He’s well looked after no matter when he goes, whether he is there for the day or when he was in for the two weeks. Its just peace of mind knowing that me and the kids can have a bit of a break and then he’s having a break as well. It’s not very often he goes out so its nice that he is making new friends there and having a life away from me and the children. One day is a lot.
It’s peace of mind really. It’s definitely peace of mind, knowing that I know that he’s going to be OK no matter what, and I know that if anything were to happen to him then they’d always phone me. It’s just fantastic, it really is.
The doctors at the hospital are great but at the Hospice you’ve got so much more – I mean we took him a KFC in, and with visiting you could go at 8 o’clock in the morning, you could go at 10 o’clock at night. If you are having a bad day they stick a bit closer to you. They don’t just leave you on your own to get on with it.
It’s nice to actually talk to one of the nurses and have them understand about Jason having cancer, instead of having to start all the way back from the beginning and explain it. So it was nice to actually go and discuss Jason with someone who understood some of the things that I was trying to get across. It can be frustrating sometimes.
They were great with the girls. They did a 16th birthday party for one of our daughters and then she stayed over for a couple of nights with him as well They were just fantastic, they were always saying to me, ‘If the girls ever need anything we’re here.’ Our oldest daughter loved being there. The nurses made a bit of a fuss of her as well. They’re just absolutely lovely.
They did say to me ‘Are you sure you can cope with him being at home?’ If I could cope with him then he could come home, but if I felt he couldn’t have coped then he would have stayed in for a little bit longer. They don’t just kick you out as soon as they think you are feeling a little bit better, which I was grateful for as well. It wasn’t a case of ‘Right Jason, you’ve been in here for two weeks so go home now’. It’s not like that.
We see the social worker, Jeff, he’s brilliant. He’s talking to the kids and sorted a blue badge out for us. He was telling me that there’s a children’s club as well and they’re more than welcome to go to that.
We’ve got more support off the Hospice social worker and the nurses than we’ve ever had in the two years since Jason got diagnosed with cancer. I’m so glad the doctor referred us to the Hospice. It’s nice to know you’re not on your own.
I know that when Jason does start becoming a lot worse than he is, he can go back there and just slot in quite nicely. We know everybody now, we know the routines, we know what we can do and what we can’t do, and it’s just absolutely lovely. I know that kitchen like the back of my hand. I know where everything is. It’s just like living in a big house with lots of family and friends.
Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. You won’t meet anyone friendlier or more welcoming than the nurses at the Hospice. They really do understand what you’re going through, they really do. It’s a great place. I’m so glad he went, I really am.
