Margaret’s story
Margaret Tuck reflects on the difference the support of Severn Hospice has made to her.
Day Hospice
I put off coming to the Hospice because I thought ‘It’s not for me.’ You associate Hospices with people who are dying and that’s not me – not yet. But I came in six weeks ago and I was so surprised. Everybody came to greet me. They were so nice. They can’t do enough for you, they really can’t do enough for you. And I’ve loved it ever since.
I don’t know what I expected it to be like. I just thought we’d sit here, do a bit of crafts. I’m picked up from home in an ambulance because I can’t manage in a car now. They get me in for 10, put me in my recliner chair, I have a cup of tea. And then it’s the lap of luxury. They come around and see if anybody would like a drink and you have whatever you’d like, they’ve got it. They bring round the menu for lunch – ‘What would you like?’ Then after lunch if its anybody’s birthday, or it doesn’t even have to be a birthday, the cook bakes a cake.
There are so many things to do, honestly it’s hard to get it all done in one day. I was so pleasantly surprised. I have a bath every week because I can’t manage to do it myself at home. You can have a manicure if you want one, a pedicure, you can have reiki. I had one of those, talk about nearly going to sleep! You can have a head massage, they just come around and say if you’d like it just tell us when you come in and we’ll arrange it. You can learn the computer, you can have your hair done, you could have a whole day just of beauty treatments. You can do crafts or knit. You can go and walk in the garden when its nice. Its hard to get through to somebody how nice it is, but it really is. We’re all in the same boat, we can all talk about the same thing and everybody understands.
In-patients
I’m in here now for two weeks and the nurses said to me this morning ‘Don’t worry. If you want washing four times a day you ask and we’ll wash you four times a day.’ Nothing is too much trouble for them. I had the two nurses this morning I call the comedy duo, we had such a laugh. I really can’t speak too highly of them. It has opened my eyes. It’s a shame you’ve got to get into this position before you realise how good it is but I’d say to anybody if they need to go into the Hospice go into the Hospice, you’ll enjoy every minute of it.
They understand the problems I have at home and they say ‘We’re here to help you. We can see you need a complete rest and that’s what we’re here for.’ I wouldn’t mind if I stayed in here for three months – it’s lovely, it really is. They are so caring. I wish people realised how caring they are.
Social workers
I’m a very independent person and I find it very hard to ask for help. They have been so generous and kind. I had the chance to get a blue badge, so the man at the Hospice said ‘Bring the forms to me and I’ll help you to fill them in.’ When they turned round and said no he said ‘That’s not right’ and he sorted it all out for me. He said ‘That’s what I’m here for, to help you, to make your life easier.’ And he did. I got it within a week. He did what I never could do, I could never fight like that. I could never ask for it, but he did and he got everything I need.
I didn’t know at the time that the Hospice could help me with that sort of thing. I didn’t know there were people like that here, but he couldn’t do enough for me. I didn’t expect all that. Well I didn’t expect half of this to be quite honest. But it is so nice to know there are people out there ready to help you because of the position you’re in.
Fundraising
I think we’re very lucky to have the Hospice. I don’t think people realise. I just think it’s a shame they’re not given the funding they need. They shouldn’t have to fundraise but they do.
I don’t think people really know what the Hospice does. The first time my daughter brought me in she didn’t realise how much they actually did. She’s started fundraising now herself, she can’t do enough. She says ‘Mum I’ll always do things for the Hospice. People take it for granted, they think its just a place where you go when you haven’t got long to live, and it is certainly not that.’
You’ve got to see it to believe it. They are so nice to you. The nicest part is you don’t pay for any of it, it all comes in with their services.
