Retrospective - Part 4

I have not been adding to this blog for a reason (or three). I have discovered that hospice life can be quite busy, leaving little room for little pleasures like writing a blog. No I am NOT referring to the life of the staff, although I suspect the criteria apply to them as well. I am referring to patients.

In my case I wake by at least 6:00 am. This is normal for me and is not the result of some awful tearing pain or mishap caused by medication. Though I have to say that for other inhabitants this may well be the case.

Having woken, if I am not assailed with a desperate need to clear my bronchi, nasal passages or some other part of my anatomy I find that I have time - usually only a few minutes - to rush to what is known as the Family Room where the hospice computer is located.

Here, I have just enough time to check my email and deal with it, before one of the nursing staff locates me and tells me that I have to have my early morning 'meds'.

If the timing is right then there is a chance, just a chance mind you, that the bottle of feed to which I have been attached throughout the night, has run its course and I can be unattached from it and start my favourite time of day at the hospice, the time when I am FREE from any attachments and have to endure only two more rounds of medications at 8:00 am and mid-day. Then it's a hook-up once again to the machine that feeds me, provides my drink and allows medication to be provided to me - the PEG between 1:30 and 2:00 pm. The PEG is simply a tube that has been inserted into my duodenum, (the stomach not being where it should be,) and then secured in place by some ingenious dressings.

'Henry' as I would like to call this appendage is both vital to my well being, but also a nuisance and a worry. The worry being that if it slips out and for some reason cannot be replaced I am 'cactus'.

Still at least at this point, if all is right with the world, I can look out of my window and observe the fish that are jumping (no doubt for insects) and the other water birds going about their routines. For those who are not early risers let me just say, you are missing a really lovely time of the day when all is still, until the morning madness of the rush hour starts at the very periphery of vision on the roads and at the airport.

By 8.00 am I am usually called for my main round of Meds (medications). One of the nursing staff assigned to that part of the building where I am located is the 'chosen one' for the day (and generally for a few days thereafter) to administer the medications and then when this round is completed perhaps assist me with my ablutions. Yes folks, my illness and its ramifications are reducing me to a state of disability and a state where I need help with washing my hair and the rest of my corpus as well. Sine the advent of a loss of functionality in my right hand and arm I need assistance to be able to do the things that can generally only be done with both hands and of course with things that can only be done by the right hand.

I digress.

If the computer terminal is free I can continue to record the events on the blog, until my work is interrupted in the most delightful way by one (or more) of the volunteers. It is generally a welcome interruption and one that I have learnt to take advantage of.

What a wonderful, dedicated and diverse bunch of men and women they are (or in inverse order women and men - I will not have it said that I am sexist)

There seems to be a volunteer here from most walks of life and because of this, engaging in conversation with them provides an opportunity for both parties to learn things about each other of course, but often also about things in the world that, were it not for the encounter at the hospice, I would never have encountered. Perhaps for some of the volunteers, a similar experience arises when they hear about my interests and experiences.

I don't know anything about their training by Palliative Care Society of the ACT, but I am sure that by getting in touch with the organisers, anyone who wishes to consider participating as a volunteer can find out more.

Were it not for them, staying with and just being there, I am not sure I would have survived some of the nights I have had when the effects of the illness in combination with the medication have left me feeling really out of it, scared out of my wits, helpless and very vulnerable.

I hope to be able to feature photos of just some of the wonderful people I have met during my stay at Clare Holland House when I get back home to the equipment that will enable me to undertake those functions. Anyone featured will have been asked for their permission to appear on the site and the vary fact of their appearance will indicate that they have done so. For those whose photos I have not as yet been able to take - please pop around -alas on the weekend - and I will try and get your photo included. To those whom I have encountered to date, thank you I have really valued the contact and your assistance.

If anyone out there in the public has had someone in the family for whom they have cared and who has been in the hospice, please post comments to this blog and tell us all what you encountered during that time. In this way you can also decide whether you wish to remain in touch.

I will be going home soon and I know that I certainly want or at least would like to be able to stay in touch with some of the people I have met at the hospice and if they wish to get in touch with me to write to me at pgaras@google.com or look up this web site for on going material at www.garpet1.blogspot.com .

This is all I have time for today (or at least now) as my 2:00 pm Meds moment arrives and I welcome back my connection with 'Henry'.