Stan and Alyson have been coming to the hospice for 6 months, for day hospice and respite. Alyson has advanced liver disease, despite never drinking alcohol.
Stan: There are lesions. End-stage liver that’s what they say. The specialists still say they don’t know what the real cause is. They don’t know.
Sister Ally: What does she love most about coming here?
The peace. The people. The company and she actually says this place has never let her down. Everywhere else she goes, there’s always a blockage.
You go to an appointment at the hospital and it’s always late. Nothing runs smooth. But here it always goes like clockwork. She gets up in the morning wanting to come.
It’s not easy. It’s not just in the day – it’s 24 hours. You’ve got to care all the time.
The only time I can switch off is when Alyson is here. I don’t have to worry about her. I know she’s happy and contented. That means a lot to me.
It’s given me peace. Somewhere to relax, knowing that’s there’s another purpose in life. Definitely, another purpose.
Sister Ally: What would you say that purpose is?
To live. Before it was so stressful. Constant stress. Without the hospice, I don’t know where I would have been by now. It would have pushed me over the edge. Definitely.
It can push you over the edge because trying to get appointments out of here, you try and get somewhere, but it’s a fight. It’s a fight out there all the time.
But when you come here there’s no fight. The doors are open. There’s a big difference. And out there, they need to learn about that. The public needs to know.
Every appointment you go to… nothing is straight-forward. It’s hard. And you come here then and it’s lovely. Yes. People can’t do enough for you. And I appreciate it.
Because you think you’ve got friends. Friends, yes, they’re there, but they’re in the background. I’ve asked them, ‘Why don’t you help, why don’t you come?’ They say they don’t know what to do.
But the hospice knows how to handle things. It’s a big difference. And now the hospice, to me, is my family.
If Alyson is happy and contented, then I’m happy then for her. Because she’s had a rough time. She has – very cruel. So thank you.
Sister Ally: Thank you! (I did push record again then, I hope you don’t mind?)
[Laughter]
You sneaky little devil!
[Laughter]
Find out more about using our services, or joining our team of volunteers.