When a ‘niggle’ turned out to be stage 4 bowel cancer, it was the last thing Hannah’s mum, Michaela, expected. At 56, she’d just run her fastest Parkrun and was competing with Loughton Athletics Club.
“Mum was ready to fight the cancer with everything she had. But five rounds of chemotherapy beat her. Her body was too weak to finish the treatment. Then we found out her liver was destroyed and cancer had invaded her lungs. I would have my beautiful, brave mum with me just a few more days, weeks at most.”
On 23rd December, Michaela left hospital to spend Christmas with her family one last time. And Hannah’s dad became her carer.
Nothing prepares you for taking care of a loved one when they’re dying. Heartbreak, uncertainty, round-the-clock care and surviving on a few hours of broken sleep. Hannah’s dad was emotionally and physically exhausted with Dorothy, our Hospice at Home Team Lead, knocked on his door.
Patients and families often say our nurses are one of a kind. It’s not only the specialist care but the little things they do too. Like washing someone’s hair or giving them a shave so they feel more like themselves. Reassuring family, lending a listening ear – even making a cup of tea.
“My dad was a hero. He looked after mum with so much love, even though it was heart-wrenching. When we got the call from St Clare to say there was a bed for mum, I saw a weight lifted.”
The day Hannah’s mum came to St Clare Hospice was the day her dad could stop being a carer and be a husband again.
“Knowing everything was being taken care of meant we could spend the time mum had left as a family. Dad stayed with her every night. And even Bella, our family dog, paid a visit! We celebrated mum’s birthday on 9th January – the last of her goals. I lost my mum the next morning.”
We’d like to thank Michaela’s family for sharing their story with us.
Our First Contact Service is a first point of contact for anyone living in West Essex or the East Hertfordshire borders who would like to find out more about how St Clare Hospice could support you or a loved one.
Call us today on 01279 773773.