"Interaction with patients"

My husband was recently discharged from Pilgrim Hospital and transferred to The Butterfly Hospice after spending nearly 5 weeks in the Medical 8 ward.

His medical care was very good though he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer soon after admission.

This diagnosis was accompanied by the fact that we were told on the ward that it wasn't curable.

As you can imagine the news in itself was very distressing and upsetting, particularly since we only moved into the area in April this year.

What also distressed me personally was that although I visited every day, I didn't want to leave him alone in the evenings.

I had the advantage of being able to say goodbye and go out into the real world, talk with neighbours, chat with family, pick up the phone, and generally be able to unload my thoughts and feelings.

But, who was there to chat/listen to my husband left alone in his side ward with all the drips, tubes, almost constant bleeping whenever he moved, and in pain a lot of the time.

It seems to me that the staff are excellent at treating the body, but what about the mind?

He cried when he was discharged, so happy to be in quiet, calm surroundings of the hospice.

I understand that the hospital staff don't have the time to sit and chat with patients, but perhaps volunteers would be able to do this service. I am certain it would be very welcome if offered to patients - just to talk about anything and everything would bring a bit of relief and be much appreciated by those want it.