Dear Heather, So sorry to hear of your sad experience with your dad in hospital. My dad passed away 18 months ago, in hospital, about 4 hours from where I live. I was toing and froing as much as I could during his 4 weeks of illness. I was welcomed by the hospital staff and able to attend to much of his nursing care, including his after death care (it was not that I didn't find the staff caring and attentive, it was more that this was something I could do for him). Earlier this year my stepmother died in the same hospital (same ward) with a brain tumour. When I was visiting a week or two before her death, she was very distressed mentally and I took the liberty of purging her syringe driver to give her some relief. Silly me!.....I received a letter from the DON ordering me not to touch any hospital equipment should I be visiting her again, and threatening to report me to the Nurses' Board. I was absolutely stunned and most upset, hardly game to even give her a drink of water! How much easier a home death would have been if that had been possible (which it wasn't for either, for lots of reasons). The caring and realistic attitude of your Dad's doctor must have been a real ray of hope in an otherwise gloomy situation - how lovely she sounds. But, even though it might be difficult to believe at the present time, there ARE still some good, caring nurses out there. In all of this don't forget to take care of yourself. Regards, Joy Joy Cocks RN RM IBCLC BRIGHT Vic 3741 email:[EMAIL PROTECTED] -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
