Gina's Story
Shared by Gina’s daughter, Yasmine.
My mum Gina was diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer in May 2018 at the age of 57. Mum went through intensive treatment to try and cure the cancer but, sadly, by May 2019 we were told it was terminal, and she was referred to Sobell House for palliative care.
This meant Mum would speak to the care team to work out the best way of keeping on top of her symptoms and managing her day to day life. The team would set up regular calls and visits at home to monitor how she was coping. As her disease progressed, she ended up needing more medication to help with her pain. Mum had been fitted with a syringe driver that administered morphine along with anti-sickness and we had daily carers who came in every day to change this. I remember us all thinking “well, that’s it then, she must not have long left to be on these medications” – not true! This improved her life a great deal, meaning she could try and do her normal activities as she felt a little bit better.
Mum coped well with this until it came to the point that the disease had progressed – this meant her first admission to Sobell House in December 2019. The room Mum stayed in was brand new, with a huge TV and en-suite shower room; she thought it was lovely. As soon as she was admitted, Mum started to receive the pain relief and other medications she desperately needed to feel stable again. The nurses worked around the clock and were always there if you needed anything, while the doctors visited daily to explain her symptoms and the next plan, which they would always do with the upmost respect and care. Sobell House even has a drinks trolley that comes around the ward for the patients, which Mum thought was brilliant as she loved a G&T. A Chaplain would also visit, occupational therapists, and more support teams. Everything she needed was under one roof.
We spent Christmas at Sobell House and I must say the dinner was brilliant! At this stage, Mum had been given just weeks to live, but the doctors wanted to try a procedure to possibly give her more time. It was a 50/50 chance it would work, and it did! She was over the moon and feeling loads better, so much so she was discharged at the beginning of January 2020 and could come home. Unfortunately, as the weeks passed, she became unwell again and had her second and final visit to Sobell House. This time Mum was bedbound and although her capacity was limited, her mind wasn’t. The nurses did such a great job of not only the physical side of caring for her but the mental. She had got to the point where anxiety and worries had taken over her daily thoughts which affected her normal routine, but the team were always there to reassure and encourage her. They cared for her, dressed and washed her – all the things I think I would have found too much to cope with at home, being seven months pregnant myself.
The final few days had come and Mum was in a sleepy state. The nurses pulled me aside and told me that the end looked near. Mum had a pull-out bed near hers, so I decided to stay by her side. The nurses would update me with any changes and be very open but compassionate about the situation. The last day came and Mum was asked if she would like a certain medicine to help her relax but she firmly said ‘no’! We all looked at each other and smiled because we knew how stubborn yet strong Mum was trying to be. Once again, they respected her final wishes. That night, on the 3rd of March 2020, she peacefully passed at 12.30am. She even woke me up with noises to let me know she was going – once she knew I was there four breaths and she was gone. The nurses and care team came in and explained to me what happens from here, and I was able to spend some time with Mum before saying goodbye.
If it wasn’t for Sobell House I’m not sure how I could have ever coped. They are the most lovely, selfless people who put the lives of others as priority, working long, hard hours but always maintaining a high standard of care and love. I will always be forever grateful to everyone at Sobell and hope this great place will continue to care for many years to come.
Thank you so much to Yasmine for kindly sharing her family’s experience of Sobell House.