Sital (52) and his wife Nandini returned to the Hospice to share their story. They were greeted with hugs and joy from the doctors and nurses who cared for Sital last summer. Here is Sital and Nandini’s account of their experiences with The Hospice of St Francis.
Sital: I was extremely active before my illnesses. I’d run five miles, twice a week. I was a mergers and acquisitions specialist, which I loved.
In March 2020, I had a stroke that left my left side weak. Then in December 2022, I had an infection that led to my kidneys shutting down. I spent about seven months in hospital. It’s very dreary being in hospital; I must have lost at least 20 kg. The hospital staff seemed overwhelmed. They wrote me off, and I was like, “No, no, no, you don’t know me. I’m a stubborn old boot.”
Nandini: By July, they were saying Sital would only live a couple of weeks or a couple of months. I wanted him home so we could give him the best possible care. But I wondered how I could manage. The local care services didn’t seem to have the time for us. When you’re reaching out for help and people are not listening, it makes you doubt yourself. I wondered, is it something I shouldn’t be asking? The heart failure nurse said, “If he’s not seen to, he won’t survive this.” They suggested a hospice.
Sital: At the Hospice, I was reborn. They took the water out of my lungs. I hadn’t eaten properly for six or seven months, but the food was absolutely first class and my appetite came back. I hadn’t had a shower for a couple of months, and when I did it was amazing. At the Hospice, the care is provided with love which is second to none.
The attitudes of the Hospice staff gave me hope. The nurses inspired me. Working with the physio team made me stronger. They were putting me on the MOTOmed bike, which really helped. I loved the experience.
The first time I saw the garden, it was a lovely sunny day, and the space is so welcoming – it kind of blew my mind. The Hospice sanctuary is amazing. I just loved to sit there in the quietness.
Nandini: Sital feels like he has a new life now. He’s getting stronger and better, and it’s from the Hospice’s positive atmosphere and top quality care. He stayed on the IPU for one month. He was released on our 24th wedding anniversary. They gave us a beautiful cake and a bunch of flowers.
The Hospice social workers worked amazingly hard to help us get 24 hour care at home. This has changed the quality of my life as well as Sital’s.
When you become a carer, it’s like a constant thing. But I’m starting to have hours for myself. I’ve started to go for walks, and will soon start some classes. We’re trying to get into the relationship of husband and wife again rather than as carer. I have the Hospice to thank for that.
It had been a long time since we went out, but for my birthday, Sital said, “Look, I want to take you out to get perfume.” So we ended up going shopping together with a helpful carer. We also went out for a meal as a family which we hadn’t managed to do for a year. And we enjoyed going to the movies with our children; we’re all big DC and Marvel fans.
At the Hospice, it’s like a little family. They gave us hope – now I want to give other people hope.
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