Well I hadn’t heard of the Hospice at Salisbury Hospital http://www.salisburyhospicecare.co.uk/ until I was referred there by my GP.
I have to say they have been absolutely fantastic. It was my misconception that people go into a Hospice when they are near to death and to spend their last few days/weeks. That of course does happen but actually their other role is symptom relief or ‘Palliative Care‘ for terminally ill individuals.
They have really helped me out over the last couple of weeks and I am again a resident here with them helping me to try to get on top of the fits/blackouts I’ve started having. I’d been warned when I was initially diagnosed last August 2010 that I would get fits but it’s taken until now for it to start to happening. They are a result of one of the brain tumours I have which is now growing again. It’s the most bizarre feeling I’ve ever had. Only last a few seconds but it feels like your brain is vibrating inside your head, you get wobbly vision and just lose control of arms and legs for 2-3 seconds, thankfully I’ve only piled in once and that was in the house so soft landing. Correction, piled in big time today onto concrete, thankfully only a few bruises although the dizziness is coming more and more often now. It is very frustrating.
It’s so reassuring to be in a safe environment like the Hospice and to just know they are keeping an eye on me and tweaking my medications as necessary. I was surprised to find that considering the service they provide they are only 50% publicly funded. Please have a look at their website and if you are able to a donation would be very gratefully received http://www.salisburyhospicecare.co.uk/
The staff and facilities are highly professional and I really don’t know what I’d be doing without them at the moment!