Last week I had the pleasure of speaking to hospice patients for the first time. Although I have been visiting numerous hospices over the past few months I have not been able to work with patients until I had received full ethical approval.
Last Thursday I had the fortune to speak with a cancer patient based at Lentegeur in Mitchell’s Plain. I was not interviewing him, rather, I just wanted to hear some of his story, and he was glad to share.
He told me of his times working as a seaman around the world, of where he lived before the Group Areas Act, and where he lives now. He told me about his family and shared his guava flavored sweets with me. We spoke of music and although he says he usually lacks the energy to sing, he sang for me. His favourite singer is Elvis.
We also spoke about God, and he was adamant that “God is always there”, and was encouraged to be supported in this view by the staff around him. For me, it made it all the more evident how the spiritual aspect of palliative care is essential. I have seen its importance among the staff, where nurses and caregivers alike live out their faith in practice, through service in palliative care. This was the first time for me to see, firsthand, the importance of spiritual care from the perspective of a patient.
Really glad approval came through and you get to do this stuff now.
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