Whilst I was studying nursing at uni I had a job at Nazarene nursing home as a personal carer. One of the residents there was a lady called Nancy, as wide as she was high and blind as a result of diabetic retinopathy. She also had end stage bowel cancer. In the days leading up to her death Nancy became quite alert & talkative – a phenomenon which often occurs. She believed she was being visited by relatives, which included her own parents. Out of respect for Nancy I would always ask them to kindly leave the room before I attended to her needs. Nancy would then proceed to kiss & hug them goodbye, each one individually & would watch them leave the room with her sightless eyes. This vigil of the dead continued till Nancy herself died. I know that most people would disregard this experience, claiming it to be either confusion exacerbated by a combination of poor glycaemic control & opiods, or a psychological comfort at a time of need. Either way at least Nancy was surrounded by the people she loved.
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