"A big impact on her personally"

Hi Julie,

I just wanted to drop you a line to try and express how grateful my mum was and I am for everything you did for her.

I know you were instrumental in the process of her being accepted for a council bungalow last year, which dramatically improved her quality of life. She also made several new friends after attending pulmonary rehab and the breathe easy group, which then led to another group meeting she enjoyed at mansfield museum.

But above all that was the impact you had on her personally. Whenever we’d been to see you at the oxygen clinic she was so much more positive about everything and I know your straight talking approach to the difficulties she was facing was something that really resonated with her. She believed that you were by far the best person in the whole of the NHS and she’d met quite a few over the years.

You know as well as anyone, her physical health had been deteriorating for some time but it wasn’t until our last couple of visits when you were able to get her to open up that I realised how much she was struggling mentally. In a way, you helped me face the reality of her situation and since then, me and mum were able to have better conversations about how she felt, which helped us both.

Although it’s difficult for me to accept, I know mum wanted me to know she was ready to go. One of her many qualities was that she was so matter of fact about everything, no more so than when the doctors had to explain to us that they couldn’t make her better, she just took it in her stride, as she did most things.

The medical team on ward 33 did all they could to prevent her suffering and I can take a lot of comfort from the fact that my mum had no unfinished business and we were able to spend her final hours together.

At her request the last thing she ate was a McFlurry with no bits and the last thing she drank was her favourite cheap white wine. We spent Friday night together listening to songs we loved, and when she passed on Saturday morning, I was holding her hand.

You are as welcome as anyone to attend her funeral, and I know my mum would love you to be there should you wish to. I completely understand if you can’t make it and don’t want you to feel any obligation, but I want you to know how much of a difference you made to my mums life.

Thank you Julie