"The last night of my Grandma's life."

I was incredibly hurt and disappointed by the care received by my grandma a couple of months ago at Chorley hospital. She was very unwell, with lung cancer that had spread beyond treatment, and had been taken into hospital almost against her will.

When I went to visit her, I found her clearly distressed, which was not necessarily the hospital's fault, as she did hate hospitals so much anyway.

Grandma was wearing a BIPAP mask which meant it was difficult to communicate other than hand squeezing, but again, this was a necessary intervention to help her breathe and understandable.

What was not so easy to deal with however, was the attitude of the nurse who dealt with me on the ward. My grandma was literally pleading for a drink of water, which she needed to be given by the nurse who had to remove the mask properly and ensure she was looked after.

When I found the nurse to ask her if this would be possible, she very rudely informed me that there were patients who were more important than my grandma, and couldn't I see she was busy? I understand that the ward can be busy and stressful (I am a student doctor myself) but I found her fob off attitude and response offensive and upsetting, and as a result at the end of visiting hours, I had to leave my grandma distressed and pleading for water, with the nurse ignoring both her and me.

As it would turn out, my grandma died in the early hours of the next day, and I will never know if she received her drink. What's more, that unpleasant experience is the last memory I have of her.