caringspain.com

Some mornings I wake with reluctance to climb out of the pit into the clogging, confusing, frightening morass of the day.

But this morning I woke up feeling good and feeling cosy, and stretched out to greet the day with pleasure.

Surely, I thought, here is great illustration of what the Hospice Movement is setting out to achieve for those who are reaching the end of their days. (See book recommendation below !)

Surely we are here to strive for the Feelgood Factor - not about dying, maybe, because not many people want to do that - just a nice feeling about a new day with severe pain only a memory and a mind that is clear enough to enjoy what is left of life.

For the most part the technology and the know-how is available to achieve that for those who want it. But we need to ensure that the idea is taken up at every level, from Medical School Departments of Palliative Care to general practitioners, nurses and the family carer at the bedside. Why should we settle for less?

© Henry Lock & Caring Together. January 2000.

We recommend the remarkable book by Cass Brown, a cancer patient who believed that among the best thing he could do to help himself was to keep his carers happy ! His positive attitudes are well worth reading even if you are not ill !

Cancergiggles by Cass Brown

Published 2005, we were lucky enough to get it from an Amazon Supplier for $ 3,84 ¬ plus postage. ISBN: 0 9551988 0 1.

The book is about living, dying, laughing and crying - Seriously- the mountains are easy, it says.

It’s a book to make you feel good when everything is against you, and to convince you that, however crummy you feel, every moment of life is precious.

This book is good for anybody who worries about the days ahead!

Sadly, the author died in January 2007. Somehow that adds to the value of his words.