AWAY WITH THE FAIRIES
The last year of my mother-in-law Betty’s life was pretty bloody miserable. She had cancer, and she came to live with us in Birmingham for most of that time until she went into hospital. She ended her days in a hospice, and it was the most remarkable place; desperately sad and yet always warm and welcoming. The staff there were incredible. Some of the other patients clearly knew they were there to die, whilst others had no idea at all, often arguing with the nurses to try and get released or simply making their own spur of the moment attempts at escape. Without having much direct interaction, we got to know many of the patients just by being around them. If you’ve ever spent time with someone as they approach the end of their life you might have felt the same strange
