Love doesnt die people do

My time at the Tust was coming to an end. I was aware that I was going through a grieving process myself as I began the long round of goodbyes with all the staff.

One of my favourite places in the hospital had always been ICU. The staff were great and really welcomed me and there was always something to pick up on.

It was on one of these regular wanderings through ICU that the staff stopped me and told me about a patient who had just arrived. He was 85 and his wife had died. Her funeral was the day before and after the funeral the man had gotten into his car and deliberately driven it into a wall. He had broken both legs but would survive physically but they were worried about him emotionally and spiritually.

Unfortunately in this instance none of the chaplaincy have really been able to make a connection with him.  He was apparently well before his wife died and was not confused. Now it is very difficult to have any meaningful conversation with him. He rambles about nothing in particular. He has obviously made his choice to switch off and die and be with his wife. He has no family in this country. 

In the limited time I have left before I leave the Trust I will continue to try and make a connection but I must say I don’t hold out much hope this time, just the ultimate hope that he will find peace once again when he dies and joins the eternal continuum of human existence and is reunited with his wife.