On the 1st November we received the worst news a family ever receives, my dad was diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer. It was devastating news! it was as if what I had just heard was not real, it could not be real. No way was my dad going to die, he couldn't he was my dad, he was always going to be there. God you cannot take my dad yet I wont let you, he is only 67..please do not take him yet, it was not fair,, why my dad? These were just some of the many thoughts and fears running through my head. But as the days went by and dad's health deteriorated rapidly it became more of a case of easing his discomfort and pain, than our own selfish needs to keep him with us. To see what the cancer did to my dad and so rapidly it tore through my dad's body in less than a week! It hurt deeply like nothing I have ever felt before this man  I had loved for 41 years and still do, the man who was always there for me, a constant in my life .Knowing there was no amount of medical intervention that could help him and the only thing we had  now was to give him a comfortable and pain free ending to his life. It was on the following Thursday that we got the dreadful news that the decision was made for dad to go to Douglas Macmillan Hospice, there was a look of knowing between me and my dad that Friday  morning and tears he was then transferred to the "posh hotel" as we called it .My dad by this time was very sick, we just wanted dad to have the best of everything until it was his time, the best care to be pain free, and for him to know how much he was loved adored and respected. My dad was treated with the upmost respect by all the lovely members of staff, whatever he wanted he got, any hint of pain or discomfort the Drs and Nurses were there to take it away, nothing was too much trouble he was never in pain, his dignity was always intact, this terrible disease was taking him away from us now, ebbing at his body bit by bit  we spent all our time at the hospice with my dad from early in the mornings till late at night, we had the room full of people to visit my dad during his last hours, it was never too much trouble for the hospice. Even the difficult conversations and words I had to say to my dad  to make his passing peaceful  Douglas Macmillan Drs and nurses helped me to do it, they got me through some very painful moments helping to give my dad total reassurance love and strength enabling him to pass away with love and respect that he truly deserved as my very special dad. I vowed then that I would try to raise as much money for them as I could they are an amazing charity... I just wanted to give something back to them.

Thank you for reading my story and supporting me on my 2014 journey. Debbie x                                                                                         Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

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