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My husband Barrie and I had been together for 11 happy years and married for 7. Barrie was always so full of energy and was the kindest person I have ever met.

Barrie and myself had worked so hard over the years so we could finally pack up and start a new life in Australia and that's exactly what we had planned to do in April 2017 however this was not meant to be.....................

Barrie had suffered from an aching pain in his arm for about a year but the doctor had said it was just a strain, to cut a long story short on the 1st November 2016 Barrie was diagnosed with a sarcomatoid-carcinoma in the back of his arm. The pain was bearable in the beginning but this rapidly increased over the months to come. This was an extremely rare cancer that even the hospital had not witnessed before. Barrie went through 3 different forms of chemotherapy and many more sessions of radiotherapy and still had a beaming smile through out.

Barrie was on a lot of medication and morphine but we got through each and everyday together, making the most of everyday.

Barrie had suffered from a lot of infections and his pain was getting increasingly worse, then one day the pain become unbearable. Neither of us had slept for days and things were getting really bad. Barrie refused to let me ring an ambulance, so I managed to get him into the car and we drove to the hospital. whilst there, they increased his morphine and managed to get Barrie settled and comfortable. shortly after I spoke to a palliative care nurse who advised me that the best place for Barrie would be the North Devon Hospice. They told me they would be able to manage Barrie's pain enough that I could bring him home again.

From the minute we got to the North Devon Hospice they were incredible. it was like a home from home. Barrie was in the hospice for 3 weeks, they managed his pain and enabled him to come home as he wished. Whilst Barrie was in the hospice the Doctors, Nurses and Volunteers were amazing. They were so full of compassion and went above and beyond to make sure Barrie had everything he needed. They allowed me to stay with him every day and night and even made me up my own bed in his room so I never had to leave his side. Barrie never lost his appetite and every day they would turn up with a fried Breakfast and a cup of tea for us both despite me declining, they insisted and said I had to keep up my strength as well. They looked after us both and made us feel safe and at ease.

After 3 weeks they had got Barrie's pain completely under control, so much so that we were able to come home. Barrie's diagnoses was Palliative. the hospice worked closely with us whilst he was at home so we were able to make the most out of the time we had left together and create special memories not only  with myself, but with our families and our friends too. Without the hospice this would never have been possible.

9 month after Barrie's diagnoses on the 20th July, after fighting so hard and embracing everyday with a smile on his face, my amazing husband Barrie Quaintance peacefully passed away at home with me by his side, hand in hand.

Myself and one of my oldest friends Paul would like to raise £1000 for the North Devon Hospice by throwing ourselves out of a plane at 1500 ft. Not only to honour Barrie's Memory but to make sure that this incredible charity can continue to make such a difference to peoples lives and enable them to continue the amazing work that they do.

Please Dig Deep!!

 Abz & Paul

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