Joan Campbell’s Story
In the words of Joan Campbell…
May 14, 2021
In April of 2020, after 2 trips to Victoria Hospital, 1 to St. Joe’s in London and 1 trip to Stratford my husband, Floyd Campbell, was diagnosed with lung and brain cancer. After our second trip to Victoria hospital, he sat at our kitchen table with tears running down his face and said, “I cannot take this traveling”. During a house call to us, Dr. Don Neal explained that his treatment would necessitate trips to London for chemotherapy and pinpoint radiation to his brain as he had bipolar disorder. He told Dr. Neal “I cannot do the traveling. just let me go”. He also told myself and Dr. Neal “when the time comes, I would like to go to Huron Hospice if possible”.
On June 1, his legs gave out and he went into AMGH by ambulance and was admitted. Just after 10 a.m. on June 6 he went to Huron Hospice. I had only seen it from the outside and was absolutely stunned by the interior. It was in a beautiful home. Nothing like either of us had ever imagined. There was no atmosphere of a hospital. It was a home.
Over the course of the next three weeks the care he received was of the highest calibre. I brought in his favourite crochet blanket to cover him and a few times when I went in the nurses had put it on him as they found it comforted him during the nights when he was having severe fidgets.
At the time of his admission, we were under lockdown due to the Covid pandemic so I was the only visitor he could have. As soon as that was lifted Gail Trewhitt came to visit us, both as a spiritual advisor and as a friend, as we have known her for almost ten years.
I was wonderfully surprised to come in to see him sometimes, to find a nurse sitting at his bedside having a little chat with him to comfort him. Even Dr. Neal came to visit a few times. On June 25th I had been with him for most of the day and had gone home for supper. At about 8 p.m. I received a phone call to come back. When I got there Gail was also pulling in the driveway and she stayed with us for a couple of hours.
During the early hours of the 26th, a nurse was sitting in the living room, outside of his door. At 3:30 a.m. he breathed his last and I called her. The nurses explained that if I wanted, I could wait for the funeral home to pick him up or not as I wished. I went out on the beautiful patio and stood under the huge umbrella as a gentle rain came down, and thanked God for this wonderful place, the great staff, including the cleaner and maintenance man.
I made the decision to go home and let the nurses know. They asked me how long it would take and I told them about 1/2 hour. As I walked in my door my phone started ringing. It was the nurse, Kristy, just checking that I got home safely. Unbelievable how much they care. not only about their patients but also the family.
I can only hope that when my time comes I can spend my last days in that wonderful place.
I will support Huron Hospice in any way I can and I pray that many others will as well. In the absence of any close family, I have changed my will and made Huron Hospice the beneficiary of my entire estate.
God bless you all.
With love and thanks
Joan Campbell