Peaceful Breeze E-Book

Mark Carrington

• Herausgeber: Clink Street Publishing
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

Caring for someone you love who is suffering from a terminal illness can be one of the greatest honours in life. Helping a loved one to die with peace, grace and dignity is their human right and a privilege for their carer to enable. It can be a truly transformative experience. In Peaceful Breeze Mark Carrington shares his searingly honest account of nursing his much-loved mother after she was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2014. As his mum's son, carer and advocate, Mark felt alone and under tremendous pressure to look after her the best he could; at the time, he wished that there was a practical guide to support him as he was supporting his mum. Peaceful Breeze is Mark's profound journey through terminal illness; from his mum's initial diagnoses, through her valiant fight, to her ultimate passing. He charts the emotional turmoil - from complete despair to moments of joy with his mum that will live on forever - the stress, the difficult decisions he had to make and finally the all-consuming grief he experienced at her loss. Mark Carrington story is one of bravery, devotion, love and hope, one which he hopes will support and inform other carers as they nurse and cherish their own family and friends.

Leseprobe

Peaceful Breeze

Mark Carrington

In Memory of Marian Rose Carrington (1935-2015) By her son Mark

Sometimes life goes the way you want

And sometimes it doesn’t

And when it doesn’t, if you look,

you will find something beautiful

Anonymous Quote

Contents

Title PageDedicationEpigraphAbout the authorIntroduction​Who this book is for​Why I wrote this book​Key lessons​About mum1.The Journey Begins2.The diagnosis3.Gathering my thoughts and feelings4.First operation5.Homecoming6.Main operation7.Our life routine​Discharge from hospital​Home, sweet home​Daily living​Fighting spirit8.Looking forward to Christmas 2014​Christmas shopping​Christmas Dinner9.Entering the final journey, 2015​Being told​Final direction​Two weeks of pain management10.Mum’s final days​Turning point of mum’s illness​Admitted to hospital​Hospice care​Mum’s final decision11.Saying goodbyeFinal weekend​Saying goodbye​Last day​Next days​Funeral service12.Grief is the price we pay for loveFinal chapterCopyright

About the author

I have always been a goal-oriented person. Achieving just about anything I really set my mind to. This includes securing three master’s degrees over my life.

Then in early 2014, my entire world turned upside down. My mother was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer. She passed away in June 2015.

Through the daily challenges of caring and nursing for Mum, I discovered a wellspring of inner strength that I never knew I possessed. As a result of my personal brokenness, paradoxically, today I am a much stronger person. The quote from the famous German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche is so true. He said “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” Not only have I discovered who I am. I now have a clearer sense of my purpose in this world.

Throughout her illness, I witnessed something truly wonderful, Mum’s humanity. Caring for Mum has profoundly changed my life. I now know what it means to be human. I am even more determined to love and cherish my family and friends. Above all, I am going to try to live the best life I can. I am now planning to study towards a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Palliative Care. I have this insatiable desire within me, as long as I live, I will learn.

In my wildest imagination I could have never envisaged writing a book on this topic. In some small way, I hope my story will help other carers who are looking after a loved one with a terminal illness.

All the events and conversations contained in the book are true.

Introduction

Witnessing Mum’s sheer vulnerability and the purity of her love as she succumbed to her cancer was a truly humbling and profound experience.