Discharge from a hospice is a good thing. It doesn’t happen often. Most people die under our care. Occasionally there will be some people who actually stabilise and even improve so much that they no longer require our care. Possibly one of their treatments has worked, and their illness has been controlled. We are not sure how long this stable period will last, but they should make the most of it.

We’re happy to provide our services to those who need them, and we are also happy to step back if our services are no longer required. As I said this is rarely the case. It can be a real bonus for the person to do much better than any of us would’ve imagined. It’s a bonus for us as well to have uncommon success stories. If we discharge you from our service maybe we should hand out a commemorative t-shirt or a baseball cap. “I survived hospice!”

In this line of work, you have to remain open-minded and flexible. Almost anything could happen and you have to be able to go with the flow. Nature can be so fickle at times and what is going to happen can’t be predicted. There is an element of chaos in all of our lives. Some people will have a natural tendency to not be neat and tidy. They might not act as predicted. A chaotic life will lead to a person having a chaotic death as well. People stay true to their nature, even in the end.