Annette’s Story

Annette has three daughters, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

She trained as a nurse over 60 years ago and recently has been visiting the Living Well Service as a patient. She kindly shared her story:

“I was getting very breathless at home [due to my condition] and so I was seeing a Community Nurse and she referred me to the Living Well Service at Arthur Rank Hospice.

Because of my condition, my health has been getting progressively worse but coming to the Living Well Service, gave me confidence as I was having a really tough time before, which surprised me because normally I’m a people person and I could not understand it. I think what’s really important at the Living Well Service is that everyone shows empathy. Even just a five-minute conversation with somebody can make a difference – it doesn’t need to be about their illness.

I have made friends from the Living Well Service and we have a WhatsApp group. There’s a huge age difference between us all but we have kept in touch this way. Earlier this year I was admitted to Addenbrookes hospital as I fell and fractured my pelvis. Several people I had met from the Living Well Service came to see me in hospital! I was amazed when I looked up and suddenly saw all of these familiar faces in the ward – that was so sweet. Since then we have all met for lunch both at the Bistro here and at the restaurant where I live.

I’ve always been with people because of being in the nursing profession for quite a number of years and I was also in the hospitality side of things until I retired. I’m a talker and I love people. I like to sit, listen and learn things about them. I just love looking at the rapport between some of the patients here.”

Nursing

“I qualified as a nurse in the era of ‘Call the Midwife’. The Middlesex Hospital, where I trained, had a rule that you couldn’t start your training until you were 18 years, 9 months old. They wouldn’t take you a month earlier. So, I went to work as an Au pair in Germany.

I started my nursing training in November 1959 and qualified in 1963. It was a very well-reputed hospital and I always got jobs because of the name of where I trained. I think we used to work a 48-hour week!

I worked as a Nurse in Bath Hospital for ten years and also Birmingham hospital and as a Matron in a boys school for eight years. I’ve always wanted to work in a Hospice but there weren’t many hospices then.”

Family life

“As my husband was in the Royal Navy, we travelled around with the children and I’m amazed at how many places I’ve seen. I saw Prince William [on the TV] in Rio de Janeiro and I thought ‘I was there’. I also lived in Gibraltar for three years.

When my husband came out of the Royal Navy, we bought an old farmhouse in Suffolk outside Alburgh and ran it as a hotel. My nursing training had taught me to be disciplined. It helped me to get up in the morning to cook the breakfast. We’d always say to the guests, “Did you sleep well?”

New chapters

“After my divorce I did a training programme and learnt how to use a computer. Well, it was called a processor in those days because I never touched a keyboard. I then got a job at one of the Savoy hotels in London, working as a PA for eight years until I retired. I then lived in France for 15 years. 

Later, I moved to Cambridge to be near my daughter. So, life did change quite rapidly but I carried on being with people.”

Living Well

“At the Living Well Service I do enjoy a hand massage from one of the volunteers. My hands have all gone completely numb so I can’t move them in the way I used to.

I’ve been in hospital four times this year and I am looking forward to some physio at the Hospice too but what I really love is when I see people coming out of themselves after coming in very withdrawn. Slowly, they build confidence again and you can see them opening up – either to me or to the whole room. Gradually they’ll tell you a bit more and a bit more, and hopefully, they’ll go away and feel more relaxed in their own homes and be able to talk to their family.

I think the Living Well Service helps people find peace within themselves.”

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Our ‘Outstanding’ services are provided free of charge to patients and their families. Our aim being to provide the highest quality care, helping people to make every moment count. 

You can find out more about how we are funded here: arhc.org.uk/how-we-are-funded.