It’s strange how you meet people in places you don’t expect. What I mean, is that despite being in hospital (which, let’s be honest, is not a nice place) I’ve met some incredible people. One such person is a Doctor who’se gone out of their way to make time to help me introduce my daughter to my injuries, and taken time to really help me come to terms with my new life. Another is a lovely nurse who is not only a genuinely kind and caring person, but even thinks about my daughter on her day off and brings in ‘Frozen’ hair clips and bubbles to cheer her up. Yet another, a nurse who is close to my own age and takes the time to regularly have chats with me because she knows we get along well. There are many more incredible staff, and over the course of this blog I’m sure I’ll share a few more stories.

However, this one is not aimed particularly at staff, but other patients. One patient in particular actually. A gentleman I shared a bay with, just me and him, for a few weeks. Now, this gentleman was a good few years older than me, he was a retired miner to be precise. He was kind, thoughtful, caring, but most of all he was gentle and warm. I trusted him immediately, and we became good friends in my eyes. He always complimented Amelia, he checked on how Sarah was doing, and he always had time for a chat. Even when he was feeling down we would sit in our wheelchairs and put the world to rights. He was due to be going home in a few weeks, back to his lovely wife, and he was so excited. Unfortunately, this was not to be.

Without warning, my new friend became very unwell very quickly, and was moved from the bed space opposite me to somewhere the staff could care for him better. Unfortunately, despite everything, he became worse, and then there was nothing more they could do.

He didn’t deserve that. I’m not blaming anyone and I don’t know details, but he didn’t deserve that. It was an absolute privilege to have met you; in the short time I knew you, I couldn’t have asked for anyone to help me more than you did. I can only hope that I helped you when you were down.

Rest In Peace, Tom. I won’t forget you mate. Cheers.