June 2026

I always like to ask the patients about their lives and any stories they are willing to talk about because it helps them get their minds off the pain and the process of the treatments. It also does help me cause in as much as I like the work and the people it can feel a little routine. I did like this particular lady, she was always so sweet and her family was almost always around, you could feel that they really loved and were concerned about her. If they were allowed to be present all the time they would but sadly that’s not how the treatments go. So when they weren’t around and I was on my shift I’d speak to her and keep her company. It’s usually difficult to ask the patients how they ended up here but I think I got familiar enough for her to walk me through everything and she told me her story.

We started the conversation and she said, “I love my family, I’m always thankful for my husband and the beautiful children we have. I sometimes stare at my children because I’m in awe at how beautiful and lovely they are, I even wonder if they are mine”. I interrupted and reassured her that she is beautiful because she really was a beautiful woman, she said thank you and carried on. “I know my husband is very handsome, I always wondered why it was me he went for but it went pretty well despite my insecurities. My favourite thing about him is how he loves, not just me but the children and those around him, he is always so handy and supportive and I’m so lucky to have been found by a man like him. We’ve always done our best to make sure our house was a home and the children felt safe to tell us anything, we teach them about the bible and I found that our eldest really was dedicated to the faith and her relationship with Jesus. She is one of the prettiest girls I’ve seen but when I’d try to ask about boyfriends she would say she didn’t have any and doesn’t want to date or fornicate. I am a very proud mother because I know how bad such things get and I’m happy she is protecting herself and if anything now isn’t the best time for those things. I am concerned that she doesn’t seem to have any friends or maybe they just never come around but she does do really well in school.

My twin boys have always been a hand full but they are very resourceful and intelligent, they like to play, crack jokes and are constantly pranking their sister but they have a good relationship regardless. They are into computers and all that filming stuff and have lots of friends who usually come by the house, I don’t worry about those two. There’s the girl that follows and she’s playful but seems to be trying to be like her older sister and break away from the boys. I have another boy who follows the girl and he plays a lot but is on the sensitive and quiet side, he reminds me of myself at that age. I have the little baby boy who I’m always so angry that they won’t let me have him here to stay with me. I know he isn’t like a little nursing baby but I miss being round him, his father reassures me he is doing alright”. I said to her that she has a lot of children but the family is beautiful, she agreed cheerfully and said, “I know, I always wanted six children, would have liked three sets of twins but it doesn’t always turn out how we want but I’m very happy with the particular roll out and even happier that we can afford to have them all.