A REDDITCH woman whose husband passed away last week is speaking out after staff at the town’s Alexandra Hospital went above and beyond their duty of care.
Norma Arrowsmith, aged 71, lost her husband of 45 years – David – a week last Monday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer which had spread to his bowel and liver.
David, who was also 71, was admitted to the Alex on Valentine’s Day and Norma rarely left his side.
In the wake of her husband’s death the Matchborough East resident said she was overcome with gratitude towards the team on the hospital’s ward two who she says made the days that little bit easier.
She said: “They work for 12 hours a day and nothing was ever too much for them – even for me as a visitor. They were so good to me and I cannot say enough about them.”
Norma added that she and David were offered a private room when the time came to say goodbye but they chose to remain on the ward as David had made good friends with his fellow patients.
“It was buzzing in there,” she added. “At that kind of time that’s the sort of atmosphere you need.”
David took his last breath at around 10.30pm but she did not leave the hospital until midnight that evening.
As she prepared to head for home Norma was joined by two nurses who said they would escort her across the car park.
“They went above and beyond for me,” she said. “You just wouldn’t expect them to do such a thing.”
The hospital staff also asked Norma to give them a call to let them know she had made her way home safe.
She added: “They asked me to let them know when the funeral would be and have rung me to see how I’m getting on.
“There’s so much bad press for one reason and another but it’s nice to mention how kind the staff are and were to me.”
