Solo


I know I said I'm not posting anything until Monday but this , I think deserves a brief mention.
From today I'm back working in the hospice inpatients and am working long days until Monday
My allocated patients were all new to me and so a support worker was filling me in with some background info
One patient, a quiet and cultured man, was a musician and the support worker asked me if I thought it was a good idea to offer him some time out to play the small piano tucked away in our hospice chapel
Of course I agreed.
The patient was thrilled And after some brief shenanigans with a wheelchair and urine bag tubing we set him up in front of the keys and left him alone......
Moments later, from the silence of the chapel and with several of the nursing staff leaning against walls and down corridors
We quietly listened to him playing this........
Quite beautifully



62 comments:

  1. Heaven on Earth, very very good of you all to think of this and make it happen for him.

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  2. One of the best things you could have done for him. A musician's soul needs this.

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    1. It was the support worker who suggested it

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  3. Absolutely beautiful ! Such a talented gentleman.
    You my friend, have a huge heart.
    ~Jo
    x

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  5. Lovely !
    This is one of my favorite songs.

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  6. Great post. I love the piano and music like this eases my soul. Thanks for sharing.

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  7. A wonderful gift to him - and to those who heard him.

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  8. Wow . . . beautiful . . .
    How wonderful for him to share “his art.”

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  9. Great support worker to pick up on what mattered to that patient

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    1. She's a cracking colleague , insightful and a true empath

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    2. She does and in her own time is doing a degree in counselling
      We are lucky to have her..and I've told her so

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  10. That's beautiful music John.

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    1. It was Ben, our version was halting and staggered but just as lovely

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  11. Oh...time to cry a little.

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  12. What a lovely thing to do...to give that gentleman an opportunity to play again. Life isn't just about medical prognoses, blood pressure and care plans. There's also poetry and music and the other arts that remind us we are more.

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  13. Oh this tune always breaks my heart. What a theme tune to your story. x

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  14. Very beautiful. Sadly not the hands of an old person.

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    1. The video wasnt of him . It was just to illustrate the music played pat x

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  15. let him play every day; the other patients/staff might like it.

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    1. If you(when I say you , I mean all of you who had a hand) are able to provide this opportunity to do it again as often as he is up to it. You ALL will benefit greatly. Thanks for souls like you and your colleagues, I applaud you all!!

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  16. How stunning, and how lovely to hear piano being played as it should be. He has quite a talent, and relatively young hands. I am emotional anyway at the moment having lost two of my cats and this reduced me to tears. I remember watching the programme/film many years ago and that is so full of emotion too. One of my favourites. You and your colleague have given him the chance to play and let out his emotion whilst giving so much pleasure to the rest of us. Thank you and most of all thank you to him. Wonderful x

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  17. Beautiful, holistic, end of life care!

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  18. How very thoughtful.

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  19. This was lovely and I cried. Thank you

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  20. Thank you, just magnificent, what an outstanding piece.
    I can't imagine how it would feel to be unable to play when it is a vital part of who you are , great move to enable your talented chap and everyone benefited.

    The retail world has a term "value adding" which means doing more with what you have for optimum outcome...you nailed it !

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  21. I am so glad you posted this John. It is beautiful and touching.

    From the looks of his hands, he is not that old.

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  22. Barbara Anne12:27 am

    How wonderful and beautiful. Offering this musician time at the piano was a real gift to his soul and spirit and one he could share with all listeners. Bless you all who made it possible. That is real patient care.

    Big hugs!

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  23. Old skills, happy skills.

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  24. Thank you for taking the time to share yet another lovely vignette from your work. You really know how to write.

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  25. Many years ago I was in Naburn Hospital York with severe postnatal depression. In my ward was a young girl who was supposed to go to uni to study music, but just couldn't do it. The staff got her to play "Fur Elise" on an ancient piano. It was beautiful. We were all enthralled.

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  26. I didn't know this music nor the 1980 film it comes from. How both managed to escape me is a mystery. But I've no doubt whatsoever that for the gentleman in question with the chance now to re-experience creating the moment again must have been overwhelming., I can just imagine him crying inside himself with joy and nostalgia, bless him.

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  27. I found his hand movements quit interesting. Whatever his health problems, it doesn't seem to have any effect on his dexterity.

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  28. One of those beautiful times when you don’t have to worry about the stiff upper lip this the wobbly bottom one that is the problem💖

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  29. Beautiful. Well done all of you....

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  30. Anonymous6:56 am

    This has given me goosebumps - your colleague is a rare gem.

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  31. I'll bet he was really delighted to have the opportunity to play the piano.

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  32. That is one of my favourite pieces of music. I hadn't heard it for a while and it reduced me to tears x

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  33. Awesome....he must have been thrilled.

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  34. John, thank you for sharing. What a lovely gift you all were able to give to your patient, a bit of beauty and love.

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  35. Thank you, thank you for helping to make this happen, thank you for sharing it, thank you for reminding us that we should spend time everyday, doing things that bring us comfort, happiness or joy.

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  36. Brilliant. Just the right thing to do.
    When Dad was in a hospice he spent his time there talking to the gardener.

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  37. To "pick up"on something meaningful for him and arrange it I'm sure would mean the world to the gentleman x

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  38. This one thoughtful act shows the true meaning of care.
    xx

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  39. What a lovely moment that must have been, John.

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  40. Reminds me of a writer friend who died in hospice--until her last days, she scooted herself up to her computer to write.

    We are ourselves until the end--I've seen this flicker remain even in many people with dementia.

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  41. To give him the chance to be himself and to lose himself in the beauty of his music is priceless. The support worker is obviously finely tuned to the needs of the patients. ♥️

    The sound of music or laughter in a hospice is always very special.

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  42. Oh, how beautiful. What a gift (to him and from him to everyone else).

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  43. Heidi5:18 pm

    This was so beautiful and so unexpected it made me cry. This is my most favourite piece of music and I often listen to the John Barry version. It has a huge meaning to me from my over 50 years of marriage and to hear it unexpectedly today, on the eve of having a care needs assessment for my husband to go into care, well that's why it made me teary. All I can think is how much I love him, how much I'm going to miss him and what will I do without him.
    Or what's left of him, he's been stolen from me by dementia.
    But thank you for posting this John and how wonderful that you were able to give your patient those few moments of happiness. I hope my beloved will be cared for by someone like you.

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    1. Heidi , my love and best wishes are sent to you and your hubby x

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    2. It's a horrible thing to have to do but there does come a point when it's the only thing to do. Good luck.

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  44. I'm sure he relished the opportunity to play, just as you all did the opportunity to listen.

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  45. I'm sure it brought tears to some eyes.

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  46. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. Brought me to tears. I am sure he enjoyed playing it as much as I enjoyed listening to the music (I know it wasn't him playing in this clip).

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  47. What a special moment in time I close my eyes and the music is all I hear, I hope this lovely man will play the piano again.

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  48. sigh...Im leaning on the doorframe with you all, listening...

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