Something Quite Beautiful

 I hung the fairy lights behind her bed and looped them around the tracking hoist.

We turned off the main lights and the support worker helped the patient into a pretty blouse.

I twisted the bottles of Prosecco into an improvised ice bucket made from a sharps bin and

We left the friends to enjoy their Chinese takeaway and drinks.

Sometimes nursing is dire, sometimes unforgiving,  mostly it’s a challenge , but often …it’s a pure joy.

I witnessed someing quite beautiful tonight, just before I left for home.

I knocked on the patient’s door to say goodbye

And saw four old friends sitting on a bed together like sisters do

They were all holding hands .

And very quietly , almost in a whisper they were singing as one

I recognised the chorus 

All I needed was the love you gave,

          all I needed for another day

          And all I ever knew, 

          Only you…..