21 Dec 2018 Care

The Kirkwood Swan: The Symbol of Kirkwood

Duncan Smith, of Emley Moor, is currently a patient on Kirkwood's In-Patient Unit. For every day spent at the Hospice, Duncan's wife, Merle, has brought in a different Christmas bauble to display in Duncan's room, and bring a taste of Christmas.

Duncan Smith was diagnosed with rare Frontotemporal Dementia five years ago and since then has been living at home supported by Kirklees and Kirkwood Hospice Admiral Nurses.

On the 6th December 2018, Duncan came into Kirkwood Hospice's In-Patient Unit for symptom management. Ever since then, Duncan's wife, Merle, has brought in a different Christmas tree bauble each day to hang up on display in Duncan's room.

Merle proudly displays her Kirkwood swan

 

The idea came from the fact that although Duncan has lost his speech, basic senses such as hearing, touch and smell still remain. As well as filling the room with the scent of a Christmas candle, Merle places the decorations in her husband's hand to give him something to hold onto, bring thoughts of Christmas and a focus for the future.

With baubles ranging from hearts to angels, and holly to a Christmas robin; a nod to one that Duncan used to watch outside of his window at home, the decorations have become well-known at Kirkwood and Merle now even has volunteers adding to her collection.

However it is the swan decoration that has the most meaning, and Merle explains why.

She said: "I kept on being drawn to this swan, and I couldn’t understand why. Then I realised, it’s because I call it my Kirkwood swan.

"When you see a swan in a pond, it seems to be swimming along placid, calm and tranquil; floating along as though it’s effortless. That’s how it is at Kirkwood.

"This place runs on complete tranquillity, but like the swan, what you don’t realise is that they’re paddling like mad underneath. To keep that atmosphere, there’s a tremendous amount of people paddling. The swan is the symbol of Kirkwood, to me.”

Merle and Duncan Smith

 

Merle, originally from Camarthenshire, Wales, says that it is a misconception that coming into a Hospice means it's the end. For her, Kirkwood has allowed her to spend more time with Duncan, and eliminate the stress. She believes that at Kirkwood, the focus is on life, not death.

Merle said: "Kirkwood is not a place that should be seen as a place you come to die, but rather a place you come to live. To make the most of each moment, and take each minute lived as a gift to be made the most of.

"The staff at Kirkwood promote this by working hard to ease pain and give gentle, thoughtful care in a cheerful but peaceful atmosphere which allows both patient and carer to make the most of each day.

"Kirkwood is not a place that should be seen as a place you come to die, but rather a place you come to live. To make the most of each moment, and take each minute lived as a gift to be made the most of." Merle Smith

"Not knowing how many days are left, we can still prepare for Christmas like everybody else because we live now, in the present. The future, with Kirkwood’s support, will take care of itself when that time comes.

“What goes on here is above and beyond anywhere else. When you get to Kirkwood, it is so reassuring; I felt like I’d come to some sort of halfway place. Before, it felt like I was on the earth and I didn’t know where Duncan was heading. But here we have found a nice little halfway paradise where we can be together. It’s somewhere between wonderland and paradise.”