Interview 22- Intensive care: family experiences
Age at interview: 59
Brief Outline:
His wife had emergency surgery to remove a kidney. He found it difficult to discuss his feelings but received comfort from sitting alone in the hospital chapel.
Background:
Gardener, married with two adult daughters. Ethnic background/nationality: White British.
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His wife would not let him sign the consent forms for her operation as there was a risk she could die and she did not want him to have that burden.
His wife would not let him sign the consent forms for her operation as there was a risk she could die and she did not want him to have that burden.
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Husband - And the wife wouldn't let me sign the consent form, would you? She wouldn't put it on my shoulders. She said, “I'll sign it myself.”
What were the consent forms for?
Husband - To have the operation.
Right, so you didn't sign them?
Husband - Wife wouldn't let me sign it. The wife wouldn't let me sign it. She wanted to sign it in case anything happened. Because he was honest, he was very, he said, “I don't want” he said, “I can't give you a percentage.” He said, “Your wife is very ill.”
Wife - He didn't tell me that, did he?
Husband - No, he told me. He said, “If we don't operate now” he said, “You won't have a wife by the morning.” And they operated. They took her up to Intensive Care. I stayed there. I don't know, I don't know what time, I can't remember much about it to be honest with you.