The Things That Stay

Letter 1: Dr. Adam Purefoy - February 3rd, 1965

We at Prestwich Hospital understand that your agency has been servicing rest homes and hospitals across the states for quite a number of years now, and only recently have we really understood what it is you do. Do not take this as an insult to your work—it is just that we’ve never really heard of such an unorthodox title, and our hospital has never had any situations warranted for your services until recently.

You call yourselves the “The League of Bedside Sympathizers”, am I correct? From what I understand, when a hospice or infirmary has in its care a dying patient who has no reachable, present or living friends and/or relatives, you will send one of your employees to be present and provide consolation for said patient. In any case, we now have a person in our care that could very well be in need of one of your ‘bedside sympathizers’, and since I am the appointed undertaker for his well-being, I feel as though your services are needed.

The aforementioned patient is a Mr. Simon Dalaigh—he is twenty years of age, and he has suffered from a disease known as Cystic Fibrosis since early childhood. In case you are not familiar, Cystic Fibrosis is a chronic condition spawned of a defective gene, and it causes the body to produce abnormally thick mucus that builds up and blocks breathing passages to the lungs and pancreas as well as the digestive tract. Now, this disease is centred, in the case of Simon, in his lungs. Even though we have been utilizing the most powerful antibiotics and oxygen therapy we have available, Simon’s condition has been persisting, and we fear that his lungs will soon collapse under the pressure.

Your agency asks for background information, and I regret to say that I am not privy to a great deal of it. However, I am aware that he has been the custody of his late grandmother—an Irish immigrant, as I understand it—after the death of his mother in 1947; I don’t know of there ever being a father in the picture. Anyway, Simon was diagnosed with his condition when he was five years old, and a hospital in London was willing to cover more than half of his medical expenses as well as offer him more advanced care than could be given in the small village in which they lived.

In any case, he was transferred to Prestwich a little more than a year ago—he had recently turned eighteen and could no longer be cared for in a children’s hospital, and ours offered fresher air than that of the city and we could also provide above-average care for those suffering from lung-related illnesses. Unfortunately, after a great deal of tests and operations, I have been informed that he is in a very bad way and could pass on within the week. While he wants to keep up an air of nonchalance about the matter, we believe that he should have someone who’s not a hospital employee to keep him company in his transition: a boy as young as he should have some sort of friendly face with him as he passes on.

In any case, we at Prestwich truly hope that you will at least consider sending one of your people here to Bolton. It would be much appreciated. If there is any financial payment needed, you know where to reach us.

             

      Sincerely,

Dr. Adam Purefoy,

Prestwich Hospital