Thank you so much for all your lovely messages - it's so nice to know people understand and take the time to respond.
Unfortunately after I'd posted the original message the nurse at the care home rang again and said that we had to go back down there as the police needed to talk to us. It seems that the locum who was on call last night and originally said he would sign the death certificate then changed his mind and decided to refer it to the coroner. There was no question of suspicious circumstances but as Dad had not seen his GP for over a fortnight he felt he could not sign it himself. So we had to meet with a young policeman who could not have been kinder, my husband then had to formerly identify my dad and we had to give a statement. We were told that a funeral company (not the one we had specified) would then collect Dad's body which would be taken to the morgue at the hospital I had just had him discharged from last week. We were obviously devastated but had no option but to go along with it and were told that it just a formaility and the coroner would ring today having signed the certificate. A girl did ring eventually this morning and asked a series of questions then said she was going to speak to Dad's GP and would get back to me. I explained that although the doctor had not seen Dad himself he had been in hospital and had obviously been seen by both doctors and a consultant! Some hours later someone else rang and explained that the GP wouldn't sign the certificate so they had had to contact the hospital but the consultant wasn't in today and had arranged a meeting tomorrow, if they are unable to sign it we may be looking at a post mortem! So we have been in limbo today - unable to arrange the funeral and all that goes with it. We both feel totally shattered - we've worked from home but I think it's just the stress of the last 48 hours catching up. I feel so cross with the GP too - if he'd only gone to see Dad to admit him to the hospital instead of doing it over the phone none of the above would have happened. I hate the thought of my poor dad being in the morgue.
Meanwhile I went to the home and collected some of Dad's belongings from his room - why do such innocuous things as his glasses and slippers cause more grief than his wardrobe of clothes
The nurse also handed me a little packet with his wedding ring in which had the same effect.
Mum was fine today which did help to bring some normality.
Gill
Unfortunately after I'd posted the original message the nurse at the care home rang again and said that we had to go back down there as the police needed to talk to us. It seems that the locum who was on call last night and originally said he would sign the death certificate then changed his mind and decided to refer it to the coroner. There was no question of suspicious circumstances but as Dad had not seen his GP for over a fortnight he felt he could not sign it himself. So we had to meet with a young policeman who could not have been kinder, my husband then had to formerly identify my dad and we had to give a statement. We were told that a funeral company (not the one we had specified) would then collect Dad's body which would be taken to the morgue at the hospital I had just had him discharged from last week. We were obviously devastated but had no option but to go along with it and were told that it just a formaility and the coroner would ring today having signed the certificate. A girl did ring eventually this morning and asked a series of questions then said she was going to speak to Dad's GP and would get back to me. I explained that although the doctor had not seen Dad himself he had been in hospital and had obviously been seen by both doctors and a consultant! Some hours later someone else rang and explained that the GP wouldn't sign the certificate so they had had to contact the hospital but the consultant wasn't in today and had arranged a meeting tomorrow, if they are unable to sign it we may be looking at a post mortem! So we have been in limbo today - unable to arrange the funeral and all that goes with it. We both feel totally shattered - we've worked from home but I think it's just the stress of the last 48 hours catching up. I feel so cross with the GP too - if he'd only gone to see Dad to admit him to the hospital instead of doing it over the phone none of the above would have happened. I hate the thought of my poor dad being in the morgue.
Meanwhile I went to the home and collected some of Dad's belongings from his room - why do such innocuous things as his glasses and slippers cause more grief than his wardrobe of clothes
The nurse also handed me a little packet with his wedding ring in which had the same effect.Mum was fine today which did help to bring some normality.
Gill
