Ex-nurse died day before invite to get a Covid jab
Heartbroken daughter is still struggling to deal with loss
THE daughter of a former auxiliary nurse who died the day before receiving her invitation for a Covid vaccine has spoken of her struggle to come to terms with the loss.
Margaret Grunshaw, who grew up in Accrington, died earlier this year at the age of 75 after she contracted the virus following an admission to hospital with an infection.
Before her death, the former landlady and auxiliary nurse was a full time carer for her husband Terry.
Daughter Adele said she received a heartbreaking letter inviting her mum for her Covid jab the day after she passed away at the Royal Blackburn Hospital.
Adele, 49, explained that she had struggled since her mother’s death in February, so had only recently felt able to speak out on what happened to her mum, and pay tribute to her life.
She said: “It was really unexpected and I really struggled and I feel I’ve not done her justice in honouring her memory.
“It’s been really, really difficult for me and I think I’m coming out of the fog a little bit and I wanted to do something for her.
“I thought I’d have at least another 10 years with her. She was the head of the family. I know a lot of people thought highly of her.
“The day after she died I got a letter from the doctor about vaccination. I had to ring them and say my mum died yesterday.”
Adele, who now lives in Birmingham as a PA for the NHS, but previously worked for the North West Ambulance Service, said her dad Terry had to be moved into a care home last November as he suffers from advanced Alzheimer’s.
Adele was able to see her mum in hospital before she died, however recalling those traumatising hours, she has warned others not to take any unnecessary chances with Covid.
She said: “You weren’t allowed to hug anybody and you had full PPE on, so it was difficult to sit for hours and hours on end with full PPE.
“Watching someone die of Covid is the most horrific thing you’ll ever see in your life because they literally just choke to death.
“The people working there are unbelievable, they’re pure angels on the Covid ward. The most amazing people I’ve ever met in my life.
“My message is be careful because if I hadn’t seen it maybe I’d have been more blase about Covid, but seeing my mum and to see her die like that was just shocking.”
Margaret, who lived in Knuzden at the time of her death, married Terry at St Mary’s Church in Oswaldtwistle in 1968 and also left son Steven, as well as daughter Adele.
She worked at textile machine manufacturers Howard & Bullough before becoming a hairdresser and then went on to become the landlady of the Gibraltar Hotel pub in Blackburn.
She ran the pub with Terry for 14 years before moving to Knuzden in 1988, and then went on to become an auxiliary nurse at Blackburn Royal Infirmary.
Adele added that Margaret ‘ always had time for anyone in need’ and during the latter years of her life she became a full-time carer for Terry.
“Even though it was hard and tiring she always had a smile on her face and never complained,” she said.
“She was an amazing mum and an amazing person.
“I had friends say I wish your mum was my mum. I wish I could have one more day with my mum, but my last memory is telling her I loved her.”
Margaret was laid to rest at Accrington Crematorium and Adele added that donations are being accepted for the Alzheimer’s charity or the Preston Glades Nursing Home.