Rachel called again yesterday morning. She had gone in to Dad's room to try and give him some steroids. He said he didn't want them and when she asked why, he just shrugged his shoulders. So then she got quite blunt with him, told him they know he's very poorly but that they think he's extremely depressed. Dad nodded his head a few times at this. She told him how much he'd upset me on Saturday, and that his family obviously cares for him a great deal. He appeared quite moved by this point.
Paul and Shirley popped in to see him just after lunch time and he promised them he would try to eat. Then when me & Sally went in at about 4, he asked for milk and biscuits. He also apologised to me 
Me and Sally then had a long chat to the nurse who repeated the thought that Dad is suffering from depression first and foremost. She doesn't deny that he's very ill though. We explained to her some of the background so far - the seven weeks spent on a hospital ward with not much in the way of exploratory tests, the fiasco of his discharge from hospital, the rapid deterioration once he was at our house. I also said how I felt bad that he was taking up a hospice bed when there may be people more ill than him who would need it. She said that wasn't an issue, he was due to go in anyway for symptom assessment.
We came away feeling slightly better. At the hospice he will be fully assessed and hopefully there will be a clearer idea of exactly what is wrong with him.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11.00 me, Paul and Sally are going to see the consultant, who will be spending some time with Dad today. So there should be more news after then.