Only just noticed this thread but thought I would add my two penneth worth.
As some here know my father was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour a number of weeks back. First signs were dementia like, and given his age not out of the norm.
The local team kicked in and started various therapies including a variety of home visits. One of which as an occupational therapist and physio.
Dad was not in any obvious pain but at one visit by the physio was not happy and called into the hospital to discuss, resulting in an ambulance to take him in.
3 hours later I received a call to say they had found a brain tumour and the prognosis was poor. That floored me somewhat, sat in a tractor as I was tedding out grass. Made a quick exit of the field and back to see Mum hoping to get there before they called her which I managed thankfully.
He stayed in the RD&E in Exeter until a week ago Friday just gone. During that time they have manged to reverse his dementia like symptoms. We as a family have had a number of meetings with both the cancer care team and the palliative care team and taken the decision as a family to not try and attack the tumor, rather to keep dad as comfortable and happy as possible until the time comes. Thank fully he is still in no pain at this time but his mobility and normal functions are severely compromised.
The NHS have been amazing, simply amazing!
Mum is in her 80’s and extremely worried. They have bent over backwards to look after him and her. Whilst in hospital his care was wonderful, the nurses simply cared…..cared a lot! The doctors were hugely sympathetic and very open with us as a family about what to expect.
They took a week to put in a care package to make sure he could come home, that has meant mum gets 4 visits a day from a nurse to make sure both she and Dad are OK. They have supplied various items of hardware, a full hospital electric bed, walking frames, commode’s, wheel chair, ramps, over bed frames and tables etc etc.
For at least 4 nights a week Mum also get an overnight nurse or carer from Marie Curie.
The community pharmacist has visited to ensure meds are correct and blister packs supplied to avoid any incorrect dosing.
The community physio continues to visit to try and keep dad a little mobile.
District nurse pops in ontop of other planned visits.
Dad’s GP comes by when he can to check on him.
All this without asking….without making a fuse, its just happens. The NHS machine has kicked in…….they want to see him and Mum cared for……yes its end of life care….buts its care!
Is not perfect but it is bloody good from where I am sitting at the moment!
This morning I managed to get Dad out around the farm in the pickup. It took me nearly 30 mins to get from his wheel chair into the passenger seat. We then spent about an hour or so driving around the crops and stock. I may have made a bit of a mess of some crops as I drove him out into some of the fields so he could still give his view on how they looked and how far they were from harvest. Could not care less about knocking a bit of wheat down. He berated me a few times for not doing this and that and said there were too many wild oats/thistles/ragwort the yard not being tidy enough, the road hedges needed trimming on the bends, grass needing topping etc etc.
But, hell Im glad he can still tell me off!
And a lot of that is down to the NHS, free, unasked for but there when you need it. god bless them!
I hope to get him into Exeter Market this Friday, he always loved to visit and have a bite to eat there Fridays, will be good to let him catch up with his old mates there.
As some here know my father was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour a number of weeks back. First signs were dementia like, and given his age not out of the norm.
The local team kicked in and started various therapies including a variety of home visits. One of which as an occupational therapist and physio.
Dad was not in any obvious pain but at one visit by the physio was not happy and called into the hospital to discuss, resulting in an ambulance to take him in.
3 hours later I received a call to say they had found a brain tumour and the prognosis was poor. That floored me somewhat, sat in a tractor as I was tedding out grass. Made a quick exit of the field and back to see Mum hoping to get there before they called her which I managed thankfully.
He stayed in the RD&E in Exeter until a week ago Friday just gone. During that time they have manged to reverse his dementia like symptoms. We as a family have had a number of meetings with both the cancer care team and the palliative care team and taken the decision as a family to not try and attack the tumor, rather to keep dad as comfortable and happy as possible until the time comes. Thank fully he is still in no pain at this time but his mobility and normal functions are severely compromised.
The NHS have been amazing, simply amazing!
Mum is in her 80’s and extremely worried. They have bent over backwards to look after him and her. Whilst in hospital his care was wonderful, the nurses simply cared…..cared a lot! The doctors were hugely sympathetic and very open with us as a family about what to expect.
They took a week to put in a care package to make sure he could come home, that has meant mum gets 4 visits a day from a nurse to make sure both she and Dad are OK. They have supplied various items of hardware, a full hospital electric bed, walking frames, commode’s, wheel chair, ramps, over bed frames and tables etc etc.
For at least 4 nights a week Mum also get an overnight nurse or carer from Marie Curie.
The community pharmacist has visited to ensure meds are correct and blister packs supplied to avoid any incorrect dosing.
The community physio continues to visit to try and keep dad a little mobile.
District nurse pops in ontop of other planned visits.
Dad’s GP comes by when he can to check on him.
All this without asking….without making a fuse, its just happens. The NHS machine has kicked in…….they want to see him and Mum cared for……yes its end of life care….buts its care!
Is not perfect but it is bloody good from where I am sitting at the moment!
This morning I managed to get Dad out around the farm in the pickup. It took me nearly 30 mins to get from his wheel chair into the passenger seat. We then spent about an hour or so driving around the crops and stock. I may have made a bit of a mess of some crops as I drove him out into some of the fields so he could still give his view on how they looked and how far they were from harvest. Could not care less about knocking a bit of wheat down. He berated me a few times for not doing this and that and said there were too many wild oats/thistles/ragwort the yard not being tidy enough, the road hedges needed trimming on the bends, grass needing topping etc etc.
But, hell Im glad he can still tell me off!
And a lot of that is down to the NHS, free, unasked for but there when you need it. god bless them!
I hope to get him into Exeter Market this Friday, he always loved to visit and have a bite to eat there Fridays, will be good to let him catch up with his old mates there.