Please help my mum about time for chemo.

[Vanhalen]

Dear all.

Please can anyone help my mum with regard time waiting for chemo.

I hope you can help. My mum was released from hospital on the 1st April, how ironic!!!!

She was given a copy of the letter that would be sent to her GP, showing what she had been diagnosed with, PC, but he still hadn't received it, when she saw him on the 7th.! My mum took the letter and i saw him copy it.My mums been told that shed be informed, presumably by letter , when she was to start her chemo. There's been no letter and I'm just starting to wonder if there's a problem.? We're both wondering how long you might wait to start chemo.?

Any help would be really appreciated.

Thank you.

[Franhan]

Hi

This is my first post, I'm on this site because my father too has PC but I also happen to work in a hospital and know how slow the sytems can be and how on occasion people slip through the net. Even though your wait is unfortunately probabaly not abnormal, I would ring up the Oncologist's secretary in the morning and ask her when she is likely to be seen. If she is not available ring up switch board and ask to be put through to chemotherapy appointments/outpatients and ask them when your mother will be seen. This will 1 hopefully give you a timesacle and 2 give you peace of mind that she is on the system. Never be afraid to politely chase up appointments. All the best to you and your Mum.

[PCUK Nurse Jeni]

Hi,

Your mum definitely needs to be seen by an oncologist, as this is what decides when chemo will start etc... That should have been made before she was discharged, so if you haven't heard, contact the ward where she was and ask for the name of the oncologist she has been referred to. Once you get that name, you can ring their secretary and ask when she will be seen. This is the crucial bit to get the ball rolling.

Hope you get on ok.

Jeni.

[Vanhalen]

Dear Franhan and moderator.

Thank you for your help. I've been trying to reply to you, Franhan, but my IPhone has been a real pain.

I saw my mum earlier tonight and again asked if there's been any post, ie any appointment.

I'm sure that mum is more relieved that there hasn't been any. Her best friend died last year suddenly and in my mums words, shed rather go like that. I'm thinking should I write a letter to her GP asking if he could chase up what's going on, but making sure he doesn't tell my mum about what I'm doing. Her estranged husband rang the cancer department last week, which made my mum so angry. How dare he get involved.!!

We had the chat with the Macmillan nurse on that Friday 1st. Everything was explained, so perfectly, including the side affects of chemo. I really feel that my mum just doesn't want to have those bad days, as well as the good. I can see her getting thinner every day and she's had diarrhoea again this morning. She just wants to feel better, again, her words.

We know the chemo may just halt the cancer, or not.

My mum wants to feel well, for however long that may be.

She's everything.

R

[Vanhalen]

Dear Franhan

Forgive me, I'm so sorry your father is going through this same viscious time too.

Take care

R.