just absolute pain

Hello Iamtrying

Thanks for getting in touch. My name is Michael and I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurses on the Macmillan Support Line.

I am so very sorry to hear that your husband is in pain, feeling weak and is hardly eating. It must be an extremely difficult time for you at the moment.

Waiting for results  is not easy and can make people feel anxious. This is a natural reaction to an uncertain situation. 

We are here to listen and try to offer support. It would be a good idea for you to call the Macmillan Support Line and talk with one of our Cancer Information Nurse Specialists.

It is very concerning to hear that your husband is getting more poorly every day and that he is still experiencing pain despite him taking prescribed analgesia.

It is important that you report this to his hospital team or GP today. This will allow them to assess him and his pain to decide if they need to investigate further and to prescribe some effective pain relief.

If you are unable to contact his hospital team or GP, you need to contact NHS 111 today.

I hope this information is useful. Please don’t hesitate to get back in contact by email, webchat or phone, if you need further information or support.

The Macmillan Support Line offers practical, clinical, financial and emotional support. You can call us free from landlines and from most mobile phone networks on 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week, 8am – 8pm.

Best wishes

Michael

Ref: MH/FS

Thankyou for responding.I feel like Im living on the very edge of reality. I want to cry I want to scream in pain but my children are suffering so they have to take prioriy. My husband is now in hospital he started vomiting old blood and screaming in pain. It was beyond horrendous.The ambulance arrived they were so kind and gave him morphine before moving him. They took us to the hospital and thats where I saw further suffering. Trolleys of patients lined up in corridors,  ambulance staff just waiting and not being able to repond to people who may be just like my husband. Then being placed on a stretcher in a corridor, waiting. Other  patients family members telling us to be prepared" there arer no beds" Then after hours of waiting the nuse said its so busy and " there are no beds". Meanwhile I attempted to sit next to him on a chair but because there was no room in the corridor I had to keep moving for other stretchers.Maybe 5 to 6 hours later having had his bloods and obs taken he was moved to another section of A/E. As we were moved I saw more mysery and desperation in the corridors by people who had come to A/E by ambulance.No beds was all I could here. I really thought my husband would die because of no beds. He was eventually moved to a cubilcle in A/E and seen by a doctor. He was  patient, kind and thourough I was so grateful that in the midst of this mysery someone cared. My beautiful kind husband  waited  there many many hours before he was admitted and in that time I wondered the corridors and looked at the suffering of others. These people who were admitted by ambulance who needed help. Im just outraged for thier suffering and I hope Macmillan feel the same. Meanwhile my husband has been in hospital for 5 days. He hardly eats he is on drips he has pancreatitis but they do not know if there is something more sinister causing this he  has had more CT scans an ultrasound scan and is awaiting an MRI scan. Its all pain but I cannot let go of the awful images of suffering that will not leave my mind It all only compounds the agony my family is experiencing. My beautiful husband is my priority and who knows where this road will lead but the journey so far has been beyond tragic not just for my family but so many others. I dont know why I  feel the need to document this but maybe in some horrendousley small part it could help another family.

Dear Iamtrying,

Thank you for getting back in touch with us and sharing your experience of your husband’s recent hospital admission. It sounds like a really traumatic experience for you and your beloved husband and I’m sorry this is something you had to go through.

I’m Alison, one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists who work on the support line here at Macmillan.

The experience you’ve had certainly isn’t how we expect patients and their families to be treated when they are admitted to hospital. We are sadly hearing more and more stories like these due to the increasing pressures on our NHS. Macmillan are listening, and by sharing these experiences, we can help drive change locally and nationwide.

We would also encourage you to contact your local MP and let them know of the experiences you had in your local hospital.

Watching someone you love and care for suffer is heartbreaking and it’s only natural you want to be strong for your husband, your daughter and son. It is important you look after yourself as well though, and sometimes talking things through can help. We are here to talk to 7 days a week, from 8am until 8pm. You can also contact the Samaritans out-with these times for telephone support as well. I’d also encourage you to contact your GP to let them know what’s happening, as they can be another source of support for you.

I hope you’ve been able to get some more answers about your husband’s condition. Please don’t hesitate to get back in touch for further information and support whenever you need to.

Take care,

Alison,

Cancer Information Nurse Specialist

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email. 

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