My husband is in hospital having recently been diagnosed with Metastatic prostate cancer which has spread to his spinal cord and bones. He is incontinent, bladder and bowls. Treatment is keeping the prostate cancer at bay. He has had radiation therapy on his spine to shrink the damage to his nerves and try to get some feeling back in his thighs and legs. He wants to come home and I want him home but I worry that I will not be able to cope. He has always been very frightened of Doctors and leaves medical issues to the point where his life is in danger, I have to take charge and call for help. We had no idea he had cancer until five weeks ago. He had been feeling unwell but refused to go to the Doctor until he became unable to walk to the bathroom. I called for help and got him to hospital where he was diagnosed. The hospital are beginning the care planning process to send him home. He wants me to do the personal care rather than wait for a package to be in place. He can’t walk, stand, he has a catheter but needs changing four or fives times a day for loose bowls.
I just need to tell someone how scared I am about his expectations of me and how we can realistically manage at home.
Hi TeaTowel welcome to the forum. I am so very sorry to hear what's happening for you right now. If the hospital are starting to make plans for hubby going home you have to speak to them to tell them how worried you are about your ability to manage hubbys expectations of you as his Carer. It will be physically impossible for you to do all that work by yourself and maybe it's fine for some honesty with hubby about what's practical and what's not for you. Please believe me when I say none of that is you being difficult it's you bring realistic and also some self preservation as if you becomeunwell as a result of caring then who will care for hubby. You and your needs are of equal importance in this situation. I hope that you manage to get a resolution to this for you both..if you felt that you wanted to chat to someone for you you can give the Macmillan Line a call 08088080000. Best wishes Gail
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