End of life care

Thank you for this detailed post. I have found out today that my mum can have no treatment for the advanced cancer which was discovered only yesterday. She has been in hospital twice during lockdown which has been a nightmare so we are keen to have her home. It's  good to know what support to expect. Can I ask if the discharge team will give us an idea of how long we should expect her to hang on for? Does anybody know if her tube hydration/feeding can or will continue at home?

I found out yesterday that my mum has advanced and untreatable bowel cancer. We are hoping to get her home but the nurse at hospital today told us to go ahead and break lockdown rules as she will want hugs and closeness. Obviously, that will need to be balanced with keeping my dad safe, as he will be the main carer. I wish Covid would go away to make such a bad time easier!

Sadly, my husband lost his battle on Monday 8th June, just as we were beginning to put care in place. He is a very proud man and didn't want to be a burden to anyone and he made sure that he wasnt. He wasn't having any of it and if anyone had to plan their perfect passing, he did it and I believe that he did that to save me. Xx

Take care x

Hi Junesfille, very sorry about your mum.

Certainly you can ask the discharge team about life expectancy, although they wont be able to give a definite answer. You can ask them whatever you need to know, and you should have a personalised support package, possibly involving a combination of a 'hospice at home' service, macmillan nurses, district nurses, occupational therapists and other carers depending on whats available in your local area. The occupational therapist should be able to loan whatever equipment is useful depending on the situation at home such as wheelchair, walkers, bath lift, commode, recliner chair, medical bed etc. We had a wonderful senior nurse from the local hospice who visited weekly and organised the support that we needed, medication etc.

My husband didnt have tube hydration or feeding but its possible that a district nurse or other carers would visit to do this and any other treatments that cant be done by family, and they might show you how to do some things.