Hiya I am new to the site and wish everyone well. I would like to share our positive story here in Spain.
My husband had a large cancerous tumour removed last February in Spain. It was in his lower colon. He did not have a stoma nor any chemo before, but had every scan I had ever known (I am a palliative carer in geriatric care).
He was left to come home and recover from the operation which he did in one month, the low placed operation scar doesn't show at all as the nurse at our medical centre saw him daily to administer injections and change dressings.
The follow-up was with the radiologist and they arranged chemo at the major hospital in Almería which is an hour's motorway journey from our home. He has venous chemo every 21 days and tablets daily for 14 days following (capecitabine accord). He suffered wind and heavy legs and tingling extremities with sensitivity to hot and cold following venous treatment.
This venous treatment at the hospital happens in a friendly seated environment with nursing staff following a consultant appointment and a blood test checking liver and haemoglobin levels. People support each other with an understanding that they are not alone. We were amazed at the varity of age and background's - it's true cancer does not care who it attacks.
As the venous and tablet treatment continues he is becoming more tired but he is gaining weight again. He hasn't lost his hair, enjoys a fully functioning body and is getting stronger every session.
Our Spanish is not perfect and at times we required a translator but we found it pushed me away (I speak more Spanish than him) and I felt unecessary and this made hubby feel he was losing my support, so now we translate our questions and take a printed sheet into the consultant.
Hubby is 13 months off his state pension. We have been in Spain over 10 years. This coming year we will need to register as self employed in order to combat a no deal fallout should it happen. Please seek advice now if you are facing the same situation abroad.
It has been a positive and relatively easy situation. The medical support is enough for us because I am a trained carer (HCA) and nothing has surprised me and I know what to watch out for, and our GP is available to us to reassure with a jolly smile and a pat on the back.
We spoke about sexual matters and were given viagra and advised his confidence would return as he worried less and it has. Hubby is great at reality and doesn't dwell on 'what if' so he keeps busy and keeps going and reacts to his body as he goes along.
It's NOT been awful here. Yes things may go badly wrong, as they often do but we haven't required much more than good friends, visiting family (our joint kids) and the excellent (if abrupt and lacking in bedside manner) health service here which has to be second to none. We thank Spain for caring for us both through this. Stay Calm all xx
