This is something I learnt yesterday which may be useful to others.
I was diagnosed with BC last July and started chemo in September. Along with everything else I was given a card outlined in red. It had an emergency helpline number available 24/7. It said about having a temperature or feeling ill. It was also an alert for emergency services to look out for sepsis. I never needed it and a couple of weeks ago I nearly threw it away after getting a new phonecase.
I had surgery 9 weeks ago and two weeks ago I started to feel really ill. So went to A &E. I was ill with a CRP reading of 200. Long story short I was passed from pillar to post and sent home with oral antibiotics.
Yesterday I went for my seroma to be drained again and I talked with the BC nurse about how ill I had felt, how I felt now after a second lot of antibiotics. I said I was concerned that advice wasn't available on Saturday or Sunday. She was sympathetic about my worries and reminded me about the red card. I am still receiving treatment, maybe not chemo but still treatment for BC so I can still use the helpline.
How much better might my care have been if I had rung that number? Not to mention the 12 hours spent waiting in A&E etc.
Please remember that red card, we are very much at risk. Specialized help is available 24/7 and we are entitled to it.
That’s a useful reminder Silverberg
I have always found it a very effective triage service.
Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm
I am a Macmillan volunteer.
I have metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer, in remission
