Dad diagnosed

Hello Lewie 

I am Brian, one of the Community Champions here on the online Community. I have noticed your post has gone unanswered and by me replying it will be "bumped up" to the top of the page and I hope seen and replied to by other members of the Pancreatic group.

Whilst it's best to have two people at any important meetings, if dad has to go alone here are a few pointers that may help.

* If he's based in England and has the NHS App ensure he has full access to his records - that way he will have a better understanding of anything that's going on.

* Ensure at all meetings he asks to be sent copies of the meeting notes - these should also go to his GP and appear under "Documents" as well.

* At some meetings the team will let you record the meeting on a mobile device.

* Have a list of questions to ask before the meeting - here's a link to help you with this:

Questions-to-ask-your-healthcare-team.

Don't feel guilty as I am sure you are doing your best to support dad. If you do have any questions about dad's diagnosis or treatment however trivial the amazing members of the pancreatic group should be able to help you.

I wish you both well going forward.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi, Lewie 

My name is Dylan and I work in the Online Community team here at Macmillan. 

I’m sorry to read about your dad’s diagnosis. I noticed that you posted a little while ago, so I just wanted to check in and see how things are going for you both. How is your dad getting on this week?

You mentioned feeling torn between carrying on with your usual activities and wanting to be there for your dad. How have you been coping with everything over the last few days?

 Millibob has left some value advice in his reply. I hope you have found that helpful. 

I also wanted to let you know about our Family and Friends forum, which you're very welcome to join. It's a space for people who are supporting a loved one living with cancer, and you may find it helpful to connect with others who understand some of the challenges you're facing.

If you would like to talk things through with someone at Macmillan, our Support Line team is also here to listen. You can call them free on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm, 7 days a week. They can provide emotional support as well as practical information and guidance. You can also chat online with our specialists or send an email during the opening hours.