"My wife’s Journey with Lung Cancer"

My wife was diagnosed with lung cancer in Oct 2020 when she presented with acute back pain. The cancer had moved to the 4th vertebrae of her spine and hence the pain.

The oncology team headed by Dr Gorf was superb. They gave my wife radiotherapy to deal with the cancer in her spine. This was followed by various tests to see the nature of the cancer. This resulted in targeted treatment (a pill taken daily) that looked to manage the cancer and enabled my wife to regain her strength (she got back to competitive golf) over the next 6 months.

Unfortunately the cancer spread to her brain in late 2021. This resulted in radiotherapy on the 8 lesions found in February 2020. Then onto Chemotherapy starting in April 2020. My wife had 5 sessions of Chemotherapy, the last starting in July 2020.

My wife suffered 3 seizures, the first in June 2020. This it is thought caused by the radiotherapy for the brain cancer. After the seizures, she got progressively weaker with increasing weight loss. The Weldmar Hospicecare got involved in July 2020.

My wife's treatment regime moved to palliative care led by Weldmar in August. Weldmar provided appropriate equipment and home care. They also coordinated her medication with the appropriate NHS groups.

She died peacefully in her own home with me by her side. I felt very privileged to be with my wife throughout her illness and particularly with her peaceful passing.I have nothing but admiration for all the NHS bodies involved and Weldmar Hospisecare.

The Oncologist (Dr Gorf) and her team were brilliant. They kept us informed all through my wife's illness and involved us in all decisions that were taken. They were on the other end of a phone any time we had questions or worries. I cannot think of anything else that they could have done that would have improved an excellent and very timely service.

We called 999 three times when she had seizures. The main problem was getting an ambulance to attend due to the service being overstretched. The first time I took my wife to A&E, on the other times they arrived after some time and carried out a number of tests and asked appropriate questions. On one of these times they took her to A&E.

The A&E department on the 2 occasions we attended were excellent. They carried out a range of tests and monitored her regularly. My wife was allowed home both times since the doctors felt she was on the appropriate medication for the condition they thought she had, i.e. mini stroke. It was the Oncologist who determined she had had seizures later.

Our GP, Dr Young was excellent. She visited a number of times after my wife suffered her seizures to see how she was progressing and to see how I was. Our GP made sure we had the appropriate medications when we needed them. The medication went from pills to liquid meds and finally to meds administered by syringe drivers as my wife’s condition deteriorated.

Dr Young ensured that they were available before they were needed.

I should add the our local pharmacy were excellent. They always had the medication available when it was needed. They were also always available to answer any questions we had, e.g. which pills could be crushed and added to food.

The District Nurses were brilliant. They were first involved when my wife had liquid on her lungs. They took off 500 ml three times a week for some months. This reduced to two then one time a week as her condition deteriorated. My wife built up a great rapport with all the nurses.

The District Nurses were then available to the Weldmar carers when issues came up, e.g. when my wife had an extended coughing episode. They also set up and managed the syringe drivers towards the end of her life. This was done with great empathy and care.

Weldmar Hospicecare was exceptional. The homecare team ensured that my wife was washed, fed and got on and off the commode, i.e. the basics of care, and then some. They then looked to build a great rapport with both my wife and me, which they succeeded in doing. I am quite clear that they gave my wife and me the time and space to properly say goodbye.

In the last month of her life, they enabled us to concentrate on what was important to us. We discussed everything that needed to be sorted, whilst enjoying each other’s company when she was awake. The result was that my wife's passing was as good as it could have been. It was quite beautiful.

I felt a sense of calm minutes after she died. This feeling is still with me today. I feel that Weldmar Hospicecare is largely responsible for this.

However, Weldmar would not have been able to provide such excellent care without the other NHS bodies providing such good treatment and care.

I feel that we have been so lucky to have had so much brilliant treatment and care from so many people and agencies. There is very little I could suggest would be different. Only a bit more speedy ambulances, but this did not have any detrimental effect on my wife’s treatment or care.