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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Heartbreaking situation - advice needed

74 replies

Juggletits · 03/05/2025 17:43

I'm posting on AIBU for traffic.

My darling sister has been at the bedside of her beloved ex-DP for 9 days since he suffered a massive heart attack. He nominated her as next of kin (NOK)whilst lucid to the paramedics.
Neither of them were aware that he was having a heart attack when the ambulance arrived. He's only just turned 46, that day.

DSis has been the only person in his life for years. He barely sees his family and has no friends anymore.

I'll call him Tom for ease.

Tom is a an addict. Alcohol, cigarettes and weed. He cannot function without any of these crutches.

DSis met him 18 years ago and they were in a serious committed relationship for 13 years. When younger his addictions weren't so concerning but as they grew older and started discussing children etc it became clear he wasn't able to make healthy choices and was deeply in the grip of a spiralling addiction. DSis financially supported him for years, begged and pleaded with him to get support but ultimately realised he was not able to change. So in 2020 she made the desperately difficult decision to end their relationship and leave their home.

She still loves him and he loves her. She has stayed in his life as a friend and as the years have passed he has lost anyone else who may have cared once as it's very hard to understand and support an addict who is slowly destroying themselves.

Rewind 7 years - DSis, knowing that Tom needed help and at her wits end with what to do, appealed to his parents for help. This backfired hugely as they took it as criticism of them, there was a massive falling out and they have refused to speak to her ever since. They have very little to do with Tom. They give him money when asked but don't seem able to accept how very unwell and in need of support he has been. They absolutely HATE DSis for asking them to help Tom.

Following the heart attack they did not come to the hospital for 8 days. His mother still hasn't visited. His father arrived on thursday and by yesterday afternoon he had managed to get his delirious, gravely unwell son to revoke DSis' status as his NOK.

He has now banned her from visiting Tom and also told the medical staff to no longer update her on his health.

She's been there every hour she's been allowed to be. For 9 days. Despite the fact they aren't together, they love each other. He needs her to advocate for him. He has been asking the staff for her when she isn't there.

His prognosis is dire. He needs a heart transplant. His heart is destroyed by years of alcohol and smoking.

As she was told to leave yesterday, she learnt that things look even worse with a further clot in his heart.

His father watched them saying their goodbyes, both distraught. And cared not a jot. He has sent away his son's only person for his own selfish reasons.

I've been googling frantically and trying to figure out where to turn for advice but all the avenues look shut for the bank holiday. We don't know if he'll still be here on Tuesday.

So I'm appealing to you wise MNers for any advice.

Is there anyone who can intervene?

It is so cruel so keep them apart and the only reason is a bizarre form of revenge...

It seems he must have coerced the change of NOK as Tom hasn't been lucid for days

Anyway - it's long and complicated. I hope that someone has some advice for us.

OP posts:
MrsTWH · 03/05/2025 17:47

If he’s been asking the nurses for her, why was she sent away?

khaa2091 · 03/05/2025 17:49

Does your sister have any legal standing? If she was “just” an Ex then unfortunately the hospital will ask his parents what they think Tom’s wishes would have been.

Juggletits · 03/05/2025 17:52

No legal standing. They were never married.

OP posts:
Juggletits · 03/05/2025 17:53

MrsTWH · 03/05/2025 17:47

If he’s been asking the nurses for her, why was she sent away?

Because his dad said so. 😔

OP posts:
HenDoNot · 03/05/2025 17:54

So Tom is alert enough to be asking staff for your sister, and alert enough to say a “distraught goodbye” to her yesterday?

But you’re saying he’s not alert enough to have made the decision to revoke your sister as his NOK? And he’s not alert enough to tell the staff that he does want to see your sister?

There must be more to this? It doesn’t add up.

Lanzarotelady · 03/05/2025 17:55

It is not up to the nurses to police the visiting of patients who are critically unwell, their role is to care for the patient.
It is sad when relationships break down and families see fit to bar people for whatever reason.
I am sorry, but as an ex, your sister has no legal rights and the staff are acting within the families requests.

AlmostSummer25 · 03/05/2025 17:55

I'm sorry, I have no advice, but just sending them both my love and best wishes.

His father is an absolute disgrace. He sounds like he's willing to allow Tom to pass away and is only thinking about the money they will not have to spend supporting him

with all of Tom's addictions and his lifestyle.. I would be very surprised if the hospital would put him on a waiting list for a heart transplant.

But it's not fair to keep them apart at this stage, given that he told them she was his NOK, I'm surprised the hospital have gone along with this change of plan at this stage.

I hope you can find her some legal redress before it's too late xx

Lanzarotelady · 03/05/2025 17:57

It seems he must have coerced the change of NOK as Tom hasn't been lucid for days

Not been lucid for day, but able to ask for her and to say goodbye to her?

But as an ex she is not a blood relative and in situations like this the family will be put as NOK

Satisfiedkitty · 03/05/2025 17:58

Of course it's absolutely appalling behaviour on the part I'd his father, but if he doesn't have capacity now (unconscious etc), then I guess legally his father is next of kin.

JLou08 · 03/05/2025 18:00

Contact the safeguarding team at the hospital. If Tom doesn't have capacity to make his own decisions they need to do a best interest assessment. If the nurses have heard Tom asking for your sister then I think it's very unlikely it would be agreed that she can't see him, unless there is more to the reasons Tom's dad has stopped her visiting.

Syuni · 03/05/2025 18:01

NOK means nothing legally when the patient is an adult. They cannot legally make any decisions regarding his care unless they have power of attorney. The parents might be consulted by medical staff to help doctors make a best interest decision if he lacks capacity but the parents have no legal power to do or decide anything. If he has capacity he can decide what he wants, doesn’t want and who he wishes to visit or not.

NeedToChangeName · 03/05/2025 18:01

NOK has little or no status in the eyes of the law, so I wouldn't lose sleep over that

If ex is wanting to see your sister, I'd have thought staff would try to facilitate that, outwith presence of his parents if necessary

I'd argue that the parents have no authority to decide she can't visit

myfavouriteredtop · 03/05/2025 18:10

Am sorry to read this and send all best wishes. Don't know if this is appropriate but there is such a thing as a marriage by Registrar General's special licence. This can take place in the hospital - perhaps contact your local authority if in England or Wales

Juggletits · 03/05/2025 18:14

HenDoNot · 03/05/2025 17:54

So Tom is alert enough to be asking staff for your sister, and alert enough to say a “distraught goodbye” to her yesterday?

But you’re saying he’s not alert enough to have made the decision to revoke your sister as his NOK? And he’s not alert enough to tell the staff that he does want to see your sister?

There must be more to this? It doesn’t add up.

DSis says the staff have said he's been asking for her when she's not there - I think visiting is allowed between 10am and 7pm.
He's not unconscious but very unwell, on CPAP and drifting in and out. Occasionally lucid and able to talk normally and mostly delirious or asleep.
I've never been around someone that poorly so not sure if this is normal for someone in ICU but seems completely plausible.

OP posts:
Juggletits · 03/05/2025 18:17

JLou08 · 03/05/2025 18:00

Contact the safeguarding team at the hospital. If Tom doesn't have capacity to make his own decisions they need to do a best interest assessment. If the nurses have heard Tom asking for your sister then I think it's very unlikely it would be agreed that she can't see him, unless there is more to the reasons Tom's dad has stopped her visiting.

Yep this is what I thought too. But can't contact anyone in this team until office hours.
We need a staff member to call it in to the out of hours team.

OP posts:
ThriveIn2025 · 03/05/2025 18:17

She’s not been in a relationship with him since 2020 and yet she wants to be nominated as his NOK? Feels a bit strange to me. All this “they love each other”, well not enough to be together!

I think she should step back and respect his parent’s wishes. Their child is dying.

Kxidwn · 03/05/2025 18:19

JLou08 · 03/05/2025 18:00

Contact the safeguarding team at the hospital. If Tom doesn't have capacity to make his own decisions they need to do a best interest assessment. If the nurses have heard Tom asking for your sister then I think it's very unlikely it would be agreed that she can't see him, unless there is more to the reasons Tom's dad has stopped her visiting.

Yes THIS

JLou08 · 03/05/2025 18:24

Juggletits · 03/05/2025 18:17

Yep this is what I thought too. But can't contact anyone in this team until office hours.
We need a staff member to call it in to the out of hours team.

Try adult social care emergency duty team. They may say you need to wait for the hospital team but it could be worth a try.

JLou08 · 03/05/2025 18:27

ThriveIn2025 · 03/05/2025 18:17

She’s not been in a relationship with him since 2020 and yet she wants to be nominated as his NOK? Feels a bit strange to me. All this “they love each other”, well not enough to be together!

I think she should step back and respect his parent’s wishes. Their child is dying.

Their 'child' is an adult who's wishes need to be respected. If he wants to see OPs sister no one has the right to stop that.

Maitri108 · 03/05/2025 18:33

This doesn't make sense OP. If he wants to see someone, his parents can't stop that. Tell your sister to go back to the hospital during visiting hours.

blackballfinal · 03/05/2025 18:38

NOK has no ‘status’

also as a grown adult ‘Tom’ can see who he wants

Shessweetbutapsycho · 03/05/2025 18:45

I’m so sorry for everyone in this situation, it sounds so very difficult. I hope your DSIS is able to find a peaceful conclusion with Tom and his family

Muchtoomuchtodo · 03/05/2025 18:48

Does anybody have power of attorney for health and welfare? If so they should be making decisions that he lacks capacity to make in his best interests. If not, then the hospital team looking after him should. His parents have no power in the eyes of the law to make medical decisions.

Communitywebbing · 03/05/2025 18:54

Next of kin just means the main contact in this situation. It’s not like POA. If Tom is asking for her he’s well enough to decide who visits.

NotsosunnyShropshire · 03/05/2025 18:55

I agree with pp, ask for the duty social worker.