Macmillan Nurses

[BobblyGussets]

I have just heard by group e-mail from a friend that he has a brain tumour. I haven't quite processed it properly yet and have gone into practical mode. He wasn't specific in his e-mail except to say "the surgical team were very positive about the outcome".
He sent the e-mail to all his mates because he gets tired. He also mentioned he has a Macmillan Nurse. Don't patients have Macmillan nurses when the prognosis is terminal?

He is a friend of nearly 20 years but becuase of changing circumstances, continents etc, I haven't seen him for years. I am going to phone him soon because I obviously don't want to e-mail him and ask him about malignancy, prognosis and treatment.

Anyone experienced this scenario?

Apologies that this is so garbled, my heart is working faster than my brain at the moment. I am logging of now, but will read any replies (please) tomorrow.

Macmillan nurses do get involved even when it isn't terminal. They can offer support, talk through options, they are great at symptoms relief eg sorting out good pain killers or antisickness medications you might need. And they can help you to ensure you are claiming all the benfits you are entitled to - eg carers allowance, free prescriptions etc.

They do lots They are also fab for end of life care of course, but it isn't all they do.

Macmillan nurses are indeed supposed to do everything Minnie says but unfortunately the one my bil got was useless - and bil did have a terminal diagnosis. They got very little support with pain relief and what to expect. My sister asked him to speak to bil's middle daughter who was utterly devasted by her dad's situation. He never rang back. Bil died on the Sunday and the nurse rang up the following Thursday to ask how things were going. I don't think that was good enough quite frankly.

So with your friend - get back to him, e-mail and be there to DO things because you cannot assume that the people who should DO things will. (Yes I am bitter - making calls from work trying to get your sister some support from 90 miles away and ordering stuff from Amazon to help her with bil's personal care because nobody else was helping them will do that to you!)

You are probably thinking of a Marie Curie nurse, who are end of life nurses.

A Macmillan Nurse will likely be allocated to every patient diagnosed with cancer and they can then choose to access the resource or not.

DH had one when he was diagnosed, but he is better now and did not feel he needed to involve her much. All best to your friend.

Bil's Marie Curie nurses were fanatastic.

Thanks everyone. That was really helpful. Some people are such harbingers of doom: My Mum, "OH, they only get involved, you know, towards the end". I kept hearing her say that in my head about someone else not close to me years ago, so maybe my mate will come out the other side.

We did not think much of macmillan either-terminal.No hands on-a woman used to turn up like an afternoon outing -she was all dressed up and expected you to serve her.Unable to understand the practicalities of real illness.Then she referred us to this awful nursing home where the staff once nearly delivered a near fatal dose of drugs--and this was recomended by Macmillan??The Royal Marsden is the best place to go-fabulous

DH has 2 macmillian nurses (part timers). They are there to call if you need to see your doctor before apoointment, ask any questions, and come in for support at dh appointments. They are great, although one isnts as nice. DH is not terminal, but is long term treatments. HTH