Palliative Care - A Visit from the Community Nurse

Today was our first visit from the community nurse.  Most people will know this as  a visit from a "MacMillan" nurse.  Strictly speaking this lady was not a MacMillan nurse but it was the same role that she was addressing.

Being in the arena of palliative care is a new experience and it is a change of conversation and of focus.

Some may think that it is an area that should be researched as you go through the process, but it really isn't something that you would wish to think of until you are unfortunate enough to have to do so.

The fact is that my cancer is secondary in the liver and both scientifically and medically there is no way back from there.  One of the questions that I have not asked but which it was time to ask is "how am I most likely to die".  There are a number of ways in which I could go but the most obvious now is from liver failure.

We covered a whole raft of subjects including the role of the local hospice.  The local hospice has quiet a prominent place in the community not least because there is a particular road in the area which goes completely over the top with the Christmas lights every year and does so to collect for the hospice.

The other main area of conversation was the continued discussion on my recent blip and the necessary drug control to keep things on track.

The openness and frankness of the conversation was refreshing and helped allow me to continue to accept the zone that I am now in.

It is perhaps not understood by all or perhaps not accepted by all that once secondary there is no way back but that is hard science.  Of course, where there is breath there is hope and I will continue to breathe.