So, you may be wondering how much more can I write about Mom's cancer. Well, in case you haven't been paying attention, Living with Mom's cancer is all about how we as a society or community deal with cancer in people we know and love. Its bigger than Mom now, and that is very exciting.
Sunset, 2010, Lesley Beeton
Friends have heard me going on about this for some time now, so they will be pleased to know that 2012 is the Year of Action. Mumsnet Bloggers Network have been asking bloggers about our hopes and plans for our blogs in 2012. Some have said they want to get more readers, yes, of course. Some want a publishing deal, wow, yes please. I would like to use my blog to press for changes in care for cancer patients in hospital.
Oncology is mostly done on an outpatient basis, so patients come in for blood tests and if everything is OK, will go for chemo or radiotherapy. Almost everyone will have a bad cycle of treatment, however, which will mean a hospital stay to stabilise things before the next onslaught. I was reminded of this when I read Ellie Jeffery's new post about her latest miserable stay in hospital. I recognised in Ellie's description some of what we experienced when Mom was in hospital. There is no easy way for bed managers to find exactly the right place for a poorly cancer patient. Sometimes, cancer patients have respiratory or cardiac or other medical problems, and will need to be cared for by these specialists. You might expect that the oncologist will be aware of this, but not in the NHS. The wonderful cancer specialist nurses do their best to keep cancer patients well cared for, but it is very difficult to do.
I observed some first class nursing, but also some less than average nursing. That is to be expected. What I would like to see is a cancer patient support team, not reliant on nurses and doctors, but a human approach. Some one who understands the environment of the cancer patient, who has experience of their fears and concerns, and who can raise these issues with the clinical team. There is little or no emotional support for in-hospital cancer patients. The clinical teams are just too busy with very ill patients.
I would like to explore the possibility of setting up a pilot program and survey to understand how this can fit into the NHS cancer patient in-hospital care, and with this is mind, my resolution for 2012 is to use this blog to generate interest in and awareness of my endeavour.
I would be very grateful for your comments.