Living with Terminal Cancer
Business owner Paul was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal cancer after being admitted to hospital with what everyone thought was sciatica, but an MRI revealed a different story.
Paul has stayed at the Hospice previously on our Inpatient Unit and was brought back for a second stay after being rushed into hospital as a result of his chemotherapy not working, leading to Paul’s kidneys failing and him requiring resuscitation.
He told his story while staying at the hospice.
Finding out about the Hospice
“Resus saved my life, but these hospice nurses had an even bigger impact. They made be better.”
“I first found out about the hospice through a connection I have with a charitable organisation. I’d been staying in hospital and they suggested I could be transferred to the hospice.”
“I’d been in agony in hospital but within three days of coming to the hospice my pain was under control. The palliative care team are exceptional. They really get to know you, which is important because you feel more relaxed. They know exactly how to deal with pain and they talk to you and ask you questions, finding out what sort of care package you are looking for.”
Overcoming the hospice stigma
“Before coming to the hospice, I didn’t really know what it was. Someone said to me, ‘oh it’s the graveyard, it’s where people come to die’. But when I came I was like “oh my god it’s like a 5-star hotel, I don’t believe it.”
“Not only did they get my pain under control, the team settled me and made me feel at ease. It’s such a caring place and you are properly getting looked after.”
Easing the pain
“You’ve constantly got someone checking on you, looking after you, so you’ve got that chance to say if you need anything. You don’t need family and friends with you all of the time because you’ve got a brilliant team of nurses and doctors. You get to know them, they get to know you, so you start having a laugh with them.”
“They’ve let my wife Lesley stay with me. It’s been great for my mental health having her here. Because I was at hospital on a male ward, she was restricted to visiting hours and it was horrible. She didn’t want to go and I didn’t want her go. At the hospice she can come and go whenever she wants to and it’s a big help having her around.”
“It’s so relaxing here, I can get eight hours sleep. The nurses do come in and check me during the night, but they’re quiet. Sometimes I don’t even know they’ve been in. If I ever had anything wrong with me, I’d instantly try to get back to Wigan & Leigh Hospice. It’s been amazing – the best place for me.”
Paul is keen to help support the Hospice by planning his own charitable event and contributed to one of our skydivers fundraising efforts in June.
This story was published July 2023