Help!

Hello, My husband has been diagnosed with cancer, we do not have a clear diagnosis yet after 2 months of sporadic tests, a cancelled biopsy operation due to an error in treatment, picked up by a nurse at the last minute, subsequently husband sent for a pet scan , feeling very low, no conclusive results yet or treatment plan.

In the meantime our lives are falling apart, we are self employed and are watching our lives disintegrate before our eyes in 2 weeks of uncertainty.

we know we are not unique, but after a life of working and supporting ourselves, we feel we have no support , we do not know who to turn to for advice, lost in the nhs world of errors and lack of care, we both wonder if husband should Persue treatment or just give up now, as treatment so far is unbelievably incompetent, so not a whole lot of hope for the future for my husbands life.

any advice appreciated, we do not know where to put ourselves physically or mentally, as we feel the only news and results we will receive a will be awful and we have lost all hope as a consequence

  • Hello Tracey2624 and welcome to the forum. 

    I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis and everything has happened up until this point. It's understandable that you're feeling lost and hopeless. 

    A good starting point would be to contact your local PALS office. The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) offers confidential advice, support and information on health-related matters. They provide a point of contact for patients and their families. They can also help resolve concerns or problems when you're using the NHS. 

    You might also find it helpful to call our team of nurses here at Cancer Research UK who will be able to chat things through with you and I'm sure will be able to offer some support and advice. You can call them on 0808 800 4040, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. 

    I know things feel hopeless at the moment Tracey but don't give up. This period of testing and waiting for results is one that most everyone struggles with - and you have the added delays and errors to contend with too. Hopefully once you have the results back from the scan you'll have more information and a plan can be put in place. 

    Keep in touch, I'm sure that the community here will do their best to support you. 

    Best wishes, 
    Jenn
    Cancer Chat moderator