I just wanted to ask others their experience with having a Macmillan nurse?

I have to say my experience has been worse than awful!

Apparently because I'm single and as a fully fledged adult happy to attend appointments by myself I've been appointed a Macmillan nurse - I wasn't asked if I wanted one, which no I didn't, she was just already there in the consultation room when I received my diagnosis. I had quite a few questions about my diagnosis to ask the specialist and she proceeed to talk over and answer for him, I hadn't asked her the questions but she tried to take over as leader of the whole meeting. The consultant was more that happy to answer my qustions but this Macmillan nurse kept butting in and talking over him. She made the whole meeting more stressful and difficult!  I'd have been alot happier without her there.

To be honest I have been trying to figure out their role. As things have moved forward these Mac Nurses, two of them I've had to deal with mostly have made my life miserable. Having Cancer is bad enough!

So as far as I can see these nurses are determined to latch on to me at every appointment, I certainly don't need them there but they seem to think I do.They ask repeated nosy qusetions about my private life and finances, but can only actually sit with you and offer mindless chat or give you telelphone numbers, leaflets or other people to speak to. All very easy to find online and all things I know already. 

At one appointment one of them sat with me in the waiting room because apparently as a single adult I'm incapable of sitting in a waiting room. She then proceeded to be my "friend" while grilling me about my private life, finances and finally telling me "how my family are going to be angry with me"! She doesn't even know me or my family. These are not people I would choose to be friendly with at all.

I've said I really don't need them there but they insist. 

This week I had two of them sitting in the consultation with me!! Like a couple of minders, again trying to talk over me as if I wasn't there to the specialist until I reminded her I can speak perfecty well thank you. This was a tiny room and I had two specialists to speak to and then these two nurses also, I am immunocompromised on chemotherapy so certainly didn't need to be surrounded by 4 people a couple of feet away in hospital in a minute room for an hour. They played no useful role in the meeting apart from ask a couple of nosy questions about my famlly again. None of their business, I'm there for medical treatment. 

I had sadly noticed a very frail gentleman waiting before me and wanted his daughter and wife to join him but he was told no only one extra person only because of covid rules, poor chap - but I had to have 2 of these nurses sit with me in this tiny room as "company"!!

I've had one of them yelling down the phone at me, and another repeatedly phoning me whie I'm driving. On one completely unnecessary call one of them asked me where I was?! No appointment just a random question about where I was. Bordering on stalking...!

I've even had my appointments delayed so one of them can be there...

These nurses have been the biggest cause of stress and upset so I've decided to write to my consultant and say I don't want a Macmillan Nurse. It's got to the point where they've made me not want to go to appointments if they are there.

I have to say that many non Mac nurses and staff there have been absolutely wonderful!.