My nurse Claire, is part of the family
‘Homecare has made a massive difference to my life. The few occasions when I’ve had to visit hospital for treatment have been exhausting; each trip ends up taking four hours!’ – Brian
Being supported by LloydsPharmacy Clinical Homecare (LPCH), Brian can have his chemotherapy treatment administered at home by a nurse, rather than in hospital.
About Brian
In 2010, Brian was at the pinnacle of his career, as managing director of a multi-national construction company. One morning he woke up, and something didn’t feel quite right. He went to the doctors and, after several hospital visits, was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Given how far along the cancer was, the decision was taken to have Brian’s prostate removed entirely. Although the operation was successful, during the procedure it was found that the cancer had spread to Brian’s lymph nodes. This meant that Brian would have to receive chemotherapy on a regular basis for the rest of his life. Given Brian’s ambition to continue working, chemotherapy treatment in hospital was never an option. It was then that Brian’s consultant suggested homecare with LPCH as an appropriate long-term solution.
Brian’s cancer diagnosis came as a shock to him, having lived most of his life a healthy man. The condition also had a profound effect on his wife and children, who rallied around to support him. This proved particularly important when helping Brian manage the emotional ups and downs of living with cancer.
What is Brian’s condition?
- Brian was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010, which led to an operation to remove his prostate
- During this operation it was revealed that the cancer had spread to his lymph nodes, requiring constant chemotherapy treatment
- Although the condition is manageable, Brian is less mobile generally and tires easily as a result
How is Brian treated?
- Chemotherapy
- 1 hour infusions administered once every three weeks
- Connection and disconnection administered by a LPCH nurse
How we support Brian?
- 3 weekly nurse visits to administer chemotherapy treatment
- Regular delivery of medication and medical equipment via cold chain vehicle to his home
- 24 hour on-the-phone nursing support
The benefits of clinical homecare for Brian
- The ability to manage his cancer without the strain and stress of having to make long commutes to hospital
- The flexibility to be treated at home when it is convenient for him
- The emotional support of a personal nurse who knows Brian and his medical history
- The ability to enjoy retirement and enjoy a satisfying life with his family
It is truly life-changing
‘I’d encourage anyone who has the option to take up homecare without a second thought. It is truly life-changing’.
Following his operation, Brian worked through the pros and cons of homecare. Brian’s consultant helped him understand the benefits of homecare and helped address any concerns he had. One of the potential issues raised was the remoteness of Brian’s home. There were some concerns both delivery trucks and nurses may have difficulty reaching Brian, particular during bad weather.
‘I had few concerns about the idea of homecare. The thought of not having to make regular hospital trips to receive chemotherapy sounded great to me! The fact that LPCH were able to offer homecare to me specifically, despite my home being located pretty remotely, was all the more impressive’
The commitment of all nurses and delivery truck drivers to make every appointment, whatever the weather or location, impressed and reassured Brian that even patients based in more remote locations like him could enjoy the benefits of homecare.
Especially during the initial phase when Brian’s treatment was more intensive, homecare was a great success. LPCH now takes care of the regular deliveries of Brian’s chemotherapy drugs and medical equipment, and nurses visit his home every three weeks to connect and disconnect his infusions. These visits are pre- arranged with Brian at a time suitable to him. A LPCH nurse arrives between 9am and 10am to connect Brian up to his infusion, with some antiemetic premedication given beforehand. The infusion lasts for one hour before he is disconnected by his nurse.
Brian is also able to call his nurse any time if he has any questions or concerns. The ability to contact his nurse directly is also useful when Brian wants to move his treatment times around. This flexibility means Brian and his family can take trips relatively spontaneously, and not be tied down to a rigid schedule.
Homecare allows him to live out a happy retired life with his wife
Supported by our clinical team, Brian was able return to work and enjoy a few more years in a career he loved, before finally retiring in 2016 as his health started to deteriorate. Homecare allows him to live out a happy retired life with his wife at home. He has the freedom to do as much as he is able to, without the inconvenience of having to visit hospital for long chemotherapy treatments.
Brian values the consistency that comes with seeing his nurse, Claire, regularly. Claire has been Brian’s nurse for the past five years. This consistency means Claire is not only familiar with Brian’s medical history and treatment, but also is able to provide emotional support to Brian and his family. This support extends to Brian being able to call Claire any time, which is greatly valued.
Thanks to support from his family and LPCH, Brian has been able to enjoy a relatively normal life in retirement. Although the pace of life has slowed, Brian still gets to enjoy the things he loves, be it playing golf at the weekend or going out for lunch with his wife. Following a long and hectic working life, Brian is looking forward to spending more time following his passions in retirement.
‘My nurse, Claire, is part of the family. I so appreciate being able to pick up the phone and speak to her when I’m worried about something or feel a bit down.’
From being on the end of the phone to address any worries he may have, to delivering supplies and treatment on time and without fail, despite living in a remote location, LPCH provides Brian with the end-to-end support he needs to enjoy retired life.
‘Having cancer is a traumatic experience. The support of homecare and the LPCH team has helped me so much as a person. I can’t thank them enough.’
