Wife told to leave her husband with dementia at home
WOMAN’S FURY AT PARTNER NOT BEING ALLOWED TO ACCOMPANY HER TO CANCER APPOINTMENT
A STRUGGLING wife has revealed her anguish after being told to leave her dementia-stricken husband at home while she went to hospital for her breast cancer check-up appointment.
Susan Walker, 68, and her husband Michael, 73, have endured a terrible year after she was diagnosed with cancer and Mr Walker suffered a stroke in January.
To compound matters, Mrs Walker, who is still undergoing chemotherapy, almost died after contracting sepsis while her husband, who has severe dementia, was left paralysed down one side of his body following the stroke.
Mrs Walker said: “I was told I had 48 hours left to live in April and I was that ill I don’t think it registered. Before that I was told I had breast cancer a few days before Michael suffered a stroke. It was an awful time for us both.”
During his recovery, Mr Walker spent some time in a nursing home before he was allowed to rejoin his wife in their house down Coronation Road North, west Hull.
Since his stroke, Mrs Walker has to juggle her duty of care to her husband with her own health and wellbeing as she still has to attend hospital regularly for check-ups regarding her breast cancer battle.
In the past, Mrs Walker has been able to go to Castle Hill Hospital with her husband in free transport provided by Thames Ambulance Service. However, earlier this week, she was left shocked after being told Mr Walker could not go with her to the hospital because he was not her carer.
“I am absolutely disgusted,” the pensioner said. “I’ve got to go to this hospital appointment for a check-up on my cancer and if he can’t come I will have to fork out for a taxi or pay towards a carer which costs £15 an hour.
“If he can’t come I won't go because he can’t be left on his own. It’s an absolute load of rubbish and an added stress I don’t need.
“It doesn’t matter if he is my carer or not. I am a carer to him and I just don’t think they are planning things correctly.”
The Mail understands Thames Ambulance Service has now spoken to Mrs Walker and arranged for her husband to go with her to her hospital appointment.
Chris Gaskill, head of the contact centre for Thames Ambulance Service, said: “We cannot comment on individual patient matters for privacy reasons, however patients can travel on board with a nominated individual if there are circumstances where it is essential for the patient or for the welfare of a family member that would otherwise be detrimental to their wellbeing and safety if they travelled alone.”
However, Mrs Walker admits that because of the way the system works, she sometimes struggles to cope in her day to day life.
She only receives two hours of respite care a week for her husband, which costs £30 through another agency. She spends every other hour of the week caring for him round the clock and she is adamant that she will never put her husband in a nursing home permanently.
Mrs Walker said: “I’ve not got any family who I speak to. I just have a carer who comes twice a week to give Michael a shower and shave.
“I’ve got to cook, get him up in the morning and partly dress him because he can’t do his buttons and things like that because only one of his hands works. The doctors are really worried about his walking and we might need a ramp soon.
“But I will never put him in a nursing home.”
Mrs Walker, who receives disability living allowance, admits looking after husband can “take its toll” and at times it has led to her becoming angry about her and her husband’s situation.