‘I just don’t know what the future holds for me now’
As part of City Hospice’s Light Up a Life Appeal, which the Echo is proud to back, Frank has opened up about his battle with cancer...
FRANK, 70, from Pentwyn, Cardiff, was diagnosed with a tumour on his spine in March this year.
He and his wife Babs have praised all who helped to look after him.
Frank, who asked for his last name not to be used, served in the Merchant Navy and then worked as a steel erector on industrial buildings and factories before becoming a driver delivering stores to building sites.
Although he had to retire when he was 60 because of disability, he had never been seriously ill until March.
He said: “I had started getting terrible pains in my back.
“At first I thought I had pulled a muscle, but the pain just wouldn’t let up.
“I asked our local pharmacist for the strongest pain-killer he could give me without a prescription and that seemed to do the trick, so I battled on for three weeks, but one weekend it came to a head.
“I couldn’t get comfortable whatever position I tried and the pain was unbearable so eventually, at Babs’ insistence, I gave in and we took a taxi to the Heath Hospital and turned up at 11pm on the Sunday.”
Over the course of the following week Frank was diagnosed with prostate cancer which had spread to his spine.
Doctors discovered the tumour on his spine was inoperable.
By the Friday Frank was admitted to Velindre and on the Saturday morning he received his first injection of a drug to control the prostate cancer.
He also started the first of five radiotherapy sessions to try and shrink the tumour.
Frank said: “Everything moved so fast that week and developed so quickly that it was almost a blur, and as I was being given morphine to control the pain I don’t remember too much of what went on.
“What I will never forget however was the care and kindness shown to me by everyone, and knowing that I was in safe, totally professional hands who would do everything they could for me.
“I really felt that nothing was too much for any of the staff at the Heath or the Velindre Cancer Centre.”
When Frank went home he was referred to City Hospice and found himself in the care of another organisation which he says could not have shown him greater kindness, compassion or professional care.
It was at this time that Frank met Sarah, the City Hospice clinical nurse specialist.
Since then she has become much more than just another nurse, and is now a friend, companion and confidante.
“Of course I don’t know what the future holds for me,” added Frank.
“At the moment with the drugs and my monthly injections I feel pretty good, though I do rely a lot on my wonderful wife Babs’ help and support.
“After 46 years of marriage she knows me so well.
“Without Babs’ help, and without the support of my excellent GP and staff from Crwys Medical Centre, my local pharmacy, the Velindre Cancer Centre and, of course, City Hospice, life could be a whole lot worse.”
Light up a Life is an annual initiative by City Hospice which invites families and friends to commemorate the lives of loved ones in a Book of Remembrance which is on display at St John the Baptist Church, Cardiff.
For more information, you can visit www.cityhospice.org.uk