My Dad attended his GP in in late 2020 with pains in his back after moving a heavy object. They diagnosed muscular strain and Dad was happy with that. A number of weeks later, the pain had not subsided and he started to pee blood. He went back to his GP who ran a series of blood tests (that came back completely normal) checked his prostate (again, normal) and sent him for a scan of his kidneys, he got the results back the very same day.
On the day Dr Senior told my dad that he suspected a suspicious mass in his kidney, he left my dad feeling heard, respected and above all, safe in the knowledge that he was going to do everything in his power to help. Dad said he felt like Dr Senior was his own private physician.
Dad had been diagnosed a few weeks later with poorly differentiated renal carcinoma diagnosed at the Beatson in Glasgow - they suspected CDC was the cause, a very rare and highly aggressive cancer. Within a few weeks my dad had metatastatic spread in his liver, hip bone, lung and spine. The latter paralysed him from the chest down. Dr Senior called the ward he was on on a number of occasions to speak with his oncologist Dr Garcia. When we got Dad home after great efforts put in place by the whole Beatson team, Dr Senior and the East Kilbride DN’s, Dr Senior visited a number of times to ensure his palliative care was in place well. He took innumerable phone calls from my sister and I while we endeavoured to ensure my dad was comfortable.
My parents have attended the same GP surgery in all of its incarnations since the 1970’s - I’ve never heard my Dad heap so much praise on a single GP from that practice as he did for Dr Senior. He said “he’s special, there’s not many people like him in the world, never mind doctors”. My family have been comforted by a man we hardly know at the most devastating point in our lives. Dad passed away on 30th March. He wasn’t scared, and knew that all that could have been done, had. Dr Senior removed fear from a dying man, and anger from a grieving family and we will be forever in his debt.
"Dads care during his illness"
About: Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre Glasgow G12 0YN General practices in Lanarkshire General practices in Lanarkshire
Posted by ThatGeorgina (as ),
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