In praise and thanks to the staff of our NHS

I'd like to take my fanzine approach a step further. In early May I discovered a lump under my jaw/ear. This swollen gland was still there a week or so later so I made a call to my GP. They offered me an appointment the next day but I was golfing in Fife so I took the next one which was the following Tuesday, May 28th. Next up a fantastic locum decided it merited further consireation so referred me for bloods, X-rays and the Lump clinic. The next day I phoned for the X-ray but it had been cancelled as the lead GP decided it would be best left to the lump clinic to decide on the action. On the wednesday, 29th I got the bloods done. The lump clinic appointment came through almost immediately and my wife opened the envelope and then asked when was I going to tell her. Ha ha, caught out. I duly had an endoscopy and ultrasound followed by biopsies on June 21st. The NHS are certainly moving faster than I did in early May when I wondered whether it was worth bothering about. I got referred for a CT scan by the consultant at Lauriston and a week later on July 3rd, had had the CT scan and was receiving the news that indeed there were cancerous cells, pappalomavirus, whatever else we'd find ot with the PET scan. Being unfamiliar I just took the good news that we were in early. This cancer camino is fast moving I chuckled. Next thing its July 16th and Im having my PET scan. I'm a tad claustrophobic. I was never into S & M as I didn't really want to be tied up and as soon as my body is locked into position panic pokes it wee way into parts of my brain. I occupied my brain with numbers. Not quite the 243 times table I had during the vasectomy but I kept counting backwards and laughing at the thought of telling the story later. Now its July 17th and I'm waiting for the next steps of my camino. I'm thinking radiation may be involved but I've stuck stoically to the speclation is silly and when we here facts they will be acted on. I feel like I'm getting fantastic treatment. I'm sure some people would know of less successful ventures but I'd like to tell my story as I've encountered a lot of fantastic caring professionals who know their job and have kept me informed and moving through the diagnostic process. I am on this camino for whatever length of time and to say I'm enjoying the journey would be to overstate it. I'm in admiration of the professionals I've enountered on the journey and the knowledge I'm picking up. Who knew the PET scanner was in the basement and that you had to sit in a small room while yo were injected with the radioactive solution that would help highlight where the cancer had spread or where it was hiding. I must try and learn the correct terminology. The politicains have kicked the NHS political football about but they keep forgetting how good some of us find the experience. If I was to moan it is nearly 3 months, the first answer I would give under oath is I sat on my hands for the first month. The second answer I would give is its less than 6 weeks from referal. This is diagnosing a problem that, happily, in many cases the answer comes back no problem. That speed of analysis is phenomenal in my view. We only have limited resources to diagnose but as you process through the diagnostic train you see how well oiled it is. Could it be better, I guess if you have machines operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and paid 3 times as much for another 3 shifts of nurses, radiographers, consultants etc but then that would involve immigration. I dont know the hours these machines can be used, are they like Taxis or Ryanair planes or do they need downtime to cool down. I look at this infrastructure as I'm lying claustrophobic inside what is a fairly ok donut if I just opened my eyes through the prism of maximising its benefit. I'm thinking if you wanted to use it more you dont just need more staff you need the full security required with 24 hours opening. I'm thinknig loads of things, but most of all, I'm thinking thank fuck its over when the radiographer calls through well done Al, thats it done. Ha Ha, oh what a lot goes throgh my ears in 30 minutes.

So that was good and then I turned up for my answers at oncology. I laughed that here we were on my Dad's 92nd birthday and the best present I could get him was on its way. Treatable yes, while teeth and tonsils no. They will be in the way of the radiation. So next stop was to be the dentist. My own dentist had been well ahead of the game when she suggested a full X-ray to ensure there was no dental reason for the lump. As the X-ray shows my teeth are shocking and the two sleeping wisdom teeth could well cause problems, wisely thought the dentist at the Western.

I concur and along with the rest of my teeth I said they can all go.

We don't know the pathway the radiation will take as they haven't found the primary. The Pet scan revealed nothing which was good news of a sort.

So I'm off to St Johns to get the tonsils and the teeth out. How many I'll find out when I wake up.

I had my pre op assessment yesterday and was delighted my BMI at 35 has me as over weight not obese. I also found out from the ECG I have a good heart. I just wish my 100 units of alcohol a week was regarded better. Abstinence is not my strong suit but a few days of 0-1 pint will doubtless help my chances of not sleeping through the 3 days after my op. 

It'll be July 31st when I wake up a toothless wonder, aka the gummy grinner. It's then likely to be 3 weeks until radiotherapy commences. How much and for how long I don't know but I'm in good hands and delighted to say I've got a good heart.

Would anyone like a pint.