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Original poster

gingeroots...how are you doing?

61 replies

Elibean · 09/03/2013 19:08

I'm sorry, I looked for your original post but couldn't find it.

Hope the waiting is easier now, and that you get some reassurance soon xx

OP posts:
Twosugarsplease · 15/03/2013 17:30

Hi ginger I see you are waiting too !
Thankyou for your support in my thread, re: my dp.
Really hope you get some news soon.

gingeroots · 15/03/2013 18:37

It's a c**p time isn't it 2sugars ?

But I know my experience is mild compared to yours and many others !

Feel such a wimp for not coping better and I'm boring even myself going on like this .

Eli I don't think he's inventing holidays ,nothing like that .

But to bring forward a scan designed to check if the cancer ( we don't know if I have ) has spread so that he can see it before he goes on holiday ?

But I really think that's enough from me at the moment .

Original poster
Elibean · 15/03/2013 20:17

Nothing of the sort, Ginger - you're perfectly normal being worried, and most of us have been through similar horrid waits and get it completely Smile

I suppose, though, because of that crappy communication of his, you don't really know what or why the consultant is doing anything. That's the problem, really. I think he'd want any scans he'd ordered brought forward, for someone on a fast track, wouldn't he?

I just think the really dodgy bit is that he talked about checking for spread etc when he actually hadn't got any biopsy results back or seen anything more conclusive than a 'narrowing'. Lots of ifs and buts in there, either that or he's really not communicating clearly Confused

Either way, you are almost certainly not going to get any results over the weekend....so I wish you superhuman strength in putting it all in a box labelled 'later', so you can get some rest and hopefully relax a bit for a day or two! Happy to sit on the lid of said box for you if it helps...

OP posts:
zen1 · 15/03/2013 20:32

gingeroots, I have been following your threads and just wanted to say that I completely empathise with you regarding the waiting for results. You must be going out of your mind with worry and as ssd has said, the NHS administration just doesn't take into account how worried patients get about receiving results.

I remember waiting for a phone call from my GP once and was told he would ring me "sometime during the next week" and in the end I had to turn the ringer off on my phone because it got to the stage that I was jumping out of my skin everytime it rang. I even spent long hours out of the house so I didn't have to answer the phone!

As far as them changing the date of your scan is concerned, it could just be that if you were referred under a cancer pathway (and many, many people are who turn out not to have cancer), they have to meet certain targets as far as carrying out tests within certain time frames. If your consultant is away on the date for which the scan was originally scheduled, it is likely that to have rescheduled you for a week later would have 'breached' the targets (that would be a black mark against the Trust) so they have had to fit you in earlier instead.

Also, I don't like your consultants comment that he "doesn't want anyone else to be involved" in your care. You have choices in your treatment and can request a second opinion or even request to be referred to a different hospital if that is your wish.

I am thinking of you.

gingeroots · 15/03/2013 21:29

Thank you Elibean and Zen .

Actually I think I'll feel better at the weekend as I wont be waiting for the phone to ring all the time .

Ahh - targets ! Now that has the ring of an explanation . I really think that might explain this odd rescheduling .

I feel so much better for that information .

Thank heavens for MN Smile

I have heard of a couple of cases at this hospital where gall bladder ops were farmed out to private hospitals because it was cheaper to bear that cost than for the hospital to pain the fine incurred by exceeding the waiting list time .

Surreal or what ?

gingeroots · 15/03/2013 21:30

pain = pay

gingeroots · 18/03/2013 17:04

Ok ,just this minute had phone call from the consultants nurse to say that after scan tomorrow there will be appointment at 1pm to see consultant .

She says he will have scan results and biopsy results and will discuss .

She says ( in answer to my question ) that they have the biopsy results but that " it's like a cake and they're not ready yet " .

Saints preserve us ,who does she think she's talking to ? Someone in reception ?

"They're on the system but not available " .

I'm not feeing good about this - but who knows ,maybe it's a little complicated and needs explaining .

gingeroots · 18/03/2013 17:16

She also apologised for time scale between scan and appointment and suggested I could pass the time by browsing the local shops in .....Camberwell Green .

Which ,if you don't know the area ,think inner city ,depressing ,busy traffic junction ,with no shops you would want to browse and quite a few broken people wandering around .

Thinks to self

magso · 18/03/2013 19:03

I'll be thinking of you. Hope you find something absorbing to do while you wait.

lisad123everybodydancenow · 18/03/2013 19:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PeachyPossum · 18/03/2013 20:56

Thinking of you tomorrow lovely, and tonight xx

Original poster
Elibean · 19/03/2013 14:09

Thinking of you right now, Ginger, and hoping all is clearer - and good.

Camberwell Green for shopping? ShockConfused

I can hear she meant well, but...

OP posts:
gingeroots · 19/03/2013 15:05

Thanks for all the kind thoughts .

Glad you understand about Camberwell Green elibean .

And ...yes, it appears to be cancer .

And ,as I'm sure anyone who has been there will know - first appointment seems to raise more questions than answers .

Very small nodule ,hopefully caught early .

Initial reading of scans ( by possibly misjudged consultant who said he was not a radiographer or whatever the specialist is that reads scans ) seem good with no evident spread .

So another endoscopy tomorrow for bigger samples , then wait to hear treatment plan once decided by team .

lisad123everybodydancenow · 19/03/2013 15:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Elibean · 19/03/2013 15:44

Damn and blast. I'm sorry it wasn't nothing, Ginger, and at the same time very glad it seems small and caught early - in which case, it really should be very treatable.

They seem to be acting fast for you, which is good - the sooner you have an action plan and all the facts, the sooner you will start to be able to come out of the shock and deal with it all, I suspect. Meantime, holding paws (if you want paw holding) for tomorrow's endo: I seem to remember you didn't like the first one, in which case I think you're entitled to ask for whatever anaesthesia you like! I did, when I had an endo, and although consultant 'disapproved' I got my way Wink

Lisa is right, stay away from Google if you can - easily said I know - most of the info will be out of date, and not applicable to you personally. xx

OP posts:
PeachyPossum · 19/03/2013 15:56

So sorry it wasn't better news ginger x I'm glad the initial reading of te sans appears to show no spread, I hope this is right. Sorry if I missed it but where is the nodule located?

How was the consultant with you today, did he improve on his mannerisms/ seem more supportive? I hope so.

Lots of hand holding here x

gingeroots · 19/03/2013 16:43

In my throat peachy .

I've not quite forgiven consultant but he did seem better today ,but old fashioned .

I think to do his job you must have to adopt a protective personae and his is kind of flamboyant ,god like . Suspect he's more human in one to one mtgs ,like today and that he puts on a show in front of a crowd/lower ranks .

I couldn't do his job ,that's for sure .

FancyPuffin · 19/03/2013 16:59

So sorry you haven't had good news gingeroots I've been lurking with my fingers crossed for you.

Will continue to cross everything for a positive scan tomorrow.

((((Puffin Hugs))))

Twosugarsplease · 19/03/2013 17:29

I'm sorry it wasn't better news today ginger
Hoping you get more positive news after your endo.
Dh and I went to his 'results' appointment today..
As you can imagine the build up and worry, dh comes out and says results are not back yet !!!!!
They will be in touch when they are.
If only they bloody knew what it feels like to be on the recieving end.
Thinking of you ginger.

thekingfisher · 19/03/2013 19:50

ginger roots sorry things were not as hoped for. Fingercrossed for your endoscopy tomorrow and remeber to tell them that you don't tolerate them well and they need to give you PLENTY of sedation. perhaps whoever goes in with you can act as your advocate in that capacity I did for my DH, they gave him so much he slept for 4 hours afterwards and i had to wait around for him for ages to take him home - on the plus side he remembered very little of the treatment.

Good luck and strength
xxx

zen1 · 19/03/2013 20:36

Very sorry to read this news ginger. Fingers crossed for you that it can be swiftly dealt with and that you have good news after your scan tomorrow. Will be thinking of you,

Walnutcakelover · 19/03/2013 20:46

Hi ginger really sorry to hear the news about your diagnosis. Good luck for tomorrow, you will be fine, thinking of you. xxx

Inaminutenow · 19/03/2013 22:14

Sorry that it wasn't better news, ginger. Good luck tomorrow!

PeachyPossum · 20/03/2013 06:51

Thinking of you today ginger x

My surgeon was a bit like that, really off and curt for a few years, then when we actually had to get more one to one with treatment and stuff he was completely different.

I hope today goes as well as can be xx

Original poster
Elibean · 20/03/2013 15:36

Also thinking of you today, Ginger. Hope it went more easily than the last one, and brings some reassurance and a speedy route to treatment. xx

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