Why me?

Didn't know what to call this one, but that title seems appropriate.  Okay, draws a deep breath...

When I saw the chemotherapy oncologist I got the impression things would happen reasonably quickly, sure I needed a few tests (kidneys, hearing, lungs) before we start, but those can be taken care of whilst my oncologist was on holiday.  I left that meeting with him that I'd be starting 1st September (Wednesday), so I was somewhat surprised to have come home today and still not received any formal notification of that start date.

I ring up and... what do you know?  I'm not on the in-patients system.  So that causes a slight flap and a few more phonecalls, and now I am (apparently nothing more malicious than a small mistake).  Okay, so I am on the system, now the next part of the saga... I understood that I was to have another CT scan before we start (to see whether my lump has grown or not) and I have an appointment for that - 17:00 on 1st September; now I'm no expert but that seems somewhat late in the day if I am supposed to start my therapy on the Wednesday morning.  So I query this and what do you know... they don't know anything about that appointment and whether it should be before, or after the start of the therapy, and the consultant is on holiday and no body seems to know - until next week.  The lady I spoke did confirm that I had a CT scan appointment in the system, but I knew that, what I don't know is whether or not it should be before the start of the chemotherapy or not.

And that's where I am - waiting for what should be simple information, but being frustrated (and concerned - they are supposed to be professionals) about the whole thing.  I am feeling my blood pressure going up...

It's good to have friends

As we're in the internet-age, I tend to keep people informed through emails.  And so it has been with this little episode of my life.  I've got a (small) number of social networks (ex-work colleagues, club-friends and so forth), so I've spent a bit of time emailing each of these groups with the "bombshell" that is my ongoing TC saga.

And from these emails I've have a host of responses and to a man/woman they've all been really good.  So this little post is basically to say a BIG THANK YOU to those people - I didn't send out the original(s) with the eye on a begging bowl for complements/good luck messages, but it does fill me with good feelings to receive the positive replies.

A Hidden Perk

Admittedly I'd rather not be in the position of being able to accept this perk.  That said it would have been nice for someone to tell me about it 18 months ago.

And the perk is...?

Well apparently if you are a cancer patient then according to some literature I was given (about my impending chemotherapy) there was a line that said cancer patients could receive free prescriptions.  Now today I was on the telephone to my local surgery and I queried this, to which the reply was "Yes, you do I'll find a form for you...".  Well I've been diagnosed for a year and a half and no one (not GPs, oncologists, health insurance, urologists, endocrinologists, the list goes on...) thought to mention it.

So for any readers in the UK, have a look at http://www.macmillan.org.uk/GetInvolved/Campaigns/PrescriptionCharges/Prescription_charges_campaign%20.aspx

Can GPs be trusted?

Given my recent history, you'd have thought they'd have paid a bit more attention to my (apparent) water infection.  In transpires I didn't have (never had) one - it's a manifestation of my (recently grown) tumour.  So rather than being another month down the line with little action, I could have finished my first cycle of chemotherapy now.

Perhaps I shouldn't be too judgemental, and some (a lot?) of the blame here should go on my shoulders.  However if your supposed to be a doctor, then perhaps you should read the patient notes and come to an informed opinion, rather than assume some ache/pain is just normal...

Enough about you, let's talk about me...

Well it's my bit of the internet, so I can!  This is really a quick catch-up for people I know and, rather than send out several emails to my various groups, I am going to post most of my thoughts here.

A quick bit of history, earlier this year I was diagnosed with a pure teratoma and was appropriately operated.  As is common in Europe the normal form of follow-up treatment is one of several surveillance protocols (methods), and so I've been monitored.  Unfortunately (or not as the case may be) my last surveillance visit highlighted a lump on one of my abdominal lympth nodes (periaotic) and hence the next phase of my treatment/life starts - the need for some chemotherapy.

Interestingly coinciding with the growth of this lump I also started/had an attack of some urinary infection.  Now I don't know (am seeing a urologist soon) but I strongly suspect that that infection is a symptom of this lump.  I don't know for definite, but as I don't get urine infections and it is in exactly the "same" place as my lump, my adding up of 2 + 2 comes to 4.

Today I had my pre-chemo kidney blood test(s) and am awaiting Mr Chemotherapy consultant to write to me in the next couple of days, something in the post to look forward to...

Prelude

This is a quick introduction about me and this blog.  I am in the unlikely position of having twice had testicular cancer, and am now at a stage of relapse and am awaiting some chemotherapy.

This whole situation is somewhat of a disappointment, however in life (as I am learning) you have to deal with the obstacles that get put in your way; and that's what I am doing.

So this little blog is about my progress through the realms of chemotherapy and my road to recovery and "good health" again.  So onwards and upwards...