Good news today at J's scan results appointment. There has been significant reduction in the size of all of his tumours. Some in the chest and neck have just about gone. The one in his abdomen is still the biggest but it has reduced appropriately in size. There are no new areas of the disease. His back is the same, but the consultant said that was to be expected because the disease can leave abnormalities...
...If I'm sounding a bit vague here towards the end, it is because as usual things were fairly chaotic with our dear consultant. Its a shame to have to complain on such an auspicious day, but it really wasnt a very good do.
For a start he was an hour late. J should have been in at 9.20. At 9.15 his consultant was seen sprinting into his office. The packed waiting room all laughed. J and i were sure he would be second in. He wasn't. He was 4th and it was 10.15 when he finally got in.
Then the consultant, who was clearly flustered and in a rush, asked J if he had had a CT scan yet! "Erm yes, that's why we are here." Right rummage rummage through the emails and there is the report, so he opens it up and we all three read it together for the first time! I did not like this. I want him to know before us. What if it was bad news? I didn't like it at all. He really rushed through it too, and spent most of the time showing J the pictures on the screen, comparing the 2 scans. I suppose that was quite interesting, but it wasn't easy for us two to make anything out. I would have preferred to spend more time on the words.
Then before we knew it he was ushering us out of the office. I did manage to ask him about the missing stomach drug last time and he looked fairly horrified and said john should have had it. I told him what the nurse had said that it was because he was on a lower dose of the steroid and he just looked confused, so I don't even know if J was supposed to have been on a lower dose of the steroid. He said if there are any other things wrong like that we have to ring his secretary, rather than asking on the ward. This is all well and good but me and J have to know there is something wrong first to ask.
I've given it some thought and have decided to email him to ask if he can send us a list of exactly what J should have in his pack and what dosage. I think I might also ask if he could send the CT report so that we can read it properly. Wonder if this is allowed? We normally only find out what's what 3 weeks later when he sends J's GP a letter telling her more coherently what we've discussed at appointments...
Dear oh dear. But good news today, and hopefully just 62.5 more days to go!
