Being handed results

After finding a sizeable lump under my armpit, many horrible thoughts ran through my mind, the first, obviously, was cancer. As I put off visiting the doctors I allowed myself too much time to think and not enough time for practicalities. I did, however (with the help of an extremely pushy, but wonderful girlfriend) finally make the appointment. As the first reaction to my lump from the doctor was "Oh,dear", I knew it probably wasn't good. An emergency referral later and I was seated with a consultant at a rather large hospital local to me. After a CT scan and warning of impending surgery I was on my way home, with a future appointment for results and a biopsy operation pencilled in. A week later, with CT results in, I found myself back in the waiting room of clinic 3. My name was called and I was told of a second lump that was found, tucked away behind the first and that surgery was going to go ahead in five days time. The surgery was done in the same hospital without very much drama at all, with me de-lumped and home within the day, all be it sore and tender. The hard bit was next with what seems a lifetimes wait for my results. And this is where the 'fun' began. After being told the results would be approx 7-10 days, on the 7th day I called the hospital. No results, and expectedly so really. Although the consultants secretary did say she would chase them up and call me back...didn't happen. So, on the 10th day (which happened to be a friday)I called again. "Ah, Mr.Hickling" said the secretary, "good news, your results have arrived and are now sat on the consultants desk". "Great", I replied, "when can I receive them?" "I'm afraid the consultant has gone home early, so it won't be until next week now", she said. "So you want me to sit here, all weekend with the worry of having cancer, now knowing my results are sat on his desk, and he has gone home without looking at them?". "I'm sorry Mr. Hickling there's nothing I can do today" "We'll can we at least get ahead a bit and make an appointment now for next week, so I know when I WILL be able to see them?" I asked. "I can't do that until authorised by the consultant I'm afraid" she replied. "Well when will HE see the results?" "I'll try and get him to look at them on Monday for you Mr. Hickling, then we should be able to get an appointment sorted." She answered. I was now starting to get just a tad cross. "Can I suggest...", I started, "that, being his secretary and with me being worried sick about having cancer, you bloody well MAKE SURE he sees them on Monday and that I get a f*#+king phone call to explain to me what is going on and when I will be getting my results, thankyou." "Oh...well....yes, yes. Of course Mr.Hickling. I mean, talk about a not bothered attitude, she must have been able to tell I was in a blind panic about the results, and was, how shall we say, 'on the edge'. Anyway, Monday arrived and the inevitable call came through from the consultant asking me to go through to the hospital the following afternoon for my results. I was surprisingly calm, even though I hadn't slept that night, And stupidly went to get the results alone. I sat, yet again, in clinic 3 twiddling my thumbs nervously when my name was called. Now I don't know what the correct procedure for giving out bad news through cancer biopsy results are, but I'm sure it's not the way I was told. "Come in Mr. Hickling" said the consultant, and strangely, as I looked around I could see that he had invited what appeared to be TWO students in to see how results were given. Not something I had agreed to or even been asked about. "We have your results Mr. Hickling and it seems your biopsy show you have cancer, one called Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Now we will be treating this chemotherapy and if you could hand this piece of paper to reception, they will make the necessary appointments for you to see someone about this." And that was that, he handed me the paperwork and opened the door for me. From being called into his room to being sat in my car in the car park, a gibbering wreck, took approximately 8 minutes, 5 of which was walking back to the car. Now I'm no expert, but I would class this as being extremely un-professional. What do you guys think.