If I didn't have cancer I would be able to do that...but then again I wouldn't be asked so many times to do it either. This all started around 6/7th Sept 2011,I noticed a pain in my ribs...not too bad so I thought I must have lay funny, something like that but on the 8th I was clearing my throat and up pops some phlegm....and it has a very tiny amount of blood in it. Ah says I ...to myself....that doesn't look good, now I have to say I am not one for going to the doctors because they tend to give you tablets to take and do a lot of prodding and poking about,but in this case i thought it wise to pop down and see them. That is usually easier said than done at my surgery but when asked what the problem was I was given an almost instant appointment. Anyway goes in to see a very nice young man who is almost straight from the hospital so full of energy etc and very thorough,listens to my chest and prounounces it clear,which always happens even though I had smoked for years. He then expresses concern about the blood saying it could be a clot and says it really needs checking out at the hospital where they have the proper facilities then shooos me out of the room to make a call telling me to make arrangments for transport immediatly. So there I am in the waiting room trying to get a signal on the phone but not really worried as yet after all it was only a bit of blood. I eventually get someone to take me to the hospital at Blackburn where I am told I would have to wait approx 4-6 hrs for various tests to be completed and it was here I first heard those words....take a deep breath and hold it, Much later after all these various tests I was allowed home with a bag full of drugs for the infection which apparently was causing the pain and hiding an underlying shadow, but made to promise to chase up on an appointment that would be made for me at the chest clinic....not to leave it longer than a couple of days if I didn't hear anything,yah yah I thought, this is the NHS we are talking about here but on the following day Friday I received a call from the hospital to say I was to go to Burnley on the Monday. Still no alarm bells ringing but i was thinking, well a clot can travel pretty quick so maybe that is the problem. Phweew just read through and I am only at day one and exhausted now so will have to try again another day..... but perhaps I had better let that breath out now...before I go blue . XXXXX Colette
