Took painkiller just prior to leaving the house this morning and by the time we got to the hospital I was anesthetized and wavering along the corridors like a soton student on a Friday night :-) MRI was uneventful as the nice man doing them was wonderful. We talked about the idle PET scanner which I found out was close to his heart, and the fact that it had been installed 3 and a half years back and the hospital kept saying no to employing ......three administrators...talk about criminal, as there are three people, including my MRI man who can work the darn thing. His Father in law is 82 and has pancreatic cancer and has had to go to Dublin three times in the last 6 months - having had to wait 5 months initially for the first scan and they booked in the three scans at the same time otherwise he said his FIL might not have 'been here' at all waiting for a scan!
Anyway, he said there was a 'mass of something' where I told you I had the latest lump and to be sure and get it sorted.
So, I went upstairs to the breast clinic and who do I see....the same intimidating breast care nurse I saw last Thursday. SO, was soft spoken (yes, me...!) and polite to the extreme. She was not. She poked around and said it was not an infection and not fluid and was 'normal'. I asked her if she was 100% sure about that and she said that the surgeon who operated on me poor titty was around and would I like to see her. I like this surgeon very much, she makes me laugh and I have her in 'stitches'. She's lovely. So the surgeon came bouncing in - really - and gave me a kiss on the cheek and sat on the bed with me. She had a look and said 'Oh my God, my work is wonderful isn't it!' I said could I please have the titty back :-) She had a good look and GENTLE poke and said it was fine and expected that it would go like this and there was no fluid and wasn't the human body great that it got rid of all the fluid so expertly. She said that she was sorry I hadn't been told about the radiologist but there hadn't been time. I had to go see him as he would have to connect with a radiologist in soton and not the oncologist that had already been in contact. I said ok and she asked when the appt was and I said three this afternoon.
She said she would go talk to the 'luverly' breast care nurse (oh no) and ask her to contact radiology and see if he couldn't see me sooner to save me waiting around all day. She gave me another hug and was very sincere in asking about Tony, wishing me a safe trip to the UK and said 'What wonderful friends they are in soton, aren't you so lucky!...... :-) She said she would pray for me and hoped I got on flying in the cancer journey and would be sorry to see me go as she liked coming to see me because it was like taking a coffee break! Gave me a hug and off she went.
Sat there for 45 minutes and then got up and went to the reception and asked whether luverly breast care nursie was around and the recep said she was in a room and would I wait. I did. LBCN came out and I said could I see her a minute. She tutted and walked off to get another bad boobie lady into a room and returned to me.
What is it Maureen?
I wanted to ask you whether the surgeon had spoken with you about radiology?
SHOUTING she answered, in full hearing of about 20 or so ladies and their hubbies or whatever......THIS IS VERY BUSY BREAST CARE CLINIC!
I was so shocked at her words and the intimidation she was yet again causing me that I simply said
I'm aware of that (not shouting)
She answered: 'Well, what is it you want now then!'
I just looked her in the eye and said it was ok and didn't matter, turned and walked away.
Went outside and called Don from the shopping centre opposite and he came to pick me up. Went to Tesco's and Boots and came home, not having seen the radiologist. I was so upset and shocked by her attitude, which was on par with the same attitude she had last week, that it actually took a while to stop shaking and bursting into tears.
There is simply no defence for an attitude like that. But I guess it just melts in with the entire catalogue of events I've experienced at that hospital. there are about four people I've met there that have been great - the rest have been nasty. I'll just try and sort it with SUHT once I am over. I'm going to call SUHT tomorrow perhaps and ask whether they have my file etc... I might mention the radio bit, or wait until I'm there as the radio apparently does not start until after chemo has finished...bugger, I thought I had escaped radio - get over chemo and then have loads of other cells destroyed. But the one cancer was attached to the chest wall and had access to blood vessels etc...still, radio was not mentioned to me at all....never mind.
So ends the cancer journey in Ireland at his hospital, as I will not be going back between now and next week.
The dear friends in Southampton found me a flat last night. 1 bedroom, sufficient for now as Tony could have the lounge as his room when he comes to stay, but I think that I will move on once I know he is coming for sure and hopefully it will be not too long, ut we can do with thisplace for as long as it takes. It's got security facilities, ground floor, lovelt little kitchen, bathroom, lounge, bedroom and hallway. Secure hallway outside to front door for each of the flats on each floor 4 flats, 2 stories only!) So I've just booked the car ferry and we're away next thursday night!
SOME things are coming together nicely..... :-))
