The evening of 21 December, I had long chats with relatives and decided to stuff everything and book Christmas. I could alter things if suddenly I were to have surgery but it would be very unlikely given the length of time things were taking so far and the complete lack of action so far.
I booked flights, airport parking, New Year visits to friends and a big party, and the shopping. I arranged to fly from London to avoid…
Come Wednesday 21 December, loving people were badgering me (reasonably, but not quite as helpful as they might have assumed) to say what I was going to be doing for Christmas, so they might feel a bit more confident I would be okay. I kept saying, could I wait until after seeing the fabled plastic surgeon who would do my breast reconstruction op. He would (as everyone on the medics side kept saying) surely give me a…
That evening, after the revelatory but traumatising oncology discussion, I set off on a rapid tour of the UK going anti-clockwise, to catch up with friends and family before Christmas, ostensibly simply to cry at/with/by them, but mainly show them I was still in one piece and 'coping'. It was the most positive thing I could possibly have done and cheered me up hugely to see everyone, share lots of hugs and laughs…
I have a history of going to GPs and other medics and being told I am showing them either the wrong symptom or that the symptoms I have do not equate to either anything or anything they recognise. Either way, as the patient, I am in the wrong.
On 14 December, I went off to see the GP. The GP accused me of having unintelligible notes. This was my fault. It was also my fault he was a locum and having to read up my notes…
Yesterday the post came. It delivered a letter from the third hospital saying I was having an appointment with the plastic surgeon two weeks earlier than previously advertised, on Wednesday, 21 Dec. At the same time, I got a note confirming the oncology meeting this Friday, 16 Dec, and a note from my GP saying my blood tests were abnormal and could I come in for 'a chat'. That would be the chat I tried to arrange…
