When the bowel screening kit arrived through the post my husband decided that he did not need to send it off as he had a full medical in April prior to his retirement and there were no problems with his health. I persuaded him to do the test anyway. 10 days later we received a letter saying that there was hidden blood in the test and that he had to have further tests but only 1/10 would have cancer. Off we went to Falkirk hospital and 2 hours later in the most awful way we were told that this was bowel cancer. No privacy, (in fact the other people in the ward were part of the conversation between the doctor and us) no leaflets, no phone numbers of helplines in fact the time taken for the doctor to tell us and the nurse to tell my husband to get dressed and to go home was about 8 minutes!We were dumbstruck. I drove home as we cried together. My husband phoned our children (all away from home) and also his Mum and my Dad. What dreadful news to have to break to them 14 days before Christmas. The hospital said that we would get a letter sometime about an appointment for a scan. I asked if this would be before the festive holidays but nobody could answer that. I took it upon myself to do anything to speed up appointments. I also decided that we would have all surgery/treatment in Edinburgh because I was disgusted by the way we had been treated in Falkirk Hospital By the following week I had arranged a CT scan and then we saw the consultant the next week to get the reults. The cancer was only in the bowel and had not spread to any other organs. The appointment for surgey was to be the end of Jan'10, but for some reason it was taken forward to 9th Jan. Surgery went well and he was out of hospital in 5 days. 6 weeks later he has now started a 6 month programme of Chemotherapy. So far there has been no side effects but its very early days.Just thinking now about the difference in the care given from hospital to hospital. For us we made the right decision to have surgery and treatment in Edinburgh even though it means a 60 mile round trip for each appointment
FormerMember
I'm so glad your husband did the bowel screening test and got a diagnosis early before there was any spread, but sorry to hear that falkirk hos were so insensitive. Well done to you for finding somewhere more suitable! We shouldn't have to fight for the proper treatment but we do so stay strong.
Thank goodness you persuaded your husband to do the test. I had surgery for bowel cancer in June 09 and have just completed 6 months of chemotherapy (oxaliplatin and capecitabine). It has gone very quickly and at the end of my treatment the Oncologist informed me that I am considered cured.
It is amazing how care can be so different from hospital to hospital. I'm sure the 60 mile round trip was well worth the effort to ensure your husband got the best of care. It's a shame that we have to do that.
Wishing your husband all the very best with his treatment and look forward to hearing good news in 6 months time!
Thanks all for your good wishes. Hopefully my husband will be cured of this terrible disease and we can get on with our lives. Having been to Oncology it made us realise that he is so lucky compared to some. I'm now looking into how I can use my skills (aromatherapy/reflexology) to help hubby and also maybe others. I had to give up my business due to ill health, but maybe I could help in some way. I did think about complaining to NHS about the way we were treated, but just now I am going to use my energy helping my husband get through his chemo and hopefully on to a full recovery.
