Frequency of appointments

Hi Jack

It must be dreadful to have to wait up to 7 weeks for a GP appointment. I am not sure if that applies to you also. I can't complain about my surgery, if I need an appointment, one member of the staff has said to contact her and she'll get me seen on the same day, whether it's a nurse or doctor I don't care. There are 2 emergency appointments for each session of either the nurse or the doctor. It's only a small village surgery around 5 miles away from me in the country. 

I'm on first name terms with the GP staff who answer the phones (there are only three or four) and they are aware of my condition so I get treated favourably. Of course, I never cry wolf, I don't play that game! 

Then Jack, your deafness is a major problem for you. Is there a possibility that if you need an appointment, you could send an email to a particular person or persons, requesting an appointment? Perhaps that could be a step in the right direction to booking an appointment. I hope that your surgery will support that kind of help.

Take care Jack

Tvman xx

HI Tvman

im part of the third largest GP surgery in my county. They have too many patients than they can fit into their appointments. First they quiz you in why you need to see the doctor, then they say one will call back. But the receptionists don’t quiz me and get me into the fastest appointments going. At the moment I’m okay, just my back, the cancer is in my back. Plus the pain of arthritis. I’m with my mum now, in her room. She is declining and very ill. Vet just told her you say hello. He doctor is coming to see her tomorrow. She refuses hospital. I’m doing a bit of crochet. 

Phase anyone ever told you to use your cancer perks? I didn’t know what they were. But they said cancer perks can be useful if there’s no seating, otherthings like that. They tell me to use my cancer and then I would get a seat and such. I’m not comfortable with that. Sounds like queue jumping to me. My doctor keeps saying she expects me to start showing signs of cancer but I don’t. Must be all the travelling and getting on with everything. I know I’m lucky at the moment. Ow are you and your family?

do you have any pets?

Hi everyone, very interesting reading everyone’s points of view and queries. Have just come back from my weekly visit to the hospice revitalised as usual. I got my referral via my community Macmillan nurse and have never spoken to my doctor about the subject. If anyone with terminal cancer is waiting 7 weeks for a gp appointment then quite frankly that’s no good enough, I know at my practice you can get a same day emergency appointment, not necessarily with your named doctor though. Anything cancer related I go through my clinic nurse to access the consultant. It’s a reality in the modern nhs that you have to be very proactive to get the things you need, otherwise it’s easy to fall between the gaps.

Hi Jack

I'm sorry to hear that your mum is deteriorating so badly, I had a little content smile on my face though when you said you told her that I was asking about her. Please do that each time, she doesn't know me from Adam but I think it might give her a little comfort knowing that someone out there cares for her.

As for cancer perks, it's difficult to say to someone on a bus or a train that you have cancer and you would like their seat. They're probably just going to stare back at you and even say that they have cancer themselves, as you know it's a hidden illness.

Regarding benefits or travel discounts by way of a disabled person's railcard or the like, here in Northern Ireland, ANY cancer qualifies you as being disabled, or another way to put it is having a disability. Entrance fees or similar, allow people to get a deduction although I find the deduction is exactly the same as a senior discount. I believe that it's only what is described as serious (possibly life threatening) cancers that qualify people in GB as having a disability.

I'm at the hospital now for my cancer appointment and I've just found out that I'm not neutropenic this time, so that's a relief. My daughter, son in law and only grandchild are arriving on the 9th January for a few days and I'm really looking forward to seeing them, especially my grandson, 3½ yr old Harry. We have a fairly large dog, a soft coated Irish Wheaten Terrier, to give him his full title, called Conan (which means dog, in Irish we understand). He will have a great time with young Harry and just right now I don't know which of the two to feel sorry for, time will tell!

Two years ago this April coming, my wife bought me a tropical fish tank out of the blue. I kept them in my youth, and also in my early years of marriage. I hadn't had any for a good 35 years until she presented me with the tank. They are pacifying to look at, although almost each breed has a pecking order, so I find that because of the pecking order, the head of the breed will chase its lower placed of the breed almost constantly which is slightly annoying because I want them all to live in peace, but that's nature for you! 

Well, that was a long post, it's hard to know where to stop. 

I have to give you great credit Jack, for your determination in going to see your mum. It's quite a journey and you are a wonderful daughter for doing that. Your mum has brought you up well, that's for sure. Take care, Jack.

Tvman xx

Just one problem. My mother was recently in hospital for a fortnight and the staff said that they could not contact me by mobile phone or email, due to procedures. The same is said of my surgery. My dentist on the other hand contacts me by email. Even all the reminders. I had to give my friend’s contact number to the hospital, she is deeply livid over it. I just show up at the doctors. My next appointment is on Monday. I get my latest results on my cancer blood tests. I already have the results, each sample on my test is stating well over the normal range. Especially the gamma one. But I don5 understand it. But I 7nderstand the over range bits. 

  I agree a lot of the discussions, I feel are relative to me also, which is why I read them and sometimes reply without paying attention to the Group name! If I think I have something to say, I tend to just say it and really hope no one takes offence!

tvman I've just read your post here that said you are NOT neutropenic! That is terrific news, you must be very relived!

 Please let your mum know there a lot of people here asking how she is and I hope it's a comfort to her and you!

I shall tell her. I told her about Tvman’s key situation, the pyjamas wedding, shown her Johnty’s photos.etc. Went to see the social services, telling them how ill my mum is. Y mum is doing something weird. But it’s not the first time I have witnessed it. I have seen it happen with my Grandmother, Frank, my boyfriend. Now my mum is doing it. She keeps falling asleep, uncomfortable one at that, then she keeps opening her eyes to look at something in the room, like she is watching someone or something I can’t see. Then I’d ask her if she wants help. She shakes her head, saying no, to okay, then repeats it. It’s like she is seeing a person that no one else can see. It’s weird. But my hospice did once say that when some people die in the hospice, they communicate with others that they can’t see. It even mentions it on the Marie Curie website. But I will tell her you all want to pass on your regards. Thanks

Here’s another picture of my mum. I love the way she laughs.

I had better get a rocket up the Divorce Courts A*&e then so you can show you mum a PJ wedding picture.

I remember by Nan when she was in hospital, when I visited her one day, she asked me why I had brought and Indian Chief with me and why did I have an apple on my head !

A lovely picture of you mum.  Also as others have said please let her know we are thinking of her.

To all on this thread, (actually to all),  have a lovely weekend enjoy the relatively mild weather.  It is my friend Birthday today so we are going to a nice local garden centre for breakfast and a bit of retail therapy.

I can’t visit my mum at the moment because I’m down with a bad cold, and headache. I’m in bed. Fingers crossed I see her tomorrow. Thanks