I feel so scared at the moment as I feel well again after my first TURBT. I now have to go again to the hospital for second TURBT Tuesday.
I will go onto half pay if I have to have time off sick and this is stressing me out.
Planning around children (single parent) and working full time is hard without having to put in place contingency plans for appointments which are notified days in advance.
I am frightened of BCG treatment which starts September.\
I would much rather just go to work look after my daughters and pay my bills
What if I have been mis-diagnosed and this is all totally un-necessary - I literally feel like ignoring this now
Hello Pegasus,
I am sorry that you are feeling scared about going into hospital on Tuesday for your second TURBT. It is natural to be scared before any medical procedure and I don't know if it helps when you have had one before so know what to expect or not. It is tough when you are feeling well and know that you need to have something done which may make you feel unwell for a while.
I had to have time off during my treatments last year and was only having SSP coming in. It was a real worry as it wouldn't cover even the basic bills. I recommend that when you have a quiet moment you give the support line a call (number is below) and speak to one of the financial advisors. They will take you through your income/outgoings and will be able to tell you whether you can claim any additional support and where from. It was a real help to me and I was surprised at the amount I was entitled to. I really recommend giving them a call. You do not need to be worrying about finances when being faced with all this.
I understand that it is hard to be a single parent and be working full time. I remember the number of appointments and trying to sort out everything. It isn't easy. I hope that you have some support around you from family and friends?
I can understand having the BCG treatment is scary and that you would rather just ignore it and go to work, pay your bills and look after your daughters. But you are important and your health is important. And your daughters need their Mum well. I am not saying it will be easy- but is there really any alternative? Most treatments are scary and most would rather not do them but for me the fear of the cancer was worse than the fear of the treatments. Have you got a CNS you can talk to about your worries? I found that if I knew exactly what was going to happen and when, although I was still scared, It felt a bit more under control.
Please don't ignore it. They do so many tests and scans to diagnose us that it would be extremely unlikely for them all to be wrong. In my experience they only do the treatments that they feel are really necessary to get you as well as possible.
I hope this helps a bit. I am sorry that you are having to go through this. If there is anything else that would help, please just ask.
Jane
Hi Pegasus . It is not uncommon to feel this way. Many of us know the feeling. The worry of about finances doesn't help. A follow up TURBT is normal and not usually as severe as the first. Just to mop up and get a more accurate diagnosis. When I went on half pay my employers sent me forms to claim ESA which I got and it made up my wages. Could I suggest you call the free Mac helpline on 0808 808 0000 (8-8pm). They will advise on what you should be entitled to. Best wishes.
