This may seem the least of my worries but her indoors keeps asking me and so does my sister and mam.
I am already getting lower rate of PIP and DLA (or whatever it called these days.) due to me having COPD and arthitis in both ankles I asked some benefit advisor who called me from the hospital and I asked her and she advised me against applying for what she called an ''Intervention'' as I would probably lose all my entitlement. I also get carers allowance for my wife as she is awaiting two new knees and can hardly move even though she does somehow manage to work 16 hours a week.
Am I being told the correct information and should NOT apply or what?
I have another appointment on Wednesday to discuss my recent MRI scan and see Oncologist for 1st time on Friday and a rectal camera on 14th. I am in all fairness more worried about camera than the other two and I think that is more embarrassment than anything else. I also been told I will likely need Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy and if I do they will both be done together at same outpatient appointment. Does this hurt? Are there any after effects?
Any advice as always gratefully appreciated.
AOHO
Hi Alun
You can phone the Macmillan helpline on 0808 808 00 00 and speak to one of the benefit advisors. They are open 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm.
Don’t feel embarrassed about the rectal camera, they do this day in and day out. Nothing they haven’t seen before. They won’t do the chemo and radiotherapy on the same day. I’ve not had chemo, but I have had radiotherapy. Mine was radical radiotherapy over 5 days, but most are once a week, for a number of weeks. It is like having an X-ray. Your first time, they get you to lay on the bed, and they line you up with the machines to make sure they are getting the right spot. They mark you with a tattoo dot, so they know each time where they need to be. You lay on the table, and the X-ray type machine moves around you. You do not feel a thing. There are side effects with radiotherapy, as there are with all treatments. Radiotherapy builds up in your body over a few weeks, and continues to work well after the treatment has finished. It made me very tired, and my wind pipe felt sore, and it was uncomfortable to eat, although not impossible. My oncologist described it like having sunburn on your insides, and that is exactly how I felt. I also had a sunburn patch on my chest and back, again this was sore, but not unbearable.
Good luck with your appointments this week. Once you know which chemotherapy you are getting, come back and let us know, as I’m sure someone will be able to help you with their experience.
