Continuing on Prostap 3 monthly.

No problem and thanks again.

Thanks also for mentioning the Travel Insurance Group, I've had quite a few clients asking about the best travel insurance including folk who want to go on major foreign excursions but who have a terminal diagnosis.  One of them told me it would cost more than the travel.

Have you enquired about hospital transport?

You might even qualify for a "Macmillan Grant" to help you.

click here

Yo may also find this link helpful

transport costs

Can you not use hospital transport?  The weight gain is a bit much and as your other problems make it difficult for you to do much exercise it is not going to help.  You have a lot of what they so amusingly call "co-morbidity" diseases - a bit like me with my bladder, bowel and back and neck problems and my knee was starting to get worse when I had my radiotherapy as was just starting to get a little of the muscle wastage and had a little pot belly when I started radiotherapy but had not put on weight probably because I had managed to carry on exercising as much as I could.  The two radiotherapists had to help me onto the bed for my radiotherapy and then had to take time with arranging pillows for my neck and back and then after doing all that had to manage to get me into the right position for the radiotherapy as well - can honestly say it took longer than the radiotherapy treatment itself which was only minutes.

Understand how you have come to this decision but it may be worth your while visiting the radiotherapy centre as they often have open evenings for people to go and see the centre and have all the processes explained to them.  Our centre was brilliant we had chats from the radiotherapists, people who had already had radiotherapy there, Macmillan, Maggies Centre, benefits advisor and dietician - all on the one evening.  Even if you still decide not to go and have radiotherapy it would be good to speak to the people involved as they may be able to put your mind at rest about some of the aspects of the radiotherapy and how they will take care of you and your individual problems.  Quite often there are rooms where people who live away from the centre can stay in during their treatment too - so maybe a good idea to check it all out.  I stayed at a Travel lodge just a short bus ride away from the cancer centre for the first two weeks and then at a lovely Cancer Self Help Group House a little further away but where they also had their own transport to the cancer centre.  It would have been lovely to stay there for the whole time but they were having some refurbishment done during the first two weeks.  I made a donation to the centre of the same amount I would have spent had I been staying at a travel lodge and a little extra as we could have had all meals there including a packed lunch.  Had I used their transport the cancer centre would have arranged my sessions to fit in with all the other people there using their transport. 

All the best

Des

hi oldtimer,

Just thinking have not seen your diagnosis details that I can remember so just wondering what was your gleason score and T grading, and what did your MRI and any other scans show ie were CT and bone scans clear - if you had them and did MRI show a position for the cancer? 

Hope all going well with you in this hot weather.  Think it is probably best to stay in and at home if possible.  Just had a successful cardioversion for my Atrial Fibrillation on Tuesday - 2nd one as first lasted a year and I wanted to be OK and out of AFib for my knee op. on 27th August.  Have to take it easy this week to avoid going into Afib again.  So checking out new car specifications as getting new car at the end of the year and want to do all the test driving now as will probably not be able to manage after my knee op.  There is also a long wait if you order so it will take 2 - 3 months to get it.  Thinking this will probably the very last car I will have - only bought 2 brand new cars in my whole 76 years so want to have a really good one this time that is comfortable and economic with lots of space - though can't please my wife with my choice as she would rather a small car and hire a van or whatever if we need to carry anything large - being a Yorkshire man this does not sit well with me - mind neither does laying out a load of money on a new car either but I have finally accepted that I need to spend some of it because it is true - "you can't take it with you" and by the way my body is deteriorating I may not be able to enjoy travelling in the car for long enough to make it worthwhile LOL!  Such a dilemma!

All the best

Des

Hospital transport is a bit hit and miss.  I  made arrangements to meet my mate when he arrived home by hospital transport. Scheduled time was about 12.30 pm and he arrived back at about 4.30 pm. He said it was often like this. 

I'm afraid that's probably right,

They don't just take one person, so they have to wait for everyone.  They say that usually it can be a 2 hour delay, 4 hours does seem a long delay.

It seems a shame that treatment options should be limited by transport difficulties.

If there's a Macmillan Information and Support Centre near you, they might be able to suggest more options.  

To see if there is one click on this link

www.macmillan.org.uk/.../choose-location.html

There is a MacMillan Centre at my local hospital which I went to on diagnosis . Time I paid another  visit.

Great, they will have a knowledge of local services, I know there are some cancer charities that have transport schemes run by volunteers. They may also be able to highlight other financial aid you may be eligible for, but not currently claiming.

I also hear that some taxi firms reduce their rates for people who they know are gloing to make a regular booking, a kind of contract I guess.

Hi

I've just popped into this thread to agree that hospital patient transport can be a nightmare at the best of times.

I use the RVS follow This Link (click on the green text to open up new page) to take me to hospital appointments, this is not a free service unless you receive certain benefits and you can reclaim the cost back from the hospital. It's a personalised service with a dedicated volunteer driver picking you up at an agreed time and taking you to your appointment with the driver waiting for you until you are ready to come back however if your appointment is not a routine one and could take over two hours the driver may go away and come back from you when you are ready and this is classed as a double journey.

AgeUk and the Red Cross is some areas offer the same service but your local Mac information service centre as has mention should have all the info you need.

You could also ask your GP surgery or the clinic your friend attends if they can help with local organisations that have volunteer drivers.

Although I pay for the service I get I have heard that in some areas volunteer drivers don't charge as they are reimbursed by the charity from donations.

My local RVS charge me 70pence per mile and it usually works out just under ½ the cost of a local taxi company, some of the hospitals I attend involve a round trip of 50/60 miles.

Hope you can find suitable transport for your friend.

Ian