Update - radiotherapy starting next

I know exactly what you mean - it only hit me when I had to go to the cancer centre rather than gynae! You’ll get through it though - one step at a time. I was lucky that I was only 10 minutes away and asked for an early appointment to help with parking. Just allow plenty of time to reduce your stress levels. 

Hi Michelle, I had 24 x radio and 2 x brachy in 2022. My hospital (Southampton) is also 45-60 mins away and I drove myself to and from every appointment. I was told to arrive half an hour before, but, because of the parking situation, I actually planned it so that I’d arrive an hour before, giving me extra time to park - then if I was able to park right away I just had half an hour listening to music in the car before I went in. I hear you re the further distance for your brachy but thankfully you will only have to go 2-3 times and if it’s anything like mine, much less fuss and faff, and done very quickly. Here’s a link to the radiotherapy support thread if needed! And feel free to ask any questions. 

https://community.macmillan.org.uk/cancer_types/womb-cancer-forum/f/diagnosis-and-treatment/289998/radiotherapy-support

That is exactly it, in my mind I just kept thinking it’s gynae. It wasn’t until I was sat there on Thursday when it hit me like a ton of bricks.. I got in my car, had a few tears. Now suddenly I feel I have had a life’s too short moment and I’ve started planning things/places I want to go to once all this is finished. 

Thank you for the link, that looks really useful. 

i have asked for morning appointments to try and help with the parking situation.  I’m always early for everything but I’ll just take my kindle and either read in the car or sit in the cafe in the main hospital for a bit. 

I was at Southampton and I had a mixture of times with my appts. Soon had tips from other patients about best parking places!  I also found on a few occasions if I got there early they fitted me in early.

Michelle, if you’re parking in the hospital car park, it’s also worth asking if they have any scheme to reduce the charges for radio patients. At Southampton in the oncology unit there was a machine where you could insert your parking ticket before leaving after treatment and it reduced the charge down to £2.70. 

I’m quite lucky in respect to parking charges. I just enter my reg on a tablet when I arrive and it’s free parking for all cancer patients. 

The nurse showed me my provisional appointments on the computer screen. If they stay the same all were am except for 3 where I had reviews etc, fingers crossed. 
Hopefully I will get chatting with people whilst I’m there, I’m always happy to take any tips :-)

Hi Michelle, I have had surgey and will start 25 external and 2 Brachy from next week.   I think it hit me while sitting in the waiting room for CT.  Its about an hour journey on public transport or 20 min drive.

I will let you know how I get on next week, starting to feel nervous and worried about side effects.

Hi Sophie, well done for having had the op and thinking of you as you face starting treatment. What was your grade and stage post histology? Mine was grade 1 stage 2. I had 25 radio and 2 brachy in 2022 at Southampton. I’d be happy to try to answer any questions you may have. I drove myself to and from all my appointments and only had side effects from the middle of week 4 and thankfully only minor. Here’s a link to the radiotherapy support thread if you haven’t seen it already community.macmillan.org.uk/.../radiotherapy-support