15/7/2013
Hello.
So this time last week I was a big bag o’ nerves. Worried
about what the next oncologist would have to tell me about the new sensations,
the new lumps and bumps that I am feeling in my lower jaw. I say “the next”
oncologist because throughout my 6 weekly check ups I had been seen by a
different medical professional each time that I had arrived for the
consultation. This very lack of continuity of Doctor had alone made me nervous
as it created doubt in my mind as to whether the next guy would know my case as
well as the first who examined me. (Obviously they do, but that didn’t help me
and my pessimistic thoughts.)
But, they must have known, as when I arrived at my
appointment time and sat down in the waiting area doing all I could to keep
calm and collected, I received a lovely warm greeting from two of the nurses
that have been with me all the way along this journey and they both had to
comment on how well I looked, (as did they,) and how good my hair is looking,
this was very polite of them as think I may have been sporting a hairstyle not
too dissimilar from that of Vivian out of the 80’s show “The Young Ones” except
mine is not orange, yet. This did have the desired effect though and it made me
breath a little easier. I thanked them, let them get on with their duties and
continued to wait.
Not for long.
My name was called and I was ushered into an examination
room and although it sounds a bit “gay” to my delight was Doctor Davies my
original oncologist dude. Phew. This man has been my point of contact all along
this road and it was he that has suggested my course of treatment after his
first examination my tongue.
As he greeted me with the usual questions of how are you?
And how have you been? I broke down, my façade went, a tear rolled down my
cheek and I let him know all, everything that you have read here and all of my
anxious worries. Within 10 minutes of
listening intently to what he had to say, I was tranquil, calm and soothed.
“But, before I say anything else” he said, “let’s have a
look” what followed was the usual examination, a feel of my neck and throat, a
look inside my mouth, “tongue out and say ahhh” then the little camera on the
end of a drinking straw rammed up my nose.
“Good, it all looks really healthy.”
Never have so few words meant so much. Delighted am I, still
jubilant at this news a week later. All
the sensations, lumps and bumps have been caused by the radiotherapy and as I
no longer take pain meds, it’s natural for me to feel them.
I have to have another
CT scan soon, this is just routine and maybe a camera up my bum, but that’s ok,
apparently my PET CT scan showed a questionable area in my bowel and it’s
“worth a look”.
But back to today and it is the turn of my beautiful wife to be
at the mercy of the medical staff as they have “the power to rebuild her”, well
her hand anyway, in six million dollar type way. She is in Salisbury
hospital for the next couple of days having reconstructive surgery to hopefully
improve the usage of her right arm extremity. Good Luck and Love to you my
dear.
This is me Steve Royal. Looking really healthy (they tell me
so).
Have a week.
