Mike you are doing brilliantly! Half way there is amazing. The endless hospital visits get tiring both physically and emotionally, so be kind to yourself and rest up when you can. Take care xx
On 18th Jan I went back to UCLH for a follow up with the surgeons and subsequently the doctor who will be looking after my treatment. The surgeons were happy that they had got the primary source and presented two treatment options, surgery + chemo + radiotherapy or chemo + radiotherapy. There would be an added layer of risk to me to undergo the surgery and everyone is confident either path would result in a full recovery. With that information I decided the non-surgical option would be best. I am now awaiting a date to attend North Middlesex Hospital to start a chemo course, two sets, three weeks apart before I then get the chemo+radiotherapy daily for a further 6 weeks. Ultimately I am going to be off work for 6 months covering the treatment and recovery.
Back in July last year after a bout of COVID I noticed a lump in my neck that I thought nothing much of, putting it down to glands related to the infection. The lump wasn't painful, and I didn't really notice it for a while. In October it became noticeably firmer, and I contacted my GP for an opinion. They sent me off to an ENT specialist who in turn sent me for (in no particular order), an ultrasound scan, an x-ray, MRI and CAT scans along with several blood tests. In early December I had a biopsy of the lump and was sent for a PET scan on 7th December. This needed to be done at University College Hospital on the Euston Road in London. On 14th we had a meeting with a specialist who told me the lump in my lymph node was a secondary cancer and the next step was to identify the primary. The majority of the scans and meetings had so far taken place at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow. The most likely primary source given the location and identification of the secondary wa...
Friday 15th March 2024 Into the city again to UCLH for my 3rd post treatment PET scan. Same as before, injected with the radioactive trace, an hour of rest whilst it circulates then a full body plus a specific head and neck scan. Takes about an hour and a half from start to finish. As I'm now back at work 5 days a week I went over to Aldgae and spent the rest of the day on the office. Now sat on a train at Liverpool St commuting home, like the old times..... I have a telephone appointment next Thursday so should get the result then.
Mike you are doing brilliantly! Half way there is amazing. The endless hospital visits get tiring both physically and emotionally, so be kind to yourself and rest up when you can. Take care xx
ReplyDeleteThank you Helen
DeleteOn the home run now!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sam
ReplyDeleteSo happy to see you’re through the halfway mark. Lean on those around you when you have to. Keep up the positive attitude. You are doing great!
ReplyDelete