Debs last cycle (her fourth) of chemotherapy generally went OK . During the month she had one or two serious headaches, when she also felt sick and dizzy but for most of the time she has been well.
The meeting today was with Dr Mead, (Dr Sanghera's registrar who we last saw on the day we learnt that the tumour had returned.) To see the registrar is usually good news - it means your case is thought to be relatively straightforward - and this time the visit was routine. We discussed Deb's headaches and Dr Mead said that if they got worse then Deb should contact Claire or Fred to arrange for an MRI scan to see what the tumour was doing. I asked if the report on Deb's scan from the Imaging Department had substantiated Dr Sanghera's initial findings from last month. Dr Mead confirmed that the report confirmed the tumour was stable and responding to treatment. Deb's blood results were good and Dr Mead prescribed another course of chemotherapy. Deb's dose of Temozolamide has increased slightly (from 365 to 370 mg per day); we presume because Deb has put on a bit of weight. We walked over to the outpatients pharmacy in the new QE and as we walked into the room Deb's name was called out.
I cannot emphasise enough how much cancer care has improved at the QE. 8 years ago all patients in a clinic were given the same appointment time and had to wait hours to see the consultant, the queues for blood tests were enormous and there was another one or two hour wait at the pharmacy to get your prescription. This waiting around has all gone. Today I took a newspaper with me and never had a chance to even open it. There were only 2 patients in front of Deb to get blood tests, we saw the consultant within 10 minutes and our prescription was ready as we arrived at the pharmacy. The whole visit only took 3/4 quarters of an hour. The NHS is a great thing and Britain should be proud of it.
The next appointment will be in a month's time.
Monday 9 January 2017
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