Now we know that I have a type of tumour, a cancerous lump on my chin, so what happens next. Well there are a lot of people who seem to have a finger in the pie but the pie doesn't seem to be getting baked.
The week after the news a multi disciplinary team in Lincoln met to discuss me. I would probably be going to Birmingham. I was to be referred to the MDT in Birmingham Orthopaedic Hospital. Now as little as I know of health, I do know about multi-disciplinary teams as I have sat on them in other spheres of life, but I coudn't seem to work out how this one operated.
18th August - went to visit my GP. Hadn't seen him before, he's been there for years but I've never needed to go to the Docs. Very nice approachable chap, who told me precisely what I wanted to know. He gave me some advice, suggested how it might progress and siggested that I write a blog. Me, a technophobe writing a blog, but now I know why !!! He suggested I take early retirement, So I approached an Occupational Health Consultancy to obtain a view.
Mid to end of August -We made some contacts and spoke to medical secretaries but there seemed to be a reason every week why my case was not being progressed - holidays, wrong people there,no histology,Chairman in China and so it went on for almost a month. We left messages with people who had promised to help us every step of the way but didn't received any response from either of the Hospitals dealing with my case. Frustration crept in and I decided to go on Holiday because nothing seemed to be happening, A phone call from the office confirmed that the Occupational Health specalist had stated that I should be pensioned off because I would never work again. That was a bit hard to swallow - I've worked all my life, since leaving school and rarely taken any time off, AND I really enjoy my job. We made some chasing calls whist we were on Holiday but didn't seem to be getting anywhere so when we got back we started to make more detailed enquiries. We took names of MDT members, traced documents and samples, rang round hospitals to check if names we had been given were correct. they were not all correct. There was some confusion between two doctors with similar names at different Hospitals. Eventually, on 12th September, a chance remark from a very pleasant lady in Birmingham, who said " I dont really know why your case is here, we dont do jaws " set off alarm bells. THats when I started to get really concerned, I knew it was growing, I knew no one was doing anything about it and I knew there were not many options. Life or Death ? Life means getting someone ,somewhere to do something about it, Death had 3 options - forget about it and let it take its course, a visit to Dignitas and finally, topping myself. The last option was quickly discounted because some poor bugger would have to find me eventually and I've seen people top them selves - it stays with you. Dont like the thought of it taking its course, could be a long slow, painfull process, so its Dignitas or get it sorted. As many of you will know, I dont like spending money so there really is only one option and I am not too keen on that one. I envisage pain and I dont like pain !!
After a short discussion, ( not that I shared my thoughts on options available ) Lynn got in touch with the consultant who had given us the news and then things really started to happen.
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