02.22.07
22nd Feb 2007. Being thrown a curve ball.
I’ve not kept a diary before, I’ve never felt the need. But things can change in a moment.
29th Jan 2007 – I went down with what I though was Flu. I had all the symptoms. I then got sinusitis and a chest infection. I visited my GP on the 9th Feb to get the note for the office and expected to go back to work on the 12th.
Sunday 11th Feb – I was about to have a shower and spotted a lump on my leg near my groin. Had I not been standing fully upright I may have missed it as I can’t see it clearly when the skin isn’t taught and it didn’t hurt. I went to see the EMDOC at the local hospital who did a few checks and told me to see my GP ASAP.
Monday 12th Feb – My GP doesn’t think it’s a hernia and wants me to see a specialist. As the lump seems to be attached to the upper thigh muscle and I’ve got private medial cover with Allianz (Great people, well worth the money) I get referred to a Mr Paul Gill at the Sloane Hospital in Bromley.
Tuesday 13th Feb – Mr Gill examins me and books me in for a MRI scan, something that both the EMDOC and GP had mentioned. MRI scan’s cost a bit, so having good cover helps a lot.
Thursday 15th Feb – At the Sloane Hospital I get my first MRI scan. I’m at the hospital for ~ 1 hour. The images show the lump very clearly (One lymph node alone is 4.5cm x 2.5cm x 2.5cm) but Dr Kumar the Consultant Radiologist needs more contrast in a few images so I return in the afternoon for a 15min session. As this is all being paid for by insurance I get a copy of the images and software to read them on a CDROM. I makes for interesting viewing.
Friday 16th Feb – Early PM – I see Mr Gill again re the results from the MRI scan. As it’s a lympth nodes and Mr Gill is an orthopaedic and knee surgeon he refers me to Mr Hamid Khawaja at Chelsfield Park Hospital.
Friday 16th Feb – Late PM - That evening I see Mr Khawaja at Chelsfield Park Hospital. While talking to Mr Khawaja I mention another complaint that’s gone unresolved for years – constant tiredness, or what I now know is chronic fatigue. Something that I should have pushed the doctors about more in the past. (In the past one GP in London put it down to depression and wanted me to take tablets. We all make mistakes.) He arranges for more blood tests, this time focusing on some viral issues that the GPs may have not considered. He also wants me to have a staging CT scan.
Saturday 17th Feb – I’m back at Chelsfield Park Hospital for more blood tests. I couldn’t do it the night before as the lab needs the samples right away and was closed when I’d seen Mr Khawaja.
Sunday 18th Feb – Not much on today, I just have to call Allianz when it’s office reopens at 18:00 to let them know about the 3 part CT scan.
Monday 19th Feb – I’m back at Blackheath Hospital for my CT scan. I was expecting a 3 part scan and learn that they’re doing a 4 part scan: Neck, chest, abdomen, and pelvis. This worries me for a bit, but later it all makes sense. A 3 part scan costs £810. The hospital will only charge for the 3 but do 4. The contrast injection costs £136. The contrast injection isn’t pleasant as it makes your whole body feel very hot, but thankfully only lasts for a couple of minutes. People wouldn’t take kindly to being called back for another, so the 3 became 4 to ensure all bases were covered.
Tuesday 20thFeb - PM – I’m seeing Mr Khawaja again at Blackheath. The CT scan results are not good. The lymph nodes in the rest of my body are in a mess. He suspects it’s lymphoma, but says only a biopsy will tell him for sure. There’s also another problem, somethings looking “moth eaten” but my minds racing and I don’t take in all the details. I’m going to need everything in writing from now on… Mr Khawaja adds me to his already full operations schedule for the evening.
Tuesday 20th Feb – Late PM – As it can be done under local I push for it. I had a little discomfort during the op, but it went well, Mr Khawaja has a great team supporting him. He removes one of two large nodes, it’s the size of half a shelled wallnut.
One of my two sisters is Dr Karen Lowton, Senior Lecturer in Ageing & Health and MSc Programmes Director at Institute of Gerontology, King’s College London. She’s spent years talking to people about palliative care, so knows what she’s talking about. She has some great contacts and reasuring words about the advances in cancer research thanks in part due to the great work of Cancer Research UK
Wednesday 21st Feb – I’m at Blackheath still, having taken the recommendation to stay in over night. Despite great beds I didn’t get much sleep. I’m quite sore but the pains gone. My wife Denise picks me up just before lunch.
Thursday 22nd Feb – Waiting and feeling knackered. This is the worst part of it all. Is it lymphoma or the result of a viral infection? Only one of the blood tests had come back so far, it was clear. If lymphoma which of the many types?
Throughout this whole thing my manager has been extremely supportive. I’ve got contacts in the GS Critical Health team to call on for information, and they’re keeping an eye on my situation.