And another thing (or five)

Fear not gentle reader I'm not in quite such a fuckity-fuck-fuck mood as last time.  On the other hand I'm not promising puppy dogs and glitter either.

What I can promise is a brain dump.  You poor sods.  Right, let's go.  

And other thing (or five)

1.  I have been out and about enjoying the fresh air since my last post.  Spring has most definitely sprung even if it means dodging big bastard rain clouds.

 2.  I had further argy bargy with my local hospital when they tried to defer my hard won appointment with the oncologist so that, wait for it, fucking useless breast care nurse (FUBCN) could be present.  I went loopy.  Suffice it say the appointment was NOT deferred and I refused to have FUBCN present.  (If you can be arsed to read the background to all this, see my last post which was all about health service fuckwits).

I have submitted a formal complaint about everything to the hospital's Chief Executive.

The appointment with the oncologist went better than I expected.  I said my piece.  She apologised.   

A CT scan had been requested but had been lost in the system.  She could not explain why no-one had realised this and it was left to me to raise the issue.  I will be having a CT scan in mid May.  Still a long time to wait but the best that can be done.

She had also asked for a follow up appointment to be made to see her.  She could not explain why I was told otherwise.

I have a new point of contact for the hospital.  An oncology nurse who I already know and like from my chemo days.  I will never have to speak to FUBCN again.  Pauses for big cheers!

A physical examination revealed nothing new and scary.  My lungs sound the same.  Neither better nor worse.

I came away feeling somewhat mollified and reassured.  Nevertheless my formal complaint will stand.  Let's face it, they really fucked up.

3.  You may have heard that there was a fire in Manchester at a research centre adjoining The Christie.  This could mean the loss of research work done and is a worry for everyone concerned about research into many types of cancer.  An appeal has been set up by the Manchester Evening News and is Manchester focused in it's write up but really this research has world wide impact.

4.  Yesterday the BBC and lots of other tv, press etc ran a story about the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) saying that the fund, which used to provide cancer patients with drugs not available straightforwardly on the NHS, was a complete waste of money.  The reporting was awful.  There was a clear implication that cancer patients were playing fast and loose with public money and should basically shut up, fuck off and get on with dying.  The CDF certainly wasn't without it's problems but this gives a bit more of a balanced view.

5.  Please don't think I've gone all mellow. I'm still enjoying my massively bed temper.  There are ongoing chemist problems (which I can't bear to go into you'll be pleased to hear).  When going to collect prescriptions the other half parks me in my wheelchair on the far side of the chemist to the pharmacy counter and goes and deals with them himself, such is his fear of me exploding with ineffective and squeaky voiced fury at the 'staff' there.  I am a human volcano!