Been feeling down

[Mickwhitt 5,125]

OK guys.

Biopsy was today, and we went to bed last night knowing snow was due. We woke up to this scene out the window...

 

Not significant in the least but enough to scare the living daylights out of 98% of British drivers.

 

So an early drive to the hospital saw me arrive with ten minutes to spare and no great stress.

 

Two of us were scheduled for the same exam and he was absolutely terrified poor chap. We had to change into a backless gown and sit in a public waiting area until we were called. Sandra bought me new slippers and a new fleecey dressing gown, which I thought was a bit much for a day case in outpatients.  But I put them.on in the changing room and toddled outside to wait. The other guy just had the cotton gown on, no socks or shoes, or underpants.  He was shivering like crazy but it was hard to tell if it was fear or his bare rear end on the plastic chair. I was warm and toasty lol.

 

The test itself was absolutely fine, bit of a scratch inside for the local anaesthetic and bit of discomfort from the ultrasound probe. But it was nothing.

 

Now need to sit tight for a couple of weeks to get the results back. 

 

Fingers crossed it's just something and nothing.  

 

Mick. 

[953 nut 59,889]

10 hours ago, Mickwhitt said:

Now need to sit tight for a couple of weeks to get the results back

That is the hardest part, not knowing the results for so long. I pray the results will be negative and all a big waist of time.

[Mickwhitt 5,125]

Hi all,  

Thank you for your prayers and good wishes over the last few weeks.

 

I got my biopsy results today and it's clear of cancer! Nothing to do now but monitor my PSA levels in the future. 

 

Definitely dodged a bullet there, I was building myself up to face the music so I feel drained now but immensely relieved.

 

When you look at the possible outcomes of actually having prostate cancer it's pretty grim. From hormone therapy growing you a set of new breasts to looking forward to a pump up penis I'm pretty glad things came back nil....even though a set of breasts may have been novel for a while lol. 

 

Back to the old routine now, cleaning, tidying, mending things, mending more things, building my Landrover.  But oh so much better than being in the cancer patient club. 

 

Cheers guys, Red Square helps with most anything xxx

 

 

[ebinmaine 72,567]

1 hour ago, Mickwhitt said:

Back to the old routine now,

Super glad to hear that!!

[rjg854 12,175]

Excellent news @Mickwhitt

 

Like getting a new lease on life.

[953 nut 59,889]

[Marv 979]

Wonderful news Mick.

[Mickwhitt 5,125]

As an update to this one, my older brother was tested a few weeks ago. He's only three years older than me.

 

His PSA was 88.3 and they just did a DRE on him and said he had cancer.

 

They did a biopsy but wouldn't tell him the results, just that they wanted him to have a bone scan and CT scan. 

 

So he's at 30,000 feet and climbing because of the lack of information or reassurance.  

 

It's all very well having free health care, but because you don't "pay" for it the care is often substandard unless you are a child or vulnerable where people are watching closely. 

 

If you were paying then you'd bang the table and demandbetter service. But because we prepay from our wages we just have to accept what they see fit to dole out. 

[Handy Don 14,047]

7 minutes ago, Mickwhitt said:

lack of information or reassurance.  

Sorry to hear about your brother’s affliction. I suspect that the providers would prefer to have a full picture to share, possibly with some better news from doing the wider tests, rather than sharing bits and bobs. Prostate cancer is really tricky because it can progress very slowly or be very aggressive—and a one-time biopsy cannot (yet) discern the difference. The bone and CT scans will answer important questions. 

[Mickwhitt 5,125]

Thanks Don. I know you are right but they provided absolutely no information which is worse than giving him either bad news or an incomplete picture.

The biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosing prostate cancer, other scans will report on spread and other organ involvement. He should have been told something rather than just referred for more scans with no explanation. 

Our NHS really is in direct straits, despite spending so much money on it.

There are too many managers and there is no accountability. It will be a brave government that takes the bull by the horns and roots out the corruption and incompetence that make our health service so bad. 

[Handy Don 14,047]

3 hours ago, Mickwhitt said:

gold standard

Been there.