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Three Weeks of the NHS Cancer Pathway [1]

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Date: 2022-07-19

Well it was partly my own fault. As I have mentioned previously, I had a horrid time early this year after a close friend died and I had to help his sister clear his apartment. I thought I was a bit run down and took a “week or so” out to relax a bit from the exertions etc. Well that sort of extended and I was starting to feel increasingly ill. By the end of last month, I was distinctly unwell and was doing the heroic “don’t want to bother the doctor with all the COVID about” bit. Long story short, by June 25 I was producing blood from both ends of my digestive system.

So I called the non-emergency NHS number and they arranged for an ambulance to call. It took a little time as I made it clear that I did not want to be taken to the ER at the borough’s hospital but to one in the next borough that was a lot more convenient (and I knew had better facilities). I did have to wait a bit as they were quite busy on Saturday afternoon but by the evening I was in an admissions ward waiting for a surgical ward bed. I was moved up after the initial assessment around 9. After a couple of nights on IV fluids and antibiotics, I had seen the consultant (senior doctor) who wanted to do an urgent CT scan, colonoscopy and gastroscopy (camera down both ends). As a there was a possible, if unlikely, I was put on the “3 week cancer pathway”. This is essentially to assess if the problem was caused by a cancer and to treat it ASAP. The most likely diagnosis tho was a bleeding ulcer

The day after I got home (Tuesday), the CT department phoned and arranged for me to go in on the Friday of the same week. Thursday I got a call from the endoscopy department to arrange the procedures for the following Monday and I got the pre-meds to clear out my system in the post Saturday.

I’d has a gastroscopy before so chose to just have a throat anesthetic rather than a sedative in addition. That way I did not have to get a friend to collect me and take me home. That went fairly well although I could not see the camera screen during it. The colonoscopy was different and it was really cool that the wierd flat panel was actually a sort of GPS so they could track where the end of it was. All looked fairly pink and perky until a rather nasty green and yellow object appeared. That polyp was quickly removed and collected for analysis. After a drink and some cookies, I went home with some rather lurid pictures and a recommendation to continue taking the proton pump inhibitor to reduce stomach acid production. I had to get a prescription from my GP for a further supply to cover the course. This just involved booking a phone consulation, explaining the situation and picking the drug up from my local pharmacy.

A week ago I got call to arrange the follow up gastroscopy last Saturday at 3.30 and again got a leaflet on preparing for it through the post (no revolting meds this time, just a fast). I got another call on Saturday morning asking if I could come in early. I’d had a light breakfast early so I had to make it 1pm. This time I had the consultant and asked about the polyp. Once in the examination room he looked it up and reassured me it was benign. The ulcers and diverticulitis were clearing up nicely so it’s all clear. The IV antibiotics meant that I did not have to have another course to eliminate the H. Pylori they had found. I joked with him that the wholewheat bread and brown rice worked then. I was a bit disappointed my copy of the photos was only black and white that time.

Saturday I got back on the train and bus (the reason I chose the hospital as more convenient to get to.) On discharge and after the CT scan, I was feeling a bit delicate and got an Uber home so the whole thing cost me the outrageous sum of £38 when I added to drivers’ tips. As I get the State Retirement (“Old Age”) Pension, I am exempt from the £9.35 NHS England prescription charge for the GP prescription.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/7/19/2111401/-Three-Weeks-of-the-NHS-Cancer-Pathway

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