Wednesday 24 June 2009

Bad News followed by Good News!

As you are probably aware I had an appointment at Kings College hospital last week to discuss stem cell transfer. Well all I can say is that I have never ever been treated in such a rude way before. All the doctor said was that as the tumour had not shrunk enough for stem cell treatment there was no treatment he could give and that I would probably die within a couple of months. He did not even say it in a kind or sympathetic manner.

After a very miserable week I saw Mark Hill at Maidstone Hospital yesterday and he said that there are plenty of treatment options available. He has booked me in for treatment using a new drug called Ofatumumab which involves a weekly injection over a period of 8 weeks with regular blood tests and CT scans. This is followed by regular monitoring over a period of 5 years. If this treatment does not work there are other options available including a different chemotherapy regime and/or radiotherapy.

The dark clouds from last week are rolling away fast but whatever happens I am not giving up.

Andy

7 comments:

Ally Lifewithally said...

Andy I know for sure you will never give up ~ How callous a way that Doctor treated you giving you such dreadful news ~ I think I would report him ~ that is no way a Doctor should act ~ there are lots of treatments out there and I am glad you are going to have them ~ keeping you in my thoughts and prayers ~ Ally x

LYN said...

DON'T EVER GIVE UP..THEY GAVE MY HUBBY 2 YEARS~~~16 YEARS AGO!!!!

Angie said...

Don't you dare give up Andy! That bloke had no right to speak to you like that.

There's another way of looking at it though: he probably didn't feel stem cell treatment was the way to go for you but didn't want you to rule out other treatments that it wasn't his place to offer. If he had been all nice and kind and polite you might just have believed him above your regular doc and not gone back there.

Not trying to excuse his manners, not for a minute, but it did galvanise you into action didn't it?

Don't give up.

love, Angie, xx

Beth said...

What the hell was that first doctor thinking? That's horrible. I'm glad you pursued it and have found other options. Yay for you! Hugs, Beth

Frances said...

Good for you, Andy, for not giving up after that first RUDE doctor vented to you. My daughter's M-I-L had a respiratory condition, and was given a 4% chance of survival. She goes home today from the hospital, and is doing great. It took several weeks, but she is feeling good. So, don't give up, EVER. Sending more prayers your way.

Jane Thompson said...

I couls just slap some doctors the way they speak to patients at times.
I had a similar experience when I was first diagnosed - told I had a very poor prognosis and nothing could be done. That was two and a half years ago.
You keep fighting Andy - prove the moron wrong.
Pain is temporary - only quitting lasts forever !!

Liz said...

I frequently listened to a client of mine that told the whole of the waiting room that another veterinary surgeon had given her pet weeks to live many years ago.
No doctor or Veterinary surgeon has the knowledge or the right to fortell the time that life will end naturally. Veterinary surgeons are given the power of euthanasia that means 'easy death'to end the life of an animal that has nothing but pain left.
This was the most difficult decision I ever made in my professional life and I have yet to meet a doctor that understands the essential criteria that are required to make such a judgement.