[Misc] A Journey Through Cancer

[mr sheen]

Glad to hear you are on the mend Woody.
Your post resonated.
Does anyone know if you can request a bowel cancer testing kit aged 50? as Woody said you get sent one at 54 but the NHS is changing it to 50…it is not clear where they are at with this.

I was fifty earlier this year, and, unprompted, a kit popped through the letterbox a few days later

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

Glad things re looking up @wellquickwoody

As for UK NHS, as I posted the other day, my knee replacement takes place next month.
I could have had it booked for April 7, but that was too soon.
I went on the list literally 2 weeks ago.
The NHS has booked me into a private hospital.

I was told that in the south east (Kent) there are four amazing joint replacement teams, mostly private doctors/hospitals doing NHS work.
My consultant told me he does over 400 knee replacements a year.
I have never 'approved' of the private sector but it is what it is, and has been for 80 years.

Let's hope the reduction in duplication of process that is planned will speed things up a bit more and lower costs a bit.

None of this stuff is cheap, and without the NHS I would be giving up my season ticket (first world problems),
and would have had to have retired from my lovely job due to various health issues years ago (less so).

I had my knee done privately but the surgeon informed me that if I had gone nhs he would have more than likely carried out the surgery as he was at the time the lead nhs knee consultant for the area.

To reiterate @wellquickwoody. Excellent news that you are the road to recovery. If you are offered screening take it!
I ended up getting ‘lights, camera, action’ and had four polyps removed. One of which was of a size that would have probably become cancerous if it hadn’t been removed.

 

[Weststander]

So pleased for you @wellquickwoody with your outcome. What a journey. Wishing you a long, healthy life ahead.

I had bowel surgery exactly 6 years ago. The NHS sent me to their specialists at St Marks Hospital in Harrow, these people are incredible, I’m forever grateful.

So true about getting things checked out early, don’t feel like you’re wasting a GP’s or NHS time.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

PM sent.

TFFT!

 

[wellquickwoody]

Glad to hear you are on the mend Woody.
Your post resonated.
Does anyone know if you can request a bowel cancer testing kit aged 50? as Woody said you get sent one at 54 but the NHS is changing it to 50…it is not clear where they are at with this.

A friend of mine did get one done privately in the UK, may have cost him a hundred quid perhaps?

 

[BN9 BHA]

Thanks for sharing Woody and wish you all the best.

I received a test kit for bowel cancer this week and definitely not something I would ignore.

 

[Vicar!]

During my journey with Prostate I was offered a range of treatments and selected an unusual one, which was very much on trial in this country. (IMRT). Sixteen years on I am still checked regularly. Indeed I was poster boy on the Albion get your prostate checked campaign ten years ago. I declined permission for the posters to be used in the Amex urinals, as you would.

Thus a couple of weeks ago I noticed an unusual swelling on my breast and was referred to the breast cancer clinic within a couple of days as this sprung all the red flags. Off I went one sunny Sunday morning, was checked, x rayed, and scanned and given a diagnosis of a benign lymphoma (harmless). The process took 38 minutes from start to finish. The NHS is still a great service.

 

[The Mole]

Great post and really glad to hear that you are coming through with a good outcome.
I lost my best friend to bowel cancer when he was just 43 so I have always taken advantage of the bowel testing - and am pleased it is now available to all over 50 now.
recentlyI have a few friends with prostate cancer so have had the PSA test - all was Ok

on the point about the NHS - having recently had a skin cancer removed - I was really impressed with the treatment and the post cancer check ups.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Great post. Sorry to hear of your health issues but you seem to have faced them with great strength and humour. Some good advice in there for NSC’s many oldies!

 

[wellquickwoody]

Just to clarify a point in my original post. The NHS was/is brilliant at the life and death stuff, always has been. I just feel that earlier intervention would in many cases provide better outcomes for some. This might be possible if GP waiting times were shorter, and less money spent on less pressing concerns.

But hey, this was never meant to be a political post. Thank you all for the good wishes sent, and please feel free to ask questions if there are any concerns that. I may be able to answer.