Mr MP You Have a Meeting With Mrs M!

Finally I have had my portacath fitted ready for my next cycle of Chemotherapy. It took a phone message left on handsome Mr H secretary answer machine first to get the ball rolling. It is a shame that a cancer patient has to resort to such nagging methods to get the job done, but the thought of the alternative i.e. another vein collapsing is something I would not want to wish on my dearest enemy. 

On the 29^th-30^th I will be attending the Westminster Fly-in 2012. Previously I have always avoided such invitations, but after three years of sitting on the side lines gathering up bits of info about treatment and how my treatment has gone thus-far has led me to one conclusion. If I had a high risk pregnancy I would be receiving better care. Those are strong words, but I have personal experience in such matters. My last pregnancy I had a team of individuals all I knew on first name bases and they were there if I needed them. I had a list of direct numbers to call if I had doubts or questions. There was only one grumble when an idiot who did not deal with my pregnancy normally sent me on blue lights to Bradford hospital which I can assure you was dealt with. In all the team of people I had made me feel relaxed and I trusted them which is important.
   

With my current situation my Macmillan nurse is in the big E hospital, while my Chemotherapy is in the big CC hospital. I was asked at The Maggie cancer center do I have a Macmillan nurse at the big CC hospital I said No!... And when discussing in detail about how I requested my nurse in the big E hospital if she could enquirer about the portacath after my first cycle her reply was she was not part of the big CC hospital. To sum it up it was all down to me to make waves to get the portacath fitted.

What infuriates me about this whole situation is some patients don’t have the energy to ask. Some patients are so depressed with the whole situation they remain silent and except what is thrown at them. I have had the advantage of being around some very courageous strong women over three years and know I must DEMAND a portacath, but be polite and direct. Yet I still ask why? Why should I as a cancer patient resort to a phone call? After all I had told them well before my treatment started that my veins were naff. And it was written on my big E medical records that my veins were not obliging. This still left me with two veins damaged in my fore arm which are now extremely painful.

What people don’t understand about me is I am the type of person who will not make that phone call just to see what happens. I like to play with fire, but I knew this was not something I should play with.

To sum this week up Lord help my MP... I have a heap of look this is what I have seen and experienced and I don’t understand why this is happening in the NHS???? 
I have witnessed the pros and cons of having an excellent support system. Why is a high risk pregnancy so different to having cancer except there are two lives not one involved?
Yet a cancer patient has to except the cards and not moan... Well sod that! Sorry Mr MP you is in for a long ride with Mrs M!