Flops' Friday mini blog

I was waiting for a letter telling me about a consultation from my consultant and told me doc that it seemed a long time since I had heard from him. She rang me up the next day and told me that an appointment had been arranged for me in the next week. Asked her why things had moved so fast an was told that when they make a cock up then things really move as they are afraid of being sued.
So I would not worry too much about the speedy appointment.
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Save your worrying for after you have been seen
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As to the "solution" you could always try drowning
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Sorry to hear that news Mr Flopp's

I am sure they want to get you in as soon as possible so as there is no delay in giving you the right treatment Mr Flopp's, also they may not have the result of your last biopsy either, so may well be just prevention there..

Hope the heart scan goes ok.

Wouldn't have thought if any remained it would grow that quickly Mr Flopp's so again may just be prevention measures

Take it easy and try not to worry, I know how hard that can be I assure you!
 
I am sorry to hear of your trials and tribulations Tony, yes getting old is a bugger things don't work as they used to. As far as your problems with the appointment for the results of the biopsy I personally think it is a admin cock up. Also the toungue lump is hopefully a infection and nothing else, fingers crossed. Look after your self and keep the old pecker up, I am thinking of you and got my fingers crossed for you.
 
Aww Flopps - to think you've been waiting all this time and STILL no biopsy results! That's just so wrong - and stressful.

It's a real bummer that you have another tongue swelling, and somewhat natural that you'd be thinking about the bleakest scenarios.... I think many of us tend to do that. But, all along, your Consultant has been pretty confident that the swelling was non-cancerous, hasn't he, and he could still be correct.

As for the GPs body language... well not being rude, but the clue is in the "General" part of GP, don't you think? Yes I know there are some very good GPs around, but some are pretty much out of their comfort zone, when confronted by anything which doesn't require a 'script for painkillers, or a dab of ointment!

You have been given a fairly quick appointment - but I should jolly well think so!! Having kept you waiting for so long for a biopsy result; then not giving you a follow-up appointment; and now, on hearing that you've presented with another painful swelling.... it could be that someone's in deep doo-doo for messing-up. That Consultant probably knows how anxious and stressed you'll be feeling right now, so has ordered that you be seen, without any further messing about.

It's great that your daughters are visiting - I'll bet they're just happy to be getting together with you, for a catch-up and Father's Day treat. At any other time, I'm sure you would be seeing it that way too.

The Apple 3 phone...? Heck Flopps, if you like it, why not go for it. (No, I'm not ignoring the point you were making, though I sincerely hope it won't ever happen...) however, you could be enjoying that phone right now, and for a very long time to come!:nod:

I'm sorry to read about your mum and ex mother in law. My granddad and mother had Alzheimers too, so I sympathise. IMHO it's such a cruel disease. Also sorry to see that your friends Roy and Johnny are going-through-the-mill at the moment. I hope things work out for them and wish them well.

Have yourself a great night out with your girls. As always, wishing you all the best. :cheers:
 
It's cancer. The consultant is going to cut away a portion of my tongue as soon as possible. He tells me I will still be able to taste and talk - albeit with impaired speech - following the surgery.

Because the cancer has been present since March there's a danger it may have spread to surrounding tissue, notably the lymph glands and tonsils. However, a cursory ultra scan at the hospital after the appointment showed no trace of the cancer having spread. I am going back to the hospital in a couple of hours for an MRI scan which shows things in greater detail.

If the cancer has spread I will need to undergo what they call a radical dissection where they will remove my other lymph gland and tonsil rather like they did in 2006. I expect that will be accompanied by radiotherapy and chemotherapy, if my flesh in that area is strong enough to take it following previous treatment.

If the cancer hasn't spread - and doesn't between now and surgery - then it will be just the removal of part of my tongue with the tumour in it. The consultant told me they assign cancer stages 1 to 5 with 5 being the worst and mine is a stage 1. Apparently I will still be able to swallow following surgery but until it's completely healed only soft foods, no need for a stomach tube for intravenous feeding which is a relief.

There was an admin cockup at the hospital and I should have been seen for the biopsy results 2 to 3 weeks after the flesh sample was taken, not the eventual almost nine weeks it has taken. This is annoying but what's done is done and I have to deal with the here and now, not what might have been. The consultant apologised several times for the dealy, possibly worried I might sue but I won't do that - why antagonise the guy who could save your life? And besides, it's just not in my nature.

Apparently this is a different type of cancer to the last lot I suffered and is quite common, particularly amongst smokers. When I asked what might have caused it he said despite me having stopped smoking six years ago a legacy of 34 years of tobacco could still have caused it.

So, I'm depressed, nervous, and wondering whether a person is once smitten their ordeal will ever be over. I'm supposed to be going to a school reunion tomorrow, I was really looking forward to it but not sure whether I should go or not now, I'm not exactly going to be the life and soul of the party am I? And I wouldn't want to mention the cancer it would probably bore folks or at the very least depress them.

So, thanks for reading, I'll keep y'all posted.
 
Wish you well, Tony.

The little bit of good news there is that it's a stage 1 and not any further up the scale.

If I were you I would go to the reunion. Otherwise you'll only sit at home dwelling on things.
 
Oh that is such a bummer Flopps! It goes without saying that I'm sorry to hear it really is cancer. :( But if it has to be, then glad it's classed as a "stage 1" and that it's not showing signs of having spread.

We'll be thinking of you this afternoon and hoping for your MRI results to be good. Very best of good wishes Flopps, we're rooting for you here.
 
crap, sincerely wish you the best Tony.

.. and I too would say, go to the reunion.
 
Thanks folks. Just got back from the scan, it wasn't an MRI scan but a more detailed ultra scan where they looked at my neck, throat, tongue and inside of my mouth. No obvious traces of cancer elsewhere except for one little suspect piece which the doctor believed was probably the residue of my previous cancer as it was in the place where my infected lymph gland was removed. But just to be on the safe side she's going to perform a biopsy on it on Tuesday. So, just waiting for biopsy result from this coming Tuesday and surgery now.
 
bugger & f*ck.
Sorry Tony.
I'd also say go to the reunion. I know it's not in the same league but I know when I was in hospital after i broke my back & still didn't know if I would walk again that it was when there was no 'noise' around to distract, that all the 'scary' that goes along with something like that comes out of the cupboards. Go to the reunion, don't worry about you being the 'life of the party', let them entertain/distract you.
 
I have just PM you Tony, Glad to here that the scan went well only one bit to sort out left over from the last time. Oh and you go to your School reunion and have a couple or three on me mate.
 
Hard luck getting a second cancer mate. Sounds like it will be treatable with a good success rate.
The ultra scan was good news. I'll keep me fingers crossed for good results from the biopsy.
I'd go to the reunion. There are bound to be folk there with worse tales to tell than yours. Nowt like seeing folks worse of than yourself for cheering yourself up.

:cool:
 
I didn't go to the reunion, couldn't face it. Thanks for replies folks, truly apreciated.

Things are moving, ultrasound scan showed 2 suspect shadows, one was proved to be a 'neuroma' and non-cancerous, tissue sample taken on other, results in 1 to 2 weeks. Today had pre-surgery assessment medical and MRI scan. Young girl doing MRI scan was cheerful pre-scan, not so cheerful afterwards, facial expressions and body language give a lot away. Hers did not encourage me, she asked 'Do you have an appointment with consultant?' directly after scan. Could be a completely innocent enquiry of course but I definitely picked up a vibe there.

So, nine days to go before they hack away part of my tongue, Ironic, really, that yesterday I had a phone call to price up a big job installing a sound system at a school in Fulham. Likely to get this one cos the recommendation to use me came from a neighbouring school I worked for a coupla years ago. And I'm good at what I do. No, really, I am.

If I get the contract I'll probably have to enlist help, at least to be able to converse normally using speech with customer.

Truth is though, if cancer has spread - and I have been aware of it since early March - then basically I'm stuffed and will not be much longer of this world. I am coming to terms with it, not as scary as I thought it may be, but very, very sad. I do like this life, very much.

If I do decide to hasten my exit I promise to write a long letter or something, I won't just suddenly disappear. This life is odd. I wish all you folks well :)

PS: NOT a call for sympathy, not at all, just reality people ;)
 
So sorry to read that you have to have more surgery Mr Flopp's :(

I do hope it goes as well as can be and they manage to get everything this time around..

I wish you every sincere wish Tony
 
If I do decide to hasten my exit ...
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:confused: :confused: :confused: I'm too much a coward to even think that way ... would you be taking a trip to Holland?

:cry:
 
So sorry to hear of what you suspect Tony I am thinking of you and really do not know what to say and like Mr Mucks I also am too much of a coward to think the way you are, having said that I have not been faced with the problems you have. Please keep us all informed as we are all routing for you and thinking of you. Good luck with the school quote if you get that it will keep you busy for a while.
 
try to keep positive if you can tony, it's never over until the fat lady sings.
and the fat ladies too busy getting ready for some event in london late july!
thinking of you at this difficult time for you.

good luck with the school contract.

best wishes

feckit
 
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