Thank you

Had my second '6-monthly' check at North Manchester last week.

So that's 14 months cancer free.

At the same time as starting this blog I chose to 'follow' some stories of other cancer patients. Some are in remission and have stopped blogging, or make only the occasional post.
For others the journey continues with further tests and treatment and changing prognosis.
Some have died.

Thank you to everyone who is following this blog.
Here's hoping I'm still blogging same time 2012!

November blood results

November blood results are back and looking good. AFP tumour marker is at its healthy low of 1. One of the liver inflammation markers is up again ever so slightly, but apart from that all is well.

Off to my 1 year cancer free check at North Manchester hospital next week.

Intermediary blood tests

I had a brainwave. Instead of waiting to see the GP on November 18th and then trying to get bloods drawn and results back in time for my cancer check up the following week, I asked if the GP could do the pathology forms without my seeing him in person. The secretaries obliged as usual (more chocolates due) and within a few hours a form was ready for me to pick up and take to Macclesfield hospital.

I expected to have to wait in line for ages for the blood draw, but the department was surprisingly empty and I was seen immediately. Results of the straightforward ones will be back at the GP by next week, the AFP has to be 'sent away' so will take longer. Hopefully 8 working days is ample and I can go to my North Manchester cancer check up armed with up-to-date results instead of results that are 2 months out of date.

What's going on?..

Letter on the mat when I get back from work. An appointment has been booked for me at Macclesfield Hospital for a CT abdominal scan (with contrast dye) on 29th November.

What?

By a Dr R J St***. Who is he?

I look him up.

His speciality is lung cancer.

What is going on?

I don't feel like spending time and money ringing round trying to get to the bottom of this. So I've written to heppy doc asking him if he knows about it - his last letter to me clearly states that he will be organising CT scans as I'm under his care now.
And I've made an appointment with my GP to see if he knows what it's about, as I'm due to have some bloods taken anyway for the tumour marker and my Vitamin D levels.
GP is booked up for 3 weeks, so it will be a while!

UPDATE: Wrote to heppy doc (as above) and left message on GI doc's answerphone (secretary) - but a week later, no reply from either.