Just want to say hello to everyone. Im in isolation but escaping for blood tests tomorrow. Not looking forward to going to HP as there and hospitals is when i pick things up. Hi
Self isolation due to health issues - Positive Wellbein...
Positive Wellbeing During Self-Isolation
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Self isolation due to health issues
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Witsend8
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Hello
I’m in a similar position- need to be shielded as on chemo (for advanced ovarian cancer) but told to go to hospital for bloods. Bit contradictory isn’t it? Jane
Could you explain and go to GP instead and turn up just before appointment time? You should be able to access your results online.
I asked for earliest time but seemed everyone else had same idea. Ill ask reception how many people are in waiting room before i go in. If nedds be, ill wait in the car.
Take care evrryone xx
in reply to Witsend8
Thinking of you. Love and hugs Lynne xxxx
My onc team don’t seem keen on that option perhaps because I live in a different cancer quadrant of London from my treatment and I suspect the systems aren’t connected at all...
You're probably right about that. So many billions went down the drain in trying to develop a fully integrated IT system for the NHS. My local hospital is the Whittington, but I'm treated at the Royal Free for my autoimmune conditions. If I had blood tests at the Whittington, my GP practice could read the results online. Instead I have to ask the rheumatology nurse at the Royal Free to fax the results to them. On one occasion when I couldn't get through to her on the phone, the only option was for me to go for a second blood test at the Whittington so that my GP was happy to prescribe for me.
Those of us with less serious conditions are being advised to skip the blood tests for the time being. I had a terrible cold in January and I'm sure I caught it in the very crowded waiting room when I went for my routine blood test.
Can’t have chemo unless have bloods first
I have breast cancer and am on targeted therapy so I am one of the 1.5million who are classed as vulnerable. I had to have a heart scan on Monday morning at 9 in order to determine whether I can continue with this therapy since it caused me heart problems and I had to stop treatment for 12 weeks. Since all the guidance changed I was in a quandry as to what to do. The cardiology and all my usual sources of support did not open until 9am. In the end I decided to drive to the hospital. All the car parks were cordoned off so I parked on the road at 9.00a.m. and rang them.
They were wonderful! They told me that they were only treating cancer patients and patients with serious heart disease. She said I could still have the scan but that they would understand if I didn't want to and would reschedule. Since I need this particular treatment, I decided to go ahead. She told me to drive round the back of the hospital on the service road. Drive over 6 speed bumps and when I saw the double glass doors to just park up - ignoring the double yellow lines and to press the buzzer to be let in and someone would meet me. True to their word they did this. I was wearing the hospital type of gloves which I bought last year at the beginning of treatment and a mask which one of my friends who also has breast cancer and was formerly a nurse, left in my porch for me.
When I went into the room, they asked me to remove my gloves because I'd touched the buzzer. Wash my hands and then told me I could take a pair of their gloves to use and reminded me that the gloves are just like your hands, so offer you limited protection, f you don't wash them. I was in and out in 20 minutes.
The care I have received from this hospital has been nothing short of outstanding. I moved there after my 4th cycle of chemotherapy as the previous hospital was offering no level of care, consideration or empathy. After a very shaky start, the NHS has been absolutely amazing!!!!!! I cannot praise them enough for the level of care that I have received from them during an extremely difficult time.
I had my treatment last week in the Cancer Care Centre of the same hospital. They asked that no relatives accompany patients. I was the only patient in the waiting room (it's usually packed). There was just a receptionist who booked me in, keeping his distance. A nurse collected me and administered the treatment. When I left, there was again just one patient in the waiting room. Their care and understanding of patient safety and how patients feel has been amazing.
If you are worried at all, please ring them to ask how they will protect you.
That's so wonderful to here, I'm glad you've had such a positive experience and that the level of care has been so high in such extraordinarily challenging times! Best wishes :)!
So glad you are getting your much needed treatment. I know that lots of tests have to be regularly carried out, seems you have now got the marvellous side of the nhs. Mine offerd that too, but im staying at friends house whilst it sekks! I like you, really need my bloods carried out, as im a double transplant patient who also takes biologic injections and sulphasalazine, making me triple immune suppressed. This was due to being type 1 diabetic for over 40yrs.being ill and out of hours doctor gave me something that poisoned my system (had kidney failure and waiting for transplant). This caused complete organ failure and i wasn't expected to make it.so glad im just too stubborn to go until its really my time.
Lets all get through this, and plan to enjoy simple pleasures when its over xxxx
in reply to Rita-D
I'm so pleased you have had excellent treatment. Love and hugs Lynne xxxx 😘
Rita-D in reply to
Thank you. xxx
in reply to Rita-D
You are very welcome. How are you feeling tonight? Love and hugs Lynne xxxx 😘
Rita-D in reply to
I’m feeling good thank you. Have just had an online rehearsal with Rock Choir. The first for 9 months. It felt great! How are you?
in reply to Rita-D
That's great!!
I'm not too good tbh
I do have many underlying conditions plus I'm aching all over, headache, feeling faint, sweating buckets, stomach pain which I've had for a couple of weeks, my Dr is over seeing this, neck glands up and runny nose but at least my temp isn't up which is a good thing!! Love and hugs Lynne xxxx
Rita-D in reply to
Oh heck that doesn’t sound good. Are you taking paracetamol to help the headache? Not much more I can suggest. I had to self-isolate for a week as I had a persistent cough but no temperature. I always check it several times a day. Had awful sore throat for a day. Then no appetite for a couple of days and the runs for a couple of days to. Don’t think it was Coronavirus but I didn’t want to risk infecting people in case it was, so followed the advice to the letter. Still got the cough. Never felt ill though. Hope you’re feeling better soon. Has he not asked you to do 111 online? Take care and stay safe. Rita xxx
in reply to Rita-D
Thank you. Not at the moment but I will do if I don't feel any better. Love and hugs Lynne xxxx 😘
Really reassuring to hear thank you for taking the time to describe your experience
Hi
You've been through the mill, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Thinking of you. Love and hugs Lynne xxxx 😘
Your be OK, just keep your distance, mask if you have one, wash hands, don't touch railings or push lift buttons, etc. 👍🙏👐
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