Life after Retirement

This my first post since retiring after fifty years employment, self-employment and then employment again. It has been "interesting" as in the Chinese curse version of that word. On our first day of retirement, and driving out of London to our country retirement idyll, we got only as far as Hammersmith Flyover before the results of my recent PSA blood test resulted in a phone call urging me to see my GP as matter of urgency. For all my whinging about the NHS, what happened thereafter, my patient journey, was a example of text-book excellence.

I registered with a local GP and saw him the following day. My "two-week wait" referral resulted in a urology appointment at my local district hospital (DGH) in seven working days.

What I Thought Would Happen

After watching patients endure the local DGH where I had worked, I warned my wife that I would probably see an SHO or, if I was lucky, a registrar who would decide to ask for a repeat of the PSA, order an ultrasound and make a follow-up appointment a couple of weeks later to review the results.

What Did Happen

My 10am appointment was with the consultant. First, the ultrasound machine which was next to his desk. Completed by five past ten. Good news: didn't appear enlarged.

Next, the dreaded gloved finger did the necessary. Ten past ten. Mmmm... there's some sort of nodule there so we'd better get a biopsy. Can you come back at three o'clock?

Biopsy completed by half past three.

Now for The Bad News

Seven days later, back for the results. Adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Advanced. Aggressive. Oh bugger. Left hospital with first batch of drugs. Radiotherapy started on the first possible day after allowing the drugs to do their stuff.

And finally The Good News

All clear.

So dear reader, it can be done well. I asked the specialist nurse why it was so good. She told me that the whole team had sat down together and worked out how to do it all better. What an amazing thing .. asking the people who know how it works (and doesn't)  and who need to make it work better.