DeanShoegazeBromley · @deanbromley
14th May 2015 from TwitLonger
**Wife update** #health #cancer #NHS #migraine
Hi Twitter. You'll know I tweet about music and the odd RT about silly stuff that makes me chuckle out loud ('CHOL' - I don;t actually 'LOL' in abbreviation form) but not much else. Some of you may recall I did the odd tweet or two about my wife who had breast cancer last year that she navigated successfully. So what has 2015 thrown up? Well, a lump was detected in February 2015 on her breast that disappeared within 3 days (we saw the scan it was there - a 3cm long one so small yet so dangerous) but disappeared - the lead consultant at our local hospital advised it was likely to be scar tissue from her original operation. Panic over. We went to Skegness for Valentine's Day weekend. Small things Fast forward to April 2015. Amanda had an episode at work where she was preparing a document in her role as MD for a creative agency. The words on the document just fell off the screen. Like a dream sequence in a film I should imagine. She felt (and saw) honey pouring from her eyes. She picked up the phone to text me - couldn't remember how to text. Or how to call. She pointed at screens but couldn't say the words she wanted to. She took a breather and had a quick walk outside. She visited the GP alter who said "It sounds migraine related (Amanda has had chronic migraines for 20+ years - we're talking 10-20 per month) We'll monitor the situation" Hmmmm.
Monday 11th May - same thing happened. Albeit more serious. For an Oxford English graduate to be stuck for works and to say words which made no sense, this was debilitating. Concerning.
Amanda came home. confused, upset. I took a voice recording of her speech to me - think of that non-sensical Nadsat language in A Clockwork Orange and you'd understand. She tried to say the same word many times without success. Heartbreaking.
Phoned 111 (The UK non-emergency medical helpline), after reassurance this forgetfulness wasn't related to chemo-brain - a known source of forgetfulness post-cancer). Standard triage but a few probing questions and they arranged for us to see a out of hours GP. We went, a few questions, choice of immediate scan at A&E Department or referral via GP. Giving the GP episode 3 weeks ago (and Amanda's history of ineptitude we opted for the first.
4 hours later, after midnight, consultation. Rather good one, lots of basic physical tests, snapshot was possible mini-stroke (didn't see that one coming). Scan shortly after. CT scan (basic one). Imagine Star Wars and the Death Star with the crater on it. that's what we're looking at. No exaggeration - take a look here: https://goo.gl/EuaIt9
So, kept in the Emergency Bay for 16 hours. So many thought going through our heads. Cancer returned? Or something else? Lots of tears with her Dad, who has been through enough in his life (that's yet another story) Moved to Acute Medical Unit Tuesday 12th May at lunchtime. She's been there ever since. She'll have an MRI scan today by all accounts, she may be released tomorrow. A consultant has said "Whatever it is, it is';t good" and didn't go into further detail when asked, certainly not what we wanted to hear. We're still waiting for results. We still don't know exactly what we're dealing with. Uncertainty hanging around like a dense fog.
She's up to her eye in "Get Well Soon" style chocolates (Am I a bad person for eating them all?)
The waiting game continues.....
NHS - we've had some good people deal with us since Monday (call handler at 111, Napoleon in the Emergency Unit), some not-so-good.
Updates to follow.....