"Thank the NHS, I don't think so!!"

Last year about June/July time I noticed a lump in my neck, as I am a transplant patient I told my doctor at renal clinic. He examined me and told me it was nothing to worry about, it was just a fat tissue lump. I wasn’t so sure as I’ve other fat tissue lumps and this was nothing like them as this lump had a swelling around it. But the doctor reassured me it was nothing to worry about. About a month to six weeks later the lump was starting to bother me so I told the doctor at renal clinic my concerns, but he just said we know all about it, it’s not serious, don’t worry. Around October time my partner who was suffering from cancer fell poorly so I called my GP out from Stonecroft medical centre. I told him about this lump so he examined me and said he would organise a ultra sound for me, which he did. My appointment came but unfortunately my partner passed away the day before so I cancelled it. The date for my ultra sound was 1st November 2008.

Time passed by but a later appointment never arrived so early in 2009 I told my doctor at renal clinic and my GP. Only my GP said he would look into it for me, but nothing came of it. About the middle of May I started getting pains up the left side of my face so I told the doctor at the renal clinic. They examined me again and this time they said I should have a biopsy on the lump. The result of this was I had abnormal cells so they sent me to see an oncologist. They arranged further investigations which led me being diagnosed with throat cancer. I am very angry with the way I was dismissed with my worries about the lump in the first place! As the result of my poor care over the last 10 months to a year, I have to put aside with dealing with the loss of my partner of 27 years to concentrate on fighting cancer myself. I also feel so let down by the NHS because all this is put down to money. In the doctors opinion I wasn’t in no danger, it wasn’t serious enough so they didn’t bother with all these tests as it would have been a waste of time and money. The same thing happened with my partner, she was told she was too young to get breast cancer so they didn’t bother no ultra sound or biopsy and where is she now? Six feet under. So I have so much to thank the NHS for, I don’t think so!!