"11th May during a game of tennis ..."

What I liked

11th May during a game of tennis I was hit hard on the leg with a tennis ball. It was on a vein and the leg was very sore. . On 19th, that I realized that the whole of my leg was swollen and I made an appointment and saw the doctor. She sent me to A.& E. at Frimley.

I was seen and bloods were taken and I was given an injection. The next day 21st, my leg was scanned, by a member of staff who did not speak to me and inspected the veins by pinching my leg - quite painful! No DVT but they said the swelling was probably due to bruising, and I was told to see my own Dr. next week, which I did but she asked me to return when she had received the results of the blood test. Two weeks later I did but nothing was shown and no further action taken.

26th June I returned to another doctor as my leg was still swollen and she sent me back to A. & E. where I had more blood taken and another scan. This time the radiologist asked me to squeeze my toes to activate the blood so it was a painless operation, and she talked to me. She found the lymph gland swollen in the groin, & called in a consultant, and made quite a lot of notes. She said the swelling might be caused by an infection. I was given a letter to take to my own Dr. again.

30th June, This time I saw another doctor as I was thinking that I might receive antibiotics if I had an infection. The letter from A.& E. merely said "No DVT ", but I mentioned the radiologist comments about the lymph gland so I then had a further examination and as a result was fast tracked for suspected cancer. Since then, although it took quite a while to get a diagnosis I cannot fault either treatment or attitude of the staff, who have been really great.

In the G1 unit, in particular, I am treated with utmost kindness and repect and care.

What could be improved

To stop squeezing patients legs when scanning and also to speak to them instead of treating them as inanimate being.

that any reports, especially those overseen by a consultant should be shown proper respect and inc;luded in the report to the patients doctor.

Anything else?

The second radiologist treated me as a human being and made me feel very at ease and was careful in explaining what she was doing and although I do not know her name I would like to register my thanks to her.