To my astonishment - after the 20 minute fight to find somewhere to park - the appointments system was ahead of itself when I got to the hospital today. My planning meeting was supposed to last for 40 minutes, but it started 10 minutes early and only took 15 minutes. Indeed, if I hadn't asked for details of my 'treatment plan', it would have been even quicker.
So, what happened today? I took advantage of the resource library at the treatment centre to collect information about travel insurance. It had never occurred to me until my diagnosis, that having cancer limits the insurance companies that will provide cover for holidays and travel in general. But it does. The treatment centre has produced a very helpful list of companies that will insure people who have had or still have cancer, and includes details of whether they're prepared to offer cover for people who are waiting for or still receiving treatment (generally not, unfortunately) or people with what the literature refers to as "a terminal prognosis". So, today I learned that most insurance companies will not insure me until three months after my radiotherapy finishes, and then only provided that I don't have a recurrence. I've also learned that my excess will be lower if I stay in Europe than if I go further. Apparently, the US attracts huge excesses because medical treatment there is so expensive. Lucky I'm not planning to visit the US then, isn't it?
After collecting the information, with the help of two very pleasant support workers, I went for my planning meeting. The medical staff explained to me that, based on the CT scan from last week, a 'treatment plan' had been devised for my radiotherapy sessions and that today's meeting was just to check that nothing had changed since last week ("People do change shape", I was told). The treatment plan itself was a series of cross sections of my skeleton and internal organs, marked up to show where the radiation is to be delivered. It sounds grisly, but it was actually quite interesting, and I was really pleased that I was shown the documentation when I asked about what the plan was, exactly. I'd rather assumed it was a plan as in, "Today we'll do this, tomorrow we'll do that...", but, in fact, it was a plan as in a map!
The last thing I learned today was that I will attend the consultant's clinic every week so that he can check whether I'm experiencing any side effects. I had been wondering about that, and it was on my list of questions to ask, so it was useful to be given this information.
This time, the CT scan required me to lie on the bed and be 'arranged' by the medical staff so that I was in the same position (within acceptable limits) as when I was tattooed last week. The tattoo marks were then highlighted and something (I couldn't see what and was too interested in what was happening around me to ask!) was stuck on top of the highlights.
The medical staff then left the room and I was scanned again. Although I thought the scanner was quiet last week, I must have been more aware of what was going on this week, since I realised that, when operating, it sounded somewhat like a washing machine about to start a spin cycle!
Once the scan was finished, the sticky stuff was removed and I was able to leave and get dressed, but not before I was given one piece of news that cheered me up immensely - my appointment time tomorrow has been moved from 3.30 pm to 9.15 am! I'm delighted! I noticed on my way into the treatment unit that the 'suite' in which I'm to receive my treatment was already running an hour behind schedule by 2.30 pm today, so being one of the first 'customers' tomorrow should ensure that the delay isn't too enormous.
As expected, driving home required me to negotiate children coming out of school - this means that the radio has to be turned off so I can concentrate as they leap merrily from the kerb into the traffic without checking whether there's anything coming or not. Now I know why I wasn't allowed to drive again until I was able to do an emergency stop safely! But at least tomorrow the return journey will be relatively peaceful - though I'll need to leave home very early in order to negotiate the morning rush hour on my way to the hospital. However, getting the visit over early in the day is infinitely preferable to having to hang around waiting, unable to engage properly with anything else.
Indeed, by the time I arrived at the hospital today, having taken a brisk walk to fill in time this morning, I realised that for the first time since diagnosis, I was feeling really grumpy about the whole thing; I'm still not worried, but I do feel extremely resentful that I have to give up time every day for a month for this treatment. I know I'm lucky to be given the opportunity to be treated, and I do feel guilty for the lurking resentment, but I said I'd give an account of what it's like to be a radiotherapy patient, and it would be unfair not to mention that the whole thing is extremely annoying!
More tomorrow after treatment...
1 comment:
Lesley, I just picked up what you wrote about travel insurance. I had a problem making a claim for reimbursement of the deposit I paid for a trip to Barbados in order to attend my daughter’s wedding. I cancelled the holiday immediately the date of my operation was confirmed. You can read all about it here:
http://www.camsoftpartners.co.uk/travelins.htm
I have all-year round travel insurance with American Express. Normally, they are very good, but my argument over reimbursement was with AXA, the insurance company that handles Amex customers. In the end Amex paid the amount claimed in full (£240) ex gratia, which has restored my faith in Amex – but not in AXA.
Many companies will not insure you if you have a pre-existing medical condition, especially cancer. Amex does, but they will not honour a claim if you fall ill abroad as a direct result of your condition. In other words, I could claim if I broke a leg skiing but not if my cancer suddenly became aggressive and required treatment while I was abroad. I am not too concerned about travelling to EU countries as most have pretty good reciprocal arrangements with the UK under the E111 scheme and will treat you as one of their own citizens providing you are not travelling abroad specifically in order to seek treatment. My daughter had to have her baby treated in Austria under the E111 scheme. No hassle, no fees – the hospital just accepted the E111 cards.
Last year I had a holiday in Switzerland. As Switzerland is outside the EU and E111 cards are of no use, I took out travel insurance with Saga. Saga were very helpful, and just asked me to specify my condition. They then loaded the premium accordingly. It cost me around £60 for two weeks, but I also had to insure my wife with Saga. She is the picture of health, but because she was accompanying me she had to be insured with Saga too.
I have not travelled to visit my relations in Canada since I was diagnosed with cancer. Medical costs in Canada can be horrendous if you are not resident in the country. The USA is even more scary. I obviously need to do some serious research before I travel to North America again.
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