Differences

First things first: I'm back from my hospital check-up and I'm fine! I'm very relieved, since the thought of further treatment makes me shudder. I wonder whether I'd have the courage to choose to refuse...

And then - the nurse who usually examines me was away today. Fortunately, however, there were female doctors on hand, and I was able to have one of them examine me. What a difference between her examination and Nurse's! It was much quicker and much gentler, and the best news is that I don't have to go back for six months. The doctor - a consultant gynaecologist - said that she prefers to do check-ups every three months for a year, then every six months for a year or two, then annually. How different from the team at the hospital I attend (this doctor was from the specialist unit at a different hospital, where they seem to have different ideas). The usual routine is every three months for two years, every six months for two years and then one final annual check-up in year five. I am so happy to be able to move to six-monthly visits.

Today's lesson for me, then, is that what happens really does depend on who you see in the medical context. It makes me even more determined to insist on more than one opinion if I ever have to go through anything like this again.