The “C” Word
Posted in Blog by: Lottie(T.M.I Warning)
Somedays I freak myself out. Between Steph warning of the dangers of not having health insurance , Morgor talking about moles and Willknotts new campaign, I was beginning to worry I may die and so I decided that I have come to that time of the year when I feel that there are enough little niggly things wrong with me that it warrants a trip to my doctor for a check up.
I have been getting headaches a lot of late. This is nothing unusual. I suffer from migraine’s and this time of year they always flare up. I have to wear sunglasses even on the dullest of days. Not to mention the impending doom of October.
I have a huge bruise on my arm and it’s causing my neck aches. My eyes are itchy, I sneeze too often, I need to renew my prescription and I have a mole. Granted I have had the same mole for years. It looks no different than it ever did, but you can never be too careful.
Also years of being an ill-disciplined vegetarian played havock with my immune system so that now I suffer from bouts of acute anemia.
My Doctor is a pet and I highly recommend her to everyone. I feel so at ease with her. She knows all the intimate details of my life despite the fact that I might only visit her once a year.
I show up 10 minutes late to be greeted by “Hello Lottie – how’s the cat?”
No-one has this good a memory and I am convinced she takes notes and puts them into the system when the patients leave. Is it cheating? A little. But it has a personal touch that makes you feel she cares.
She directs me towards the couch and consults her little book of notes. “Ah Lottie. I see you turned 26 this year. I think it’s about time we did “the test”. I have been avoiding “the test” for years but I decided it was time to spread ‘em and get it over with.
Afterwards the Doctor sat me down to explain how the test is prepared, how the results are processed, how long they will take and what the possible results could be.
Then she said it. CANCER. This is the first time I have ever heard the word in a doctors surgery and even in this innocuous context it’s quite scary. The room seemed to flutter a little at the sound of the word.
Such tests are precautionary and invaluable in cancer prevention. Cervical cancer is the only cancer that can be predicted before it develops. Cancer doesn’t run in my family thankfully and I have had little interaction with it in my life. But all of a sudden in this sterile little room, talking about something that (fingers, toes, legs and all crossed) will never effect me I had an over whelming feeling of sadness for all those who hear the “C” word as their diagnosis.
On the way back over I thought about the journey those who have received such a sad diagnosis must feel. Numb? Grief stricken? Desperate? Angry? It’s just incomprehensible. So I decided to dedicate my walk back to my office to“Pink”. I don’t think I have ever noticed before, but there’s a hell of a lot of pink going on on the South-Side.
You can do a little bit in the fight against cancer just by clicking on this link. Every click helps the site reach it’s quote to provide free mammograms for under priveledged women. It won’t cost you a thing.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Any chance you get to find out about early signs of a Cancer diagnosis should be taken at every single opportunity!
If anyone had told me a million ways where I could have found out first and not had to feel that dreaded lump I’d have done them every single day! (even if it had taken half the day up!!)
August 28th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Thanks for the link, Lottie
And well done on getting yourself checked out. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Your GP sounds lovely. I’d say my GP probably groans when he sees me coming!
I’ve ‘clicked’ for Cancer. It would be great if there was a similar Irish site?
August 28th, 2008 at 10:03 am
t cup (the artist formerly known as t dog) when i read the title of your post i was sure you meant the OTHER c word. how rude of me i apologise!!
i really should have that test as well!!
August 28th, 2008 at 10:22 am
@T Cup & Steph- It wasn’t nearly as bad as I had imagined. Ill happily give you my Doctors details – she really is totally wonderful!
@Kieron – I didn’t realise your history with the disease. I have gone back to your 05 posts. I have a lot of reading ahead!
August 28th, 2008 at 10:28 am
i’ve found a doctor in the big schmoke actually bout three weeks ago for something a little embarrassing also and she is lovely but alas she doesn’t open on a sat. but as soon as i get my shit together i will book a test in sep.
August 28th, 2008 at 11:08 am
The big “C” is a scary place to be alright. Like yourself I have been fortunate enough that it hasn’t impacted greatly on my life so far and there is no history on either side of my family thankfully. Having several moles on my body I check them regularly and am off to the specialist if there is anything different in any of them. To date I have had to get one removed, that was malignent but thankfully it was contained.
I think my doctor must be a sister of your doctor as she always welcomes me on a first name basis, asks how the course is going and says “its May 2009 you are finished, isn’t it” and used to always ask about my workplace when I was employed. She is very down to earth and has in the past taken out photos of her kids for me to see and just puts such an ease on any visit. She is like this with all her clients and its great to have her as some of the other doctors don’t even bother to ask your name!
I hope your tests come back clear, and that all your other ailments clear up for you.
August 28th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Your first smear (SUCH a yukky word I think) is always a wierd experience, so I think your post is great. I thought I was being silly at the time but the fact that you’re being tested does indeed raise a lot of questions and worries, and when they come back normal or almost normal it’s more of a relief that you initially realise. Reassuring to know that the little voices aren’t just in my head, but others’ too…
And…hello Fellow-Migraine Sufferer! Aren’t they fun… Do you get the twinklies? Aura migraines…visual ones – I’m a bit dependent on the shades myself! It’s dull to the rest of the world and glaringly bright to some of us
Just goes to show, one is not always being a tosser when one wears one’s posh specs out on a dull day…
August 28th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
@MJ – I know – it’s a nasty word – that’s why I was a wimp and used “the test” phrase. I have no concerns about the results (touch wood) but it’s good to have it over and done with.
My Doc told me there is a national screening plan coming in soon and therefore the price will diminish and everyone will be entitled to a test.
Migraines! The bane of my life. Thankfully I started on preventative medication last year for a few months and they are much less regular now.
Mine happen in a series. I get pins and needles, usually first in my tongue and face then in my hands and chest. Then the tunnel vision kicks in and then I loose almost all sight. Only then the headache and then the vomiting. sexy! It annoys me when people throw the word around willy nilly when all they have is a wussy headache.
I have my first migraine when I was 7 and i though I was dying! It was very scary.
August 28th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
I’ve been having smears since I was 17, obviously my doc is a bit over-zealous!
August 28th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
My last doc was always pestering me to have one since I turn 18. When I changed Doctors I was 22 and she said there is no need until you’re 25. Money making racket?
August 28th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
I’ve had a few of them but they always come back inconclusive. I am told this is nomal. More women should be made aware of the importance of getting such a test.
August 28th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
I don’t have health insurance either.
I was reading up on it and I read about a nurse who doesn’t have it so I thought , feck it, a nurse would probably know.
August 28th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Lottie, great post.
I thought I found a lump the other week, so am going to the doctors tomorrow to get it checked out and to also get my first smear.
Well done on gettign the test and for going to the doctors and I hope your tests come back clear. xx
August 28th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Lottie
Sorry, didn’t realise your migraines were the ‘real’ thing – not good
One of the benefits of having had a hysterectomy, is that I no longer have to go for “the test” – nothing left to test!
But I got to hold on to my ovaries for old times sake!
August 28th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
You won’t find the full story there Lottie, it got a bit much to blog about I think – can’t remember how far I did post! I started writing a word document, that is fairly brutal in places but fairly hilarious in others.
I always planned to publish/blog it, but I never got around to finishing it – the third cycle was all a bit a of a blur and I didn’t want to be “half a job”
I’m a migraine sufferer too, welcome to the world of darkened rooms and pneumatic drills against your head!
August 28th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
[...] Don’t get mad: Volunteer. [...]
August 28th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
@Lottie Cancer bring on a flight or fight response. I say fight
@Keiron would it be worth talking to someone about it. Or asking another blogger to do the editing?
August 29th, 2008 at 10:37 am
Like t cup, I too thought you meant the OTHER c word…
You’ve reminded me that I really need to go go to a smear test, it’s been well over three years… Apparently, there’ll be a free service from September. Everyone will get a letter and you just take it to your doctor. Not sure when the letters start arriving, though… Here’s some info: http://www.icsp.ie/