I had my appointment at St. Lukes Hospital, Guildford, today. I got there at about 11:15 for an 11:30 appointment. You have to get a ticket for parking as you enter. They’ve got you by the balls here, it’s run by the same company that runs Gatwick and Heathrow airports. After wandering around and waiting looking gormless, eventually someone asked if they could help and directed me to the main reception and waiting area.

I checked in and duly waited and waited and waited. At 12:45, I went back to reception and pointed out that my appointment was at 11:30, could they tell what time it would be at. She came back shortly, saying I was next and showed me somewhere else to sit. Someone else came by and asked if I was OK, I said I was worried about the car parking fees as I was self employed and had not worked for ten weeks, she said she would look into it.

At 1:15 I was shown into a room and asked to wait, as the doctor would be along shortly. And waited and waited. Eventually she came in at about 1:30. This was the Oncology Consultant (clinical) I had been wanting to see. She explained more about the radiotherapy and it’s side effects. She reiterated that the previous consultant was not qualified to give the opinion that he did regarding not giving radiotherapy. She also pointed out that she would have wanted to see me a lot sooner if she had been involved earlier.

I was asked to wait again for an assessment for a Skin Tunnelled Catheter (Gronshong Line). During this wait I was asked if I wanted some tea by one of the sisters. Yes but I was also concerned about paying for the car park. She said that she would look into it.

After another long wait, a second sister came and took me into another room to do the line assessment. She explained the pros and cons of having one of these fitted and complications such as Thrombosis, Infection, Catheter blockage and leakage from the exit site. This catheter is fitted via the Jugular Vein and pushed down it almost into the heart. The other end is then threaded under the skin to exit through the chest wall, which is secured by some stitches through a butterfly. She tried to make a appointment to have it fitted next week but the usual receptionist was away and didn’t want to make an appointment in case it was squeezed in to tightly with others. I should hear about it Monday morning.

I asked her about the parking fees and she rang the attendant. All I had to do was press the information button to be let out. In the mean time when I got back to the car, I found the battery flat as I had left the lights on. I managed to get a push from two chaps and made my way out. I eventually left the hospital at 4:15, five hours later.