June 2025
I came off holiday to a sore throat and swollen glands, which isn't unusual. I spoke to my GP and was assigned a nurse to see. I saw the nurse who didn't do anything. She didn't feel my neck. She looked in the back of my throat and saw various ulcers on my tonsils. She gave me a week's worth of antibiotics. She said if it doesn't get any better then to come back.
One week later I rang the GP again. I was put through to a nurse again. Later in the day they prescribed more antibiotics. They didn't ask me this time. I went and picked up the prescription. I took the tabs for that week and then waited another week. I knew something wasn't right. But I had a lump in my throat. I rang the GP surgery to see a doctor. No doctors were available and no nurses were available. I said I had lump in my throat. They sent me to a practice that is like a hub but they wouldn't have known anything about me. I saw the doctor there who knew I was diabetic. He said it felt like a blocked saliva gland and even though I was a diabetic, he said to go and suck on lemon sweets. I did that. Within 2 weeks I was fed up. I rang my own surgery and demanded to see a doctor. I was fitted in to see one of my GPs. When I got to see him, he felt the lump and said he didn't like the feel of the lump and could he refer me to ENT doctor in Sheffield.
The referral for that took about one week for an appointment to come through. I went to the ENT clinic in Sheffield. They felt the lump and weren't happy and put me through for a biopsy.
From that point my experience was good. I felt it was cancer. I went for the biopsy. I was petrified. I was shaking. The people were absolutely superb, the ones who did the biopsy. The results came back in about 2 weeks. They took me into clinic and met Jane who was a cancer support worker. I went in to see the consultant and was told it was cancer. I was referred to the cancer team based at Weston Park. He explained what would happen. It was overwhelming as it was alot of information. would have conversations with various consultants and spoke about a plan.
Appointments came quickly. The first appointment we had was at a dental hospital to ensure I was able to handle the radiotherapy due to the side effects of the radiotherapy. I had to have 9 teeth out. On the same day I saw the main consultant, Dr. Lori Low. She was amazing. She has the best bedside manner and explained things clearly. She explained it's a long process to get to radiotherapy. She said the X-rays showed that the cancer was in the tonsil. But I had a PET scan to see where the primary cancer was ... so it was only in the right tonsil. The next step was to have the right tonsil out. Recovery from that was awful ... the pain was terrible.
I then had the mask made. The mask has never been an issue. I had a planning scan to determine how to do it. One of the scans .. they put the mask on and then they put a box over my face. I was completely enclosed in. They didn't tell me and I freaked out. They had to stop and I had to compose myself. Had they told me at first, I could have shut my eyes and it would have been OK. They then did all the scans.
When they first said about all the radiotherapy (7 weeks, M-F .. with 2 lots chemotherapy), they said that in week 3-4 I wouldn't be able to eat/drink. They offered me to fit a feeding peg. I went to see a consultant about this. She was very rude and obnoxious and not a nice person to talk to about such a horrific thing. I put a complaint in. I was I was frightened. She wanted to do it. She wanted to put the tube in my stomach the day after my teeth were out. She wanted to do it straight away but didn't listen to my concerns. That was one of the big negatives in this part of my experience.
I have spoken to people who have had the peg fitted but most people said it wasn't all that needed. I feel I made the right decision to refuse it.
From that point I started my radiation on 5th January for my first radiation and first chemo. The radiation team has been absolutely wonderful. So friendly and kind. They showed real concern and asking about how I'm doing. They are phenomenal. I'd put them up for awards. It's also very well organised.
On to Ward 3, chemotherapy day. Reception was lovely. A lady showed me where I would be. It was spotlessly clean. It was great. They showed me my bed. A lady came to see us and she was wonderful and she told me all the rules and what to do, consent form, etc. They put in a canola for the chemo as well as the various anti-sickness liquids. It was a 12 hour ordeal. They set things out so I can have a walk about. I had no side effects. But I was properly eating at that point. The nurses were lovely, kept coming and checking on me. When I pushed the call button, it was near enough instant. My machine was a bit dodgy but they were on the spot. The food was wonderful. Even the servers were happy. It was as nice an experience as could have been, given the circumstances.
Then I had the 2nd radiotherapy and came home.
