Second Anniversary of my diagnosis
This past week has been the 2 year anniversary of my biopsy & subsequent diagnosis of cancer.
It's a special time to celebrate, but "Anniversary" doesn't sound quite right, does it? It's not a Birthday, either. How about, a Lifeday?
Whatever it is, I've been celebrating it, by travelling to Portland USA for Chris Guillebeau's inaugural "World Domination Summit" - an unconventional summit of writers, bloggers, publishers and young entrepreneurs. WDS was bursting with ideas & energy, and a particularly fitting way for me to celebrate a Lifeday.
It's also a time for me to look back and acknowledge some of the remarkable people who've helped me. Looking back on my diary of the time, I'm reminded of the two founding members of my Medical Dream Team: Dr Dave Pickett, and Dr Rose Mary Jones.
Dave and Rose deserve a separate post each for their role (I feel a separate post series coming on, introducing you to my remarkable Medical Dream Team).
Dave's my GP. His careful listening, prudent examination, and dedication to my cause meant that my cancer was picked up relatively early, and in hindsight saved my life. "Your glands are up, and that cut in your mouth and the lump in your neck is unusual. It could be nothing, but I am concerned, and want to be sure - so I want to get you seen by a specialist". He then got straight on the phone and negotiated his way through several hospital admin staff & doctors, to get me an urgent appointment that afternoon at the hospital, which led to a quick biopsy surgery to take a tissue sample, to be tested for cancer.
A few days later I returned to the hospital for the results of the test. That's when I first met Rose, one of my surgeons. Rose's unique mix of professionalism, sensitivity and compassion instantly placed her on my Medical Dream Team. I couldn't have had a better person to tell me I had cancer. She cut straight to the chase ("I'm sorry, it's not good news - you have cancer") but looked at me and talked with me in a way that kept me calm. She explained that I would need some further tests & scans to determine the extent of the cancer, and the results of the tests would help a medical team determine the best treatment plan to offer me. Rose had such a caring manner about her that it put me at ease, and really determined the tone for how I would approach and cope with the time ahead.
Both Rose and Dave combined expert knowledge and professional skill with exceptional humanity & care. They set the standard high, so early on - for which I'll always be grateful.