Really interesting reading everyone’s postings. I’m in northumberland and so many things seem so different up here. Re wigs, work, costs and foreign trips:
I got a fabulous wig Natural Image that has better colour and style than I could have hoped for, and just like I would have had my natural hair styled so believeable. Some say it has taken 10 years off me, and that would have me look 32! Am blessed with a good head shape so Sinead O’Connor look not a prob really. Point is, my wig was free on the NHS but would have cost up to £200 if paying for it. If your chemo unit counts you as an in-patient, I believe you are entitled to a wig free on the NHS. Worth checking it out, although I may be wrong. Certainly that was the rationale they told me (hospital appliance officer came to see me while having first chemo, giving me the form and phone number of 2 wig suppliers).
I got a prepay 3 month prescription cert for about £28 and it has already paid me back handsomely. Firstly, dioctyl for constipation, gaviscon for the gullet pain (salty food a preference, ritz biscuits great, ginger helps sickness but aggravates gullet), heparin jabs daily in tum (for blood clot side effects of chemo), antibiotics at xmas just in case sore throat developed over the xmas shut down (it didn’t), canesten (side effect of antibiotics was the inevitable thrush!), more heparin and diazepam (have a needle phobia which is bad enough with daily heparin, but night before chemo - aghhh!) which I have not used but reassuring to have just in case. That’s been in 28 days! Of course, come April 2009, cancer patients are entitled to free prescriptions anyway, so won’t have to renew the prepay certificate.
I am a teacher and my Head will not let me go back into work. He wrote to me saying I was not to come onto the premises without his express prior permission. Somedays I am certainly well enough. Is he being supportive? Or discriminating? Occ Health doc said I was well enough for the last day of the Autumn term (carols, DVDs and so on with tutor group) and for the first day of Spring term (training day) but Head said he would not allow it. Yet my full pay gets eaten up after 100 work days (approx 6 months). Not fair in my opinion (and I am a Union rep). Considering raising it as a grievance. GP and oncologist writing a letter each in support for me. Union will consider its support when letters received. Have become local equality officer for my union as it was vacant position! BCC Employ Charter advice seems mostly for those employment situations where employers are unreasonable in insisting on employees working, not the other way around. I feel like I have been suspended!
I was booked to spend xmas and new year in the Azores as a big treat, prior to dx. I only paid for it a week before dx. Thankfully, I had holiday insurance, and i got much of my money back. May not rebook it in the future, but instead am planning to blockbook my pilots licence through my local flying club for the summer when treatment WILL have been successful!
My message: Keep positive, and fight for what you are entitled to in support of what you are going through!