Hi SueinSpain,
I also live in Spain in Cordoba Province. I’m going into hospital tomorrow for a lumpectomy. I did go on Monday but was sent home as the person being operated on took much longer than expected.In some ways this bugged me but on the other hand re assured me as I knew that I wouldn’t be rushed. it’s the same with hospital appointments.
I’m on my own having lost my husband last year and have to rely on friends. My spanish isn’t too bad when I’m not groggy so there may be some interesting conversations.
I had a biopsy 2 years ago which was benign so am not sure whether the lumpectomy is a precaution or signals something more. At the moment,although nervous and unable to settle down to do anything,I’m not letting myself get too uptight.
I know that treatment here in Spain is excellent so knowing that side of things is a comfort.
I spent 4 years doing hospital appointments and ingresos with my husband here and learned that doctors are not God and that if you persevere and can ask the right questions you will get answers.(At times,finding the right question can be a matter of trial and error)
I’m just going to take one day at a time,expect the worst and hope for the best.
I hope that you have your results by now.
Sue - so sorry to hear that you still havn’t been told anything…
Hope that you manage to get somewhere with them today…
Theresa x
Morning …
Molls Im glad to hear you are getting good treatment at the hospital, although sad to hear you are going through all this having lost your husband so recently - hope it all continues to go well for you, and thanks for sharing your experience of the hospitals in Spain.
I cant fault my initial tests and the speed at which they were done - but one month on Im struggling to believe in them and even thinking they may have lost my notes or test resuls! paranoia setting in I think !! all the waiting plays havoc with your normal senses!
Theresa … thanks, I got through to them again yesterday but nothing! just keep telling me to call back .- my husband is getting annoyed now whereas before he was telling me it was a good sign - even he is struggling with the waiting.
I intend to call them every day until they give me an answers …
Ill obviously let you know when I know … take care all and have a good day
Sue xxxx
Hi Suein Spain,
I’m now home after having a lump taken out. I’m surprised at how well I actually feel. I’ve been told to make an appointment to get my results in 2 months.
Take heart from my past experience.I have made appointments in the past and then was phoned to go in earlier because something wasn’t right. I know that if the results of tests on the lump are bad then I’ll be called in as soon as possible and to disregard later appointments.
I think that here in Cordoba at least-no news is good news.
My only complaint for recent ingreso was that I was starving. If i have to go in again for any op. I’m going to eat at midnight like the spanish do, not at 6pm.
re the language. I had a polish doctor who spoke spanish with the sch, sch,sch of a Polish accent.It was interesting to say the least. I refuse to move on until I understand what’s being said-lessons learned with my husband. Don’t feel stupid or that you are being a nuisance when you don’t understand.
Good luck and don’t worry too much.
Hi Molls
Glad you are feeling ok after the op - seems a long wait though for your results ? or is that pretty normal at this stage ?
I have just got into work - and sadly the first thing I do when I get in the office these days is call the hostpial and then check the forum here! Im sure its not what they pay me for but to me its a priority every day just so I dont go insane!
I do agree that they would be unlikely to have kept me wait this long if it were bad news - but your mind always races away with you do until I officially get told everything is ok I still have the nagging doubt in my mind.
Thanks for thinking of me it is much appreciated. Take care of yourself and I hope you have a good week.
Sue xxxxx
Sue
i cannot believe that you are still waiting - the results will be long since availbale - what happens when you call? You need to get round to someone else…is there an equivalent of your GP who can find out for you? If it is good news why can’t they just tell you?!
Cathyx
Hi Katherine - I know I feel embarassed keep telling everyone Im still waiting … its absolutely ridiculous to say the least. When I call they wont put me through to the clinic and just keep telling me I will get a call, or they tell me to try again the following day - I dont mean to be rude but sometimes Spanish “Customer Service” is appalling! and if you get someone on the phone who just cant be bothered they fob you off in the hope the next time you ring they wont be the one to answer. I intend to try once more at lunchtime today - failing that I am going to my Doctors tomorrow to see if I can get her to call them. The frustrating thing that doesnt help is the language barrier - I find it almost impossible to “argue and shout” in Spanish!!
Sue xxx
Hi Susie, So sorry to see you are still waiting. I think you are right to ask your Doctor to ring them. My Doctor did all the contacting for me and it seemed to work. He managed to get through all the time, they know how things work. and who to ask for or whom to speak too. So fingers crossed, take care Shirley XXX
Dear sueinspain, have been following your thread and am amazed that the hospital can leave you so long without results, it’s an utter disgrace and you should put in an offical complaint once you’ve heard the news!! It is treating people with so much disrespect!!
Hope that you hear this week-the waiting is terrible and I only had one week to wait
Best wishes
Leadie
Hi Sueinspain
Have just stumbled across your thread. My Mum lives in Sabinillas and is having breast cancer treatment at the Costa Del Sol in Marbella.
It took a while(two weeks or so) for her biopsy results to come back. We phoned them loads but it is very frustrating because of the language thing. There is one woman on the desk who wont even bother trying to speak to you in english, even if you try to speak to her in a bit of spanish!!
Apart from that my Mum’s treatment has been absolutely AMAZING. Her treatment over there is far better than the treatment she would have received over here. Believe me, I know that for a fact!!
If you need to know anything or want any help with anything please let me know. I have been really involved in Mum’s treatment and have spent many, many, many hours in various departments at the Costa Del Sol. Also, if you wanted to speak to Mum I am sure she wouldn’t mind having a chat. She really found it helpful having people to talk to who had been through the same things she had.
Take Care
Sam.x
Hi Sam
Lovely to hear from a fellow expat! and thanks for taking the time to write. I managed to speak to a receptionist yesterday who actually wanted to help me! she also thought it was really bad that I was still waiting irrespective of whether the waiting will potentially mean good news! she sent a note to the consultant and his secretary asking that someone contact me today - not sure if this will happen or not! will have to wait and see.
Like your Mum (other than this waiting nightmare) my original appointments and tests were carried out so quickly and efficiently and the staff were very very good - which is why this part seems such a nightmare! Im glad your Mum is getting goos treatment and I hope she is doing well.
I appreciate your offer of talking to either one of you and I may well take you up on that depending on what happens in the next few days. I am still trying to work on the no news is good news theory! But to be honest even if its not BC (which I hope it isnt of course) the lump is most definitely still there as are the pains in my underarm etc so I still need to know what it is and what I should have done to it if anything …
Thanks again Sam and I hope you and your mum have a lovely weekend. The forecast is great for today and Saturday but pretty poor on Sunday!
ps … Sabinillas is only 10 minutes from me as we live in Estepona!
Sue xxxx
I hope you hear more today Sue. Every day I look to see if you have heard. Have a great weekend whether you hear or not.
Best Wishes to all in Spain and elsewhere. LooLoo x x
Thanks Looloo - I appreciate your support.
And Leadie - I do intend to complain (more than I already have done) because I really want to try and help stop this happening to other people in the future.
The receptionist seems to find it easy sit sit at her desk telling me its probably good news that Ive heard nothing - which is shameful! Although I remain positive most of the time there is always a doubt until the consultant gives me the proper, official results of the biopsy … and after 5 weeks I am even beginning to think they have lost them! or just put my file away somewhere!! and I told the hospital that yesterday when I rang … hopefully I will hear from them today with at least an appointment or something!
Thanks to you all Im staying sane!
Have a good weekend wherever you are … Sue xxx
dear Sueinspain, lets hope you get results today, as you said it does make you wonder it the results have been lost or put in a file somewhere! I know that you have pestered them a lot and I think you need to keep pressurizing that receptionist everyday, until she is so fed up with you, that she’ll do something!! It really shouldn’t be like this though!! Goodness knows how you have stayed sane, that is enough to test anyone’s sanity. What the hell are they playing at??
Best wishes
Leadie
I AM SO UPSET WITH ALL THIS:
I have just had a call from the Consultants Secretary in response to my complaint telephone call yesterday - she said he has no appointments at the moment but they are trying to get me one for next week and will call me as soon as they have one!!! She said they had the results but cant give them to me because she isnt a Doctor.
I think I will explode at this appointment when I finally get it - I think walking in and being told Im ok will be overshadowed by how angry I feel at the moment … and if its anything bad I will be even more angry for wasting more than a month!
Thanks for listening. Sue x
Hi Sue
I’m so sorry to hear that you are still waiting. This truly is horrendous for you. I feel so helpless, I wish I could do something to help! Try to remember that there are lots of people thinking of you and willing things to move on!
on a positive note, at least you know the results are there and not lost. Also ,you are also in the process of ‘getting’ an appointment.It may not feel like it, but this does mean that things are moving in the right direction for you,
Love
Freddie xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks Freddie - I sort of feel like a little sister following her older ones around at the moment …I appreciate your kindness.
Thanks, Sue xxx
Hi Sue
I have just come back home to Malaga after nearly 3 weeks away and cant believe that you are still here awating results??? What on earth is going on? I cannot imagine how frustrating this must be for you. Have you got an appt yet?
Susana
xxx
Dear sueinspain, sending warm vibes to you and hope something happens this week.Shame we aren’t nearer we could have got a few of us together and staged a mass sit-in in the waiting room until your results arrived!!
Makes my blood boil!!!
Love Leadie
Hi Susanna, Leadie
Thanks … They are due a call from me again today as I promised them I would call every day now until they give me an appointment. I feel like I am on a mission now, this is such bad practice that they need to know how upsetting and stressful it is - I want to do anything I can to make them think about it before they do it to someone else. I have even started dreaming now that when I finally get in to see him, he will shout at me and tell me how stupid I was for getting so stressed and hassling such a busy hospital and Doctor when there was nothing wrong with me in the first place …
You can guarantee that the second I hear anything I will let you all know - dont know what I would have done to be honest this past 6 weeks without you guys …
Sue xxxxx