I went for my first session of rads yesterday. On my planning session I was given the appointment of 13.17 and was told that it was a funny time as they like to time the sessions exactly. What a joke! I arrived about 1pm and the nurse told me to go away and have a coffee for about an hour as they were running behind schedule as some of the machines had broken down. We went off and wandered around trying to kill time and came back at about 2pm. To cut a long story short, I eventually went in for my radiotherapy about 4pm. This only took about 10 minutes in all and did not hurt at all. They take a short time marking you again and positioning the radiotherapy machines. They then go out the room for a couple of minutes, come back, re-position the machines and then go out for another couple of minutes. Then they come back and it is all over. I had got myself very nervous because I had had to wait for so long but it wasn’t too bad at all. Everybody was really nice there. The staff were really kind and everybody waiting was really friendly. Apparently I was told that there is often a long wait. My appointment today is for 10.59 but I will be taking my crossword book and knitting today and for the rest of my treatment!!
HeHe! I did have to laugh! ‘my machine’ broke down several times with me on it during my treatment, as well as in between times. I think I was only seen 2- 3 times out of 25 sessions on time.
In the end, I used to turn up 5 minutes before my appointment time, get changed and always bring a book with me. I didn’t see the point in getting there any earlier than my allocated time as I always ended up waiting.
I must have been lucky as I only ever had to wait 10 minutes, most days when I got there they were treating the patient immediately in front of me on the list. My appointments were for 9.30 and I had a 40 mile round trip. We used to leave home at 8.20 and be back by 11, including time for having a coffee. I got really attached to the people who were treating me and left them a huge box of Thorntons chocs when I finished.
I went today for 1st session . Appt was at 3.20 pm but i used the transport and arrived at 1.15 and was home again by 3pm though didnt get zapped as positioning of tattoo incorrect so all has to becalulated.
On Monday my appointment was at 9.30am and I left the hospital at 10am. This is the quickest I’ve ever been. Yesterday was 1 hour and three quarters which seems to be about average at my hospital. Apparently the morning appointments are quicker as it is by the afternoon they get backlogged if machines break down.
To avoid queueing, despite a 100 miles round trip, I got as many appointments at 8.30 (opening time) as possible and that way they’d had no time for form a backlog and I was in before the receptionist! I also didn’t have to sit in a waiting room with the “cancer club” that was beginning to form with the same people having the same appointments day in, day out.
I also had most of the day left to do something constructive.
I’m beginning to get quite depressed about this whole thing now - all my appointments (when they EVENTUALLY happen) are planned to be around 4pm - will I ever get treated if there is a chance of delays during the day ???
Monday is planned to be my first - now I’m worried because I can only find one tattoo !
I am also starting back at work on Monday morning (first time since early June!!!) with twenty-five 7-9 year olds - should be fun.
First session 1130 am and eventually seen at 430pm. Second session about a 3 hour delay. At this point I broke down in tears and sat sobbing uncontrollably. My mother was in waiting room and they had left me in the corridor in a gown around the corner for over an hour and a half with my mother wondering what was going on. Nice volunteer coffee lady got a radiographer and my mother to calm me down. My mother only intended going to first session with me but went to 3 to make sure I actually went! Apparently I was ready to walk out and never go back but I can’t remember that. I got my apps at end of first week after a week of being told to come in each day and wait. Not staff fault. All the machines were breaking down. Other 3 weeks were fine…I asked for very early apps and was usually in and out by 930am
Had 16 rads 2 to go. I’ve been seen within 10mins of arrival and at other times I’ve had an hr’s wait, all of my app have been pm. I go to Mount Vernon and sometimes the machines play up and they have to move patients onto other machines which can cause a bit of a backlog. The nurses are lovely though. Can understand how distressing the long delays would be, in the beginning when I had an hr’s wait I could feel myself getting distressed but I have been lucky and always had a friend or family member with me. I don’t get changed into a gown I just go through and remove my things when called in for treatment, I think that would make a difference if I’d changed into a gown ready for treatment then to experience a long delay.
Caz x
I had all my appts at 3.30 so I could go after work (I finish at 2.30). Once I was seen only 10 mins late, otherwise it was usually between half an hour and an hour late. The worst was 1 1/2 hours. Then I would get stuck in the rush hour traffic going home which made me even later. I got into the habit of ringing before I left work to see how late they were running, then staying on at work a bit longer. I found that less stressful.