Edinburgh western General parking

[Slightly Lopsided]

Thanks goodness you trusted your instincts as you might have waited a year or two for your first screening.I hadn't realised  the screening programme runs on a  three yearly  cycle according to your GP practice.This time last year ,not long before I turned 52,  I remarked  to  one of my  oldest friends, who is 6 weeks younger than me , that I  thought we should have been offered screening by now (unlike the bowel screening test which arrives along with your 50th birthday cards!)We both received appointments the following week.Again-the rest is history....But if I had been screened at 50,  it wouldn't have shown up and I would probably still be waiting for the next round.I  feel very lucky-and tell myself we wouldn't have been here if we lived in Victorian times! 

I'm  seriously impressed by the walk yesterday.I confess I didn't make it  out for mine.I was worried I would be blown away!I help my father at weekends and reckon by the time I have cleaned his house and vacuumed the stairs and washed the floors, I've done a full work out! However, I have silk thermals on order so I can embrace the cold and get outdoors this winter, as I suspect it's the only way we will meet anyone....

I hope you have a good week and feel you are making progress-and don't worry if you don't-it's quite normal.🤗

[11tolo]

My goodness what a journey you’ve had   I can’t believe you had to go through so many operations, You are so brave! I’m so glad it’s behind you and you were able to still get the procedure you wanted .

Thank goodness for routine mammograms eh .  I was 50 when I found a lump.  Naively I thought it was due to me being premenopausal but when it didn’t go away , I got it checked and the rest, as they say, is history.

what a difference a day makes.  Yesterday was lovely , managed to get my washing out and dried and had a lovely walk but today has been horrendous!. Managed  a walk in between the rain showers but was blown all over the place! 

Take care , enjoy the rest of your weekend x

[Slightly Lopsided]

I think you had a much worse deal than me.It must have been very worrying having to wait so long for the operation knowing you still had everything else to come afterwards. One of the breast care nurses told me  that was happening with some patients who had been diagnosed around lockdown and it made me realise how lucky I was to already be in the system in March.

I was diagnosed after my first screening in  December, aged 52, having felt nothing at all,  and told  it would all be very all very straightforward as it was so  small .Famous last words!I had a lumpectomy in mid January, went back mid February for my results and was told my margins weren't clear.I wasn't too concerned as they tell you it happens in 1 in 5 cases so I had a re-excision mid February and went back for results meeting number 2 just  4 days before lockdown  and was told they still weren't clear.My friend who came with me practically  had to pick me off the floor as I was laughing hysterically and they had taken away most of the chairs  downstairs by then! So a week later I had operation number 3(that was when I phoned the nurses as my friends kept helpfully asking if it was going ahead...my common sense told me they  couldn't abandon me at this point) , went back mid April for results and they still weren't clear. I began to feel rather sorry for my poor surgeon at this point.(And in fairness, understood he was being extremely thorough as it seemed to be a matter of millimetres on one margin,) When I asked him how often this happened, I could see him doing the sums-in his 15 years, he had had  5 such patients .I suspect I'm now a case study... He did offer me a mastectomy at that point but felt it was worth one more go and I felt he wasn't  the type to do it just to humour me so took a gamble-partly because  I really didn't fancy having to cope  during lockdown with such a major operation when nobody could help me and it bought me time. So back again in May for operation number 4 (I knew all the nurses and half the staff  by then), the registrar promised to  take a "good chunk" and 11 grammes later, we got there! 

I can laugh abut it now but it had it's moments ....  Believe me, radiotherapy etc was a complete doddle after all that! 

Hope you managed to get out in today's sunshine and had a treat.I met a friend for a walk and an outdoor  hot chocolate and scone  as a reward.

Take care!🤗

[11tolo]

Wow you certainly had a lot going on your last week !   It sounds like you’ve coped well considering.

Due to surgery being halted thanks to Covid I was put on Zoladex and Letrozole early March which was months before surgery so not al a sudden shock to the system at the same time like you! 

im the same , walking each day.  It felt a bit odd on Wednesday feeling tired , It’s  not normal for me and exactly 1 week after treatment ended but I’m listening to my body and resting when needed.

Good luck with everything and please keep in touch to let me know how you’re doing x 

[Slightly Lopsided]

I had the old style 3 weeks/15 sessions(with weekends off )

I honestly thought I was doing ok  so was quite annoyed  when I began to feel tired abut a fortnight after I had finished.I think they say you are still cooking for about a fortnight after your last session.It was quite unpredictable and it wasn't as if I was able to go out for wild nights out or anything exciting to cause it ! 

I am feeling generally much better, 3 months' later, However, I also had a bisphosphonate infusion and started medication (Letrozole) all in the same week as my last session.I had a review with my (lovely,patient,informative) oncologist a fortnight ago and he says it's quite difficult to filter the cause when you have a triple cocktail like that all at the same time.If it goes on, it's the medication and if it goes, it's been the radiotherapy.It seems to be a complete lottery!I'm doing as I was told and going out for walks every day.

I used the creams for a fortnight  and  was lucky I didn't have any ill effects.The poor thing just looked somewhat wrinkled and shrunken, and combined with the turquoise dye lingering from the lymph node removal and the purple scar from the lumpectomy, quite colourful! 

Take it gently and don't overdo it!  

[Slightly Lopsided]

I had the old style 3 week/15 sessions(with weekends off!)

I thought I was doing really well so was quite annoyed when about a fortnight after I finished, I started to feel tiredness .I think they say you still keep cooking for a week or two after  you have finished.It was at times quite unpredictable-and it wasn't as if I was really able to go out and do anything exciting that would make me feel tired😊

It is getting  better now but I did start medication(Letrozole) and also had a bisphosphonate infusion(Zoladronic Acid) at much the same time.I had a review with my( lovely ,patient, informative)  oncologist  the other week and he  says the trouble is when you have a triple cocktail like that, it's hard to filter out which of the three is the cause at this stage-if it goes soon,it's hopefully just been the radiotherapy. I've been walking every day and doing as I was told!

I kept on using the creams for a fortnight after and honestly didn't have any problems.The poor thing just looked a bit battered and  wrinkled-along with the turquoise dye still lingering from the lymph node removal-even now, 10 months' later!- and the purple from the operation scar-all quite colourful! 

Hope it gets easier soon but take it gently and take care. 

[11tolo]

Thank you !

Yesterday was the first time I felt a bit tired.  They did say it may be a week or so after treatment .  How were you after treatment stopped? 

I’m still using the creams! So fat they seem to be working .

Best wishes x

[Slightly Lopsided]

Glad it worked out and to hear you've finished.Lucky you only having a week!

I hope you're not too tired.

Take care(&keep using those creams for another couple of weeks!-even if all your clothes smell of petroleum🙄)

[11tolo]

Thank you so much for replying 

Although I finished my radiotherapy last Wednesday (I was on the new week long course) it may be helpful for others .

i booked a driveway just across from the Telford Road entrance which worked out great for me .  However I passed the car park you mention each day and I noticed spaces each time and my appointments ranged from 9:30 to 13:00 so or anybody worrying about parking it’s likely you will be fine.

Best Wishes and Good Luck xx 

[Slightly Lopsided]

Hello,

I've only just registered here so just seen your query&hope it's not too late to help.

I had my radiotherapy 3 months' ago at WGH&had lifts from kind  friends every day. They were able to park while I was in having my sessions.

There's no problem parking if you're having radiotherapy. Just go in the lower  entrance(Hospital Main Drive),past the Edinburgh Cancer Centre&the  parking attendant will show you where to go.It's   2 minutes' walk from the Centre. Take your appointment schedule with you to wave at the attendant if necessary. My sessions were very early&the car park was usually empty but it did get busier later on.

Good luck!I had a great team on LA7!

[11tolo]

Good morning Biokish

thank you for your helpful response .  I’ve actually been on “book my space” and booked someone’s drive that is a 5 min walk from the Telford ford entrance .  I don’t mind a walk round as I think this might be the wrong side . However I don’t know if it’s a real 5 mins yet!   I’ve only booked it for my “pre” appointment so i will have a walk around to locate the car parks you’ve told me about to see if there is any chance of getting a space for the actual treatment . 

Thanks once again x 

[bookish]

Hi 11tolo

I'm at the Western regularly! Parking is a bit of a mess outside the cancer wards due to building work, but there are attendants to wave you in the right direction. There are two entrances, so make sure you get the right one - not sure where radiotherapy is given, but basically one entrance takes you to the main hospital and the big multistory carpark (I've never used it, tbh), and the other takes you to the cancer centre, breast clinic, and Maggies. At the moment, you'd drive past all of these and go to the overflow car park just past Maggies - as I say, plenty of attendants who'll direct you.

Best of luck - I know what you mean about the drive being an extra layer of daunting!

[11tolo]

Hello 

I hope this is okay to post 

live just had my appointments through for radiotherapy in a few weeks and wondered if any ladies who were treated in Edinburgh had any tips on parking ?  I’m not from Lothian and will need to drive myself so any tips /advice /experience would be welcome .  I think the travel worry has trumped any worry over the actual Radiotherapy

thanks for reading x