A patient at Gateshead Health, bravely shares her journey leading up to her diagnosis of Vulva Cancer, and offers valuable tips for women going through a similar experience.
What led you to your appointment?
Initially I found a lump, which I ‘fobbed off’ as something trivial and had a myriad of things that it could be. Eventually it was bleeding when I went to the toilet and was wiping. That led me to finally make an appointment at the doctors where I was placed on the fast track for a Gynaecological appointment.
Within two weeks I had my Gynaecological appointment for a biopsy and had a CT scan and was routed towards the Gynaecology Oncology department. Although the gynaecologist had said that clinically it was cancer I really don’t think that it quite sunk in until she handed me the card for the Gynaecology Nurses.
After initial appointment at Queen Elizabeth Hospital there was a lot of information to go through but we provisionally booked the operation date. All the team answered any questions that I threw up and options were looked at (and there were quite a few!).
What was your experience visiting our department for appointments and follow-ups?
Everything has been really smooth, including when I have made urgent appointments when something hasn’t seemed quite right.
How did the Gynae Oncology team make you feel?
Really comfortable, the staff are really lovely. Not just from my own experience but what I have witnessed in waiting room where staff have been attentive to the patients waiting to be seen and especially those using patient transport where there would be an extended wait.
For myself, there have been a couple of times when things just haven’t seemed quite right and I know that the team are there to answer questions and if need be, get me an appointment just to make sure. I have no qualms about picking up the phone and asking anything as I know that if they can’t answer me straight away, I will get the answers rather than stewing in my own head.
What is your message to women who are scared to attend hospital appointments?
Easy to say ‘don’t be’ but I think that everyone has that fear of the unknown, especially on initial appointments. I found that the staff at Queen Elizabeth Hospital easily dispelled any and all fears that I had about going to hospital.
Any tips for women?
Check all of your bits regularly! We are all told about the importance of checking your breasts for lumps and any changes or keeping an eye on any moles but I think it needs to be pushed that we need to check everywhere. I had never even heard of Vulva Cancer until the doctor mentioned it to me, to tell me I had it.
How are you feeling now?
I still get tired really easily and I’m usually in bed by 9 pm, but I feel absolutely fine, so much so that I’m even doing the shine night walk in October.