"Cancer Care - Cystectomy Operation (bladder)"

Had life changing Cystectomy Operation in December 2018, after repeated attempts to cure cancer in bladder failed. 

How did I feel - fete accompli  - better this operation than suffering with the uncertainty and stress of ongoing and experimental treatment. 

Having been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer in 2013 and successfully treated for same, cancer was subsequently found in my bladder in 2016. I underwent BCG treatment several times but this failed to cure the problem. 

The outcome being a Cystectomy Operation in December 2018. The letter below was sent to both hospitals,  explains my sincere appreciation to the entire team at both Frimley Park and Royal Surrey Hospitals for their dedication and care pre, during and post my operation. Thank You Team.  

 

Re Cystectomy Op December at RSCH – hospital number …..

I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the excellent and fantastic care I received as a patient initially at Frimley then Guildford hospitals.

Through the treatments of both my prostate and bladder cancers, initially at Frimley then at Guildford, it was obvious the 2 hospitals worked very closely together. Finally, the decision was taken for me to undergo a cystectomy operation. From this point on, the pre-op visits and general preparation for this surgery, operation day and post op, the teamwork displayed by everybody involved (consultants, operating team, anaesthetists, specialist nurses, ward care staff, stoma nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists – I’ve probably missed someone th­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ere), was exemplary and in my view second to none. Nothing was too much trouble, everybody worked together as one. If it’s possible in such circumstances, it really was ‘almost a pleasure’ to be ‘a patient’.

I won’t try to pick anyone individual out, as this would be unfair, suffice to say, everybody, across both hospitals, were simply marvellous, and still are with telephone support to me at home. All very very much appreciated.

I was also invited to join the Macmillan sponsored Prehabilitation, physio and wellbeing, programme. I found this extremely useful and beneficial and hope such a programme will become integral to NHS care in the future. 

Finally I want to say, thank you everyone at both your hospitals involved in my treatment, for the great team work experience and a great job done. Thank you.

Yours sincerely ­­­­