"Wonderful care team"

I wish to express my very grateful thanks for my excellent care and I would like to make a few comments about my treatment at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, but I will include my local health clinic as they have played a major part in my well-being.

It all began with a call to the practice, Three Spires Medical Practice in Truro. I filled out a questionnaire and received a call back within the hour from one of the doctors who arranged for me to go to Treliske Hospital for an endoscopy, which I did a few days later. From then on it has been a seamless and very quick service through the various departments. I have had several CT scans, radiotherapy, a Pet scan and under the care of Dr  Ellis at the Sunrise Centre have been receiving chemo therapy in the Headland clinic.

All has gone very smoothly and well, the care team have been really fantastic, they could not have been more helpful or kind, and I would like to make particular mention of K-T Martinelli, the dietician on the team, who has been especially helpful. However, I would like to say that at the Headland Unit, where, again, all of the staff have been really wonderful and kind, and the atmosphere warm and welcoming, there has been a problem.

Unfortunately I am unable to tolerate the use of sticking plaster, I only ever use micropore which does not irritate my skin. Sadly, rules are rules and only sticking plaster is available for attaching me to the cannula for the administration of the chemo therapy drug. The first cycle of my treatment began in September and I mentioned at the time that I could not tolerate sticking plaster with no result, I said the same thing at the start of the second cycle and the third and on the fourth cycle, still suffering from the effects of the last treatment, the pain when the cannula was attached was intense, and this at least one hour before the chemo drug was attached. Eventually after almost two hours of the drip and nearly 3 hours into the whole treatment I was unable to bear the pain in my arm, and eventually some of the plaster was removed in favour of micropore.

The staff have been most kind and helpful but rules as I have said are rules and must be followed blindly it seems. It has meant that I have been unable to move freely and use my arm correctly, so the pain is now in my chest and back, and I have been unable to swallow solid food. I have had to visit the emergency acute clinic at Treliske, for a query pulmonary embolism, where I received immediate and excellent treatment with ECG, Xray, and CT scan and examinations, all arranged from 8-00 am on a Monday morning and concluded at 3-30 pm that day, and under the present circumstances I would consider that to have been a miracle.

This all has meant not only weight loss but Dr Ellis has had to suspend the chemo treatment for a while until the situation settles down. I find it difficult to use my arm to help me to move about and have been given extra help with painkilling medication, hoping for a better outcome shortly, when I will be able to resume my chemo therapy treatment. Every experience so far has been exceptional with this one exception, and I would like to thank and praise the wonderful care team under Dr Ellis who have been most supportive and helpful throughout.