Eventually it was time for Stobhill. My appointment was very early at 9 so given my dad’s punctuality we were there waiting for 8:20. This was a long and boring wait, I sat trying to kid myself on that I could maybe study given I had 3 exams the week after. However, I failed to concentrate and was called for bloods to be taken. The nurse was surprised that I was getting so little having been new to the clinic. I went on to see Doctor Baha who examined me and suggested a CT scan to be sent out within the week and went to confirm with another doctor, Dr Leech. Again, he came in and examined me like so many other doctors have before. The same questions have you lost weight? Do you have night sweats? Do you have itchy skin? And all 3 I hadn’t really noticed a difference in myself apart from my painful swollen gland in my neck and being a little breathless with often pain all over my body. Dr Leech authorised an urgent CT scan and I went down stairs to the clinic and everything was very fast. A cannula must be inserted into your arm during a CT scan and I’m not bad with needles, but I definitely would rather claw my eyes out than have a cannula. It is Dreadful. The doctors flush your cannula with saline solution to make sure it is inserted correctly and when the tap came off for this to happen I felt liquid dribble down my arm. Anyway, the dye was inserted into my arm and the 3 side effects were felling flushed, a weird taste in your mouth and the sensation that you have peed yourself. I am not joking, this was insane it was as if you actually did, I still can’t wrap my head around it. After my scan was over I sat up and was covered in blood, that had come out of the tap of my cannula during the dye insertion. A lovely doctor had to wash it out of my hair and my gown was stained red at the side. Afterwards it was straight up to the ward and I didn’t sit for a minute then doctor Leech called us through. My results were back, and he said “its Lymphoma” so far it was in my neck, chest and spleen. Now being a wee google freak I’ve heard of this term and I knew it was a form of cancer but immediately denial set in and I just cried. I’m not sure what other reaction is adequate? I felt numb and my first question was will I lose my hair? Yes, it’s more than likely was the doctor’s response. My mum had to leave the room and ended up getting lost and walking in on random consultations. They must have thought she escaped from the psychiatric ward lol. At this point a billion things go through your mind a summer of a lifetime just disappeared and had to be cancelled. Prom? Rwanda? Zante? Cyprus? Everything in that moment genuinely felt like it fell apart. A bed was waiting for me at the Beatson on the teenage cancer ward. This ward is insanely beautiful, and it doesn’t look like a hospital if you take the metal rails holing the curtains to the ceiling off it kind of looks like a premier inn hahaha. I had a heart scan that night and being so interested in a career in medicine when I was younger we got amazing textbook worthy pictures which was really cool. Afterwards it was time to settle down having my support army of 10 people around me since I got the news they just dropped everything and followed us to the Beatson. I am truly lucky for the support I have received. Dr leech visited from Stobhill later that night, he is a truly inspirational man. Then it was time to settle in and try sleep, lol that didn’t happen. I think me and mum who got to get a bed beside me slept for a combined total of 3 hours between us.
