Second opinion

Elaine’s mood immediately improved after spending an hour or more with Dr A. at Leeds Cookridge Hospital today. It was not because of any promise of a cure – there was none – but because we had our every question discussed and thoroughly answered!

The consultation with Dr A. was our “second opinion”. He was a cross between the Startrek Voyager “doctor” hologram and a character out of an AJ Cronin novel (even the soft Scottish lilt). Not only was he very knowledgeable, he was a first class communicator; when he wasn’t sure about a statistic, he went straight to the relevant web page to check.

The mean survival from now is still only 18 months but he said categorically that he had many patients who survived much longer.

Having now received some concrete evidence about the drug combinations which Elaine would be offered, chemo looks a far more likely choice. Chemo would be done in periods of three months, each folowed by a scan and re-assessment.

I’ve just returned from driving Elaine to the Lake District where she is having a weekend with the Gentle Way with Cancer group. I drafted some of this while we had a break at a cafe in Settle en route. When I read it through to Elaine, she said she wanted to add that Dr A had really lifted her spirits and that she no longer felt like a dead woman walking. What a difference a doctor makes.