I had always wanted to study medicine, having been brought up on the premises of my father’s old-style family practice
Stories & Experiences
Living with Stage 4 Neuroendocrine Cancer: Restoring Resilience by Angela Cancer has been part of my life for many years. Both my mother and father had colorectal cancer when I was only 16 years old. Tragically my wonderful father, also a GP, died within 3 months of diagnosis. I had always wanted to study medicine, having been brought up on the premises of my father’s old-style family practice. From the moment I lost my father, I knew that I wanted to be involved with working with patients with cancer and helping them at the ‘end of life’ as part of any future career. My parents’ illnesses put me off track for a while but I did achieve that goal in the end. I studied medicine at the tender age of 28, having worked in business as a graduate and singing opera semi-professionally in London. I later studied for a Masters in Palliative Medicine whilst working as a GP Partner with three small children and a GP for a husband.
I also worked in a hospice for 6 months and as a national telephone triager for ‘Out of Hours’ at weekends. Life was busy. My days in General Practice were ‘full on’ with never a moment’s break, often working 12-14 hour days – now that is certainly something that never reaches the news headlines. There was no time to do anything but work ‘flat out’ but in the meantime, I was getting progressively more and more exhausted, having intermittent bouts of unexplained diarrhoea, “menopausal” flushes, experiencing a fist-like pain under my right shoulder blade, and a sore ache just above my tummy button – which I put down to a busy life, IBS, menopause, and as a result of sitting in one position for hours on end at my computer, or so I had thought. After all, I was only 51 years old..
19
www.neuroendocrinecancer.org.uk
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator