"I would like to record the kindness and consideration shown to me by the staff at Maidstone."
Lewis, Patient, Maidstone
How quickly did you receive an appointment following your referral for a PET/CT scan?
“It was very quick. The Patient Referral Centre contacted me on the 21st September and offered me an appointment within two days. Unfortunately I couldn’t make this and they were able to offer me another the following week.”
How did you feel about the PET/CT scan being carried out on a mobile scanning unit?
“The mobile unit was very well equipped and the staff couldn’t have been more helpful.”
How did the staff on the unit help to alleviate any concerns you may have had about the scan?
“I would like to record the kindness and consideration shown to me by Wendy, Lukasz and Raj at Maidstone. A rather frightening experience became enjoyable because of their good humour and personal qualities. I want to thank them for their extraordinary patience with a grumpy old man!”
“Wendy took all my details and showed a good sense of humour. Raj was very thorough and explained in detail how my radioactive dose was made specially in Nottingham and delivered for me at the right time, allowing for decay of radioactivity. This makes one feel very important.”
“I am a fussy and awkward patient. Having a scientific background I asked lots of questions. It was pointed out to me that there is a risk in being injected with a radioactive glucose solution. But Raj explained to me that the risk of not finding a new cancer was much greater.”
“I made a mistake when Wendy asked me if I had any metallic items inside me. I forgot the titanium staples which were used to re-connect my small intestine to my remaining colon. I don’t know whether that is important but she could add that to her list of questions (many cancer patients have had that operation).”
“I asked to go to the toilet and was requested politely to wait until just before the scan which was sensible. At this point I was radioactive and was chaperoned by Lukasz. He took me from the unit to the main hospital. When I returned to the unit for my scan, Lukasz told me it would be almost half an hour and made sure I was lying down comfortably. He explained what would happen and I was completely relaxed.”
What would you say to other patients waiting to have a PET/CT scan that may help them prepare for the experience?
“I would say the PET/CT scan was less arduous than the CT scan or even the Ultrasound scan. They are similar experiences but the PET/CT scan people are the very best. They are kind and considerate which is what you need most when you are frightened.”
How important is it to you that you have a local facility that is able to provide such a service?
“If it meant travelling too far, I might not have gone.”
“My partner drove me to the hospital and we found the unit without difficulty. We were a little early so I asked Wendy when my partner should return for me. She said ‘Park behind my car, there is room and I’m not going anywhere’. So my partner was able to walk into the hospital, have coffee and a flapjack and return in good time so she was sitting in the car when I came out.”