My thirty-seven radiotherapy sessions should have ended on Friday 20th October, but the end date has just been put back to Monday 23rd October.
When I got to the hospital yesterday, I was informed that due to problems with one of the linear accelerators, today’s session was going to have to be cancelled and another added to the end of my treatment cycle. Apparently, whilst it was undergoing regular maintenance and recalibration, one of the main components was broken … and the replacement had to be sourced from Belgium.
Hopefully, the broken linear accelerator will be fixed by Wednesday … but if it isn’t, I might end up having my other radiotherapy sessions rescheduled and my treatment cycle might stretch well into the last week of the month.
This situation is unfortunate but also unavoidable. The staff are doing their best to deal with the problem, and I understand that they may have to work longer shifts and/or give up one of the weekend days off. There are, however, limitations to the number of hours the working linear accelerator can operate for before it will need routine maintenance, so a delicate balance has to be maintained between the demand to deliver radiotherapy sessions and the need to keep the remaining machine within its operating parameters.
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Bob, tough situation, but your admirably philosophical approach to it will help you win through. Wishing you well with the remaining treatments 👍🏼👍🏼.
ReplyDeleteMartin S.,
DeleteMy ‘day off’ has given me time to rest and refresh myself, and may well have turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Only nine more sessions to go!
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear of your travails; keep your spirits up!
I'm sure everyone in the blogosphere is (virtually) cheering you on.
Neil
Neil Patterson (Neil),
DeleteI’ve managed to have a restful day and it has helped me to remain positive about my slightly delayed treatment. I’ve been reading my Kindle, watching YouTube, and reading lots of other wargamers’ blog posts.
All the best,
Bob
That's unfortunate Bob - here's hoping your treatment won't be delayed any further. Best Wishes MJT
ReplyDeleteMaudlin Jack Tar,
DeleteIt is unfortunate but unavoidable. Hopefully, the linear accelerator will be fixed by tomorrow and there won’t be any further delays.
All the best,
Bob
BOB,
ReplyDeleteSeems you cannot take a trick- what rotten luck there...well one good thing that they are keeping you in mind and well informed for your continued treatment. I'm continuing to collect Doctor WHO figures and am well pleased with the 5.5inch figures by 'Character Options'. All the very best. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteThe breakdown was very unfortunate but seems to have been unavoidable. With a bit of luck, it will be fixed by Wednesday and that there won’t be any further problems.
I’ve been following your recent blog posts with great interest and I’m very impressed with the DR WHO models you have collected so far.
All the best,
Bob
Admirable display of stoicism there Bob. Fingers crossed that the lin acc gets repaired in time, but I'm sure you'll cope with it in your usual way if it isn't.
ReplyDeleteAll the best.
Nundanket,
DeleteWell, there’s no point on being anything other than stoical about what has happened. I’m sure that if the parts arrive, the linear accelerator will be fixed by tomorrow: if it isn’t, there might be a short delay in my treatment … but I know that the staff will do everything they can to sort the situation out so the patients don’t suffer.
All the best,
Bob
I agree with all the comments above, but why doesn't the hospital either keep a reasonable level of spares inventory or have a 2nd machine to increase the TBF (Time Between Failures) to a reasonable value?
ReplyDeleteDick Bryant,
DeleteFrom what I can gather, it was the maintenance engineers - who are contractors - who broke or damaged the major component that needs to be replaced.
The cancer care centre has two linear accelerators, and have been able to treat some patients, giving priority to those who are most in need. The Varian Truebeam linear accelerators cost approximately £4,000,000 each and cost about £350,000 each per year to maintain.
I suspect that the hospital just doesn’t have the budget to have many spares in stock. Also, to keep pace with the ever increasing demand for radiotherapy treatment, there just isn’t any opportunity to maintain any spare capacity.
All the best,
Bob
Sorry to hear about the delay, i hope it will not affect the effectiveness of the treatments. Good luck the rest of the way!
ReplyDeleteMark Cordone,
DeleteCheers! I’m told that short breaks in my treatment shouldn’t reduce its effectiveness as its effects keep on working post treatment cycle.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob
ReplyDeleteIt must be very frustrating when you have accepted the planned dates, and looking forward to the last one. However it does seem like they are doing the best that they can, despite the current NHS strikes. Lets hope that there is only this one delay and that the rest goes according to plan.
Paul
Jan Leniston (Paul),
DeleteInitially, I was quite upset by the fact that my treatment was going to spill over into a ninth week, but it has meant that I’ve had a ‘day off’ during which I’ve been able to rest and recuperate.
The radiography department staff have worked through the current round of NHS strikes as those working in cancer care were exempt from taking action by their trades union … for which I am very grateful!
I had a break earlier in my treatment cycle and it doesn’t seem to have caused any problems. That said, I’d rather not have any more enforced breaks.
All the best,
Bob
Bob -
ReplyDeleteAin't it always the way, though, eh? But I guess a Health System stretched to the limit by way of resources is bound to cause some scheduling slippage. Doesn't make delays less annoying though.
Here's for the programme getting back on the track to your recovery.
Cheers,
Ion
Archduke Piccolo (Ion),
DeleteThe cancer unit I go to is working at full capacity, and having a linear accelerator out of action for longer than planned for is causing them serious problems. It’s a bit of a nuisance for me, but for some people it’s a serious matter … and if their treatment is given priority over mine, that’s as it should be. At least the enforced break has given me a ‘day off’ to rest and recover.
All the best,
Bob
Sorry to hear that, Bob, I hope things get sorted and your treatment resumes ASAP. Meanwhile 'keep b****ering on', as they say..
ReplyDeleteDavid in Suffolk,
DeleteCheers! My treatment resumed today … and with luck, it should be over by the end of the month.
All the best,
Bob