Interview 39

Age at interview: 83

Age at diagnosis: 81

Brief Outline:

Diagnosed with prostate cancer 1998, hormone treatment.

Concludes he had not been given adequate information or advice from the professionals involved.

When the doctor first told you you had the prostate cancer how did that make you feel?

I just asked him what it was 'Oh you can have this operation, but you can't have it you're too old.'

Is that what he said?

Yes.

Did he explain a bit more about it, show you any pictures or diagrams?

Nothing at all.

Nothing, how long did you have to talk to him at the clinic?

4 minutes

4 minutes oh dear that's not very long is it. Did you get to talk to anybody else about it, like one of the nurses?

No when I seen, no it's always the specialist, just the two of them yes, Dr X and the younger one, Dr X, and Dr X just spoke in a machine, after that he just said 'Alright appointments every 6 months.'

And then you say you only had about 4 minutes at that consultation for him to tell you about it?

Not even 4 minutes

Have you got any other questions you'd like to ask him?

Yes, well why is there no talk about treatment or anything, just that injection in the belly and that's it?

Did he explain what the injection does?

No he didn't.
 

Explains that he has not experienced a sympathetic response from friends.

Have you got friends who you can talk to, tell about the prostate cancer?

Oh they, like if you go, say sometime for a pint, they only take it, make it dirty.

What do they say?

They turn it into dirty things.

Do they. Why do you think they do that?

That's men yes.

Men, what do they, do they, I mean can you explain that, it's important I'm interested in how people react.

'Well what have you been up to?'

They say 'What have you been up to?' oh no. How does that make you feel, they make a joke of it?

Yes.