Help - Any advice on counselling / helplines

[mukey]

Thanks to everybody who has responded, both to the original thread and via PM. This has provided us with a great deal of info that we hadn't come across yet and has given us lots more positive feedback for which we are both truly grateful.

And the 'virtual group hug' has helped a bit too !

Thanks once again and I promise to stop lurking so much and start posting to the diving threads a bit more !

[mukey]

I have had a few PM's over the past couple of days so I thought I'd post a brief update;

Unfortunately Mandy has now been diagnosed with an ocular melanoma BUT its small, its early and its very treatable. The outlook is very good and she is going to be treated at Barts in London by the top man starting on the 28th of the month. We're much less scared now we have a diagnosis and a treatment plan and we're starting on a journey to beat this !!!


...AND there will be a BIG complaint going in to the Optician's that missed this back in November, despite the symptoms !!

Thanks for the amazing PM's of support.

[broady]

Very best wishes Markus and Mandy and as far as reasonably possible try to keep a positive mental attitude.

...and well done Judith9 for taking the time to post - restores my faith in human for the day !!



Graham


.

[frosty the snowman]

Ok, so the diagnosis isn't what you wanted to hear but now at least you have one and you know that the prognosis is good. My very best wishes to both of you.

[Finless]

Phew.

[Rob Dobson]

Hopefully not needed now but here is Cancer Helpline staffed by specialist nurses Mon-Fri 9-17:00:

+44 207 061 8355

Best of luck to you both.

[Buoyant Babe]

Originally Posted by mukey

I have had a few PM's over the past couple of days so I thought I'd post a brief update;

Unfortunately Mandy has now been diagnosed with an ocular melanoma BUT its small, its early and its very treatable. The outlook is very good and she is going to be treated at Barts in London by the top man starting on the 28th of the month. We're much less scared now we have a diagnosis and a treatment plan and we're starting on a journey to beat this !!!


...AND there will be a BIG complaint going in to the Optician's that missed this back in November, despite the symptoms !!

Thanks for the amazing PM's of support.

Your positive attitude is an absolute inspiration and one we can all learn from I think. Continued thoughts and prayers are with you both and your family over the forthcoming months.

Love Helen xxx

[mukey]

Originally Posted by Finless

Phew.

I think I understand the 'Finless logic' in this BUT I think its better summed up by your avatar


<EDIT> Oh Fcuk - I think I have just spotted a really ironic slip in my comment above that I missed when I was just referring to the 'Sh!t' bit. I'm saying nothing more !

[Finless]

Originally Posted by mukey

I think I understand the 'Finless logic' in this BUT I think its better summed up by your avatar

I'm a pessimist and this was only a response to the actual prognosis versus what may have been.

I knew what I mean't but even so you, at the very least, deserve an "oops" for other unintended meanings.

[mukey]

Thought I'd just post an update to close the loop on this thread and finally thank everybody here and in the local diving community for their support over the past 6 weeks.

Mandy has been in Barts for the past 2 days having a series of tests (Bloods/x-ray/ultrasound) to check for spread of cancer from the eye and finally at 7pm last night, she has been given the all clear ! It can still spread at any time in the future but it is highly unlikely so as I am sure you can imagine that is the best news that we have had since the initial diagnosis on the 15th Jan.

She will have the radioactive plaque inserted behind her eye around lunchtime today and removal is scheduled for Saturday so the next few days will not be pleasant (not just one, but two operations under general !) BUT she is much better prepared for it with the fantastic news that we had last night.

THANK YOU ALL so much for all of the support over the past few weeks and believe me, we can’t wait to get back to normal , although I don’t think normal will ever be quite the same again !!!!