My concerns

My concerns in agreeing to the infusion are mainly related to the long hospital stay, at this stage, more important to me than whether it will benefit me. I lead a busy business and social life and being restricted to hospital for nine days is very concerning.

I wasn’t happy to find that the hospital was a suburban private hospital 30 minutes' drive away when we live within easy walking distance of many private hospitals in inner city Melbourne.

Dr Malik told me that he did these procedures in the first week of each month and it would depend on when/if my TAC (Traffic Accident Commission) approval came through when I could be booked in. 

As it was now September 2017 there are only a few months left to fit it in before the end of the year and summer holidays. After waiting a few weeks I phoned TAC and to my surprise the person I spoke to said she could approve it over the phone. It was approved straight away, which made me wish I had phoned earlier. I then contacted Malik’s office and was booked in for 6 weeks time.

I was told I would be admitted on a Thursday afternoon and that on Friday afternoon a PICC line (peripherally inserted central catheter) would be inserted and on Saturday the treatment would start. I found this quite frustrating, that I will be admitted on a Thursday and nothing really starts until Saturday. I hate the idea of being in hospital, stuck in hospital, restricted freedom and restricted privacy – what if I don’t get a private room?

Malik’s receptionist said they used to admit people on a Friday but they sat around all day and weren’t given a bed until quite late in the day so it was decided a Thursday admission was better.