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To his credit, Sean managed a fairly genuine smile. Ally was ready to scream at the practice manager for her lousy timing. Sean had been about to open up to her, she was sure of it, but instead he glanced at his watch and gave Ally a brief nod that reflected none of the intimacy of their conversation only seconds earlier.
‘I’d better get on. I’ve got patients to see.’
And with that he strode out, leaving Ally in a worse state than she’d been in when he’d entered the room ten minutes before.
Helen discussed a few problems with her and then left, leaving Ally to pull herself together before the stream of patients started.
Her first patient was Jenny Monroe, looking white and strained, a small bandage visible under her tights.
‘Hello, Jenny.’ Ally pushed her own problem to one side. ‘I gather you managed to get an appointment very quickly?’
Jenny nodded. ‘They rang me the day after because they had a cancellation. I had it taken out, but they said they think it’s malignant. I have to go back on Thursday for the results.’
‘I’m sorry, Jenny.’ Ally felt a rush of sympathy for the young woman. Why was life so unfair? Jenny was so young and the diagnosis of malignant melanoma was a serious one.
‘They said that they’d have to measure the thickness of the mole and that will give them an idea of how serious it is.’ Jenny looked sick and suddenly burst into tears. ‘I just keep thinking I’m going to die.’
‘You mustn’t think that!’ Ally said firmly. ‘You don’t have all the facts yet, and when you do we’ll just make sure you have the very best treatment. You aren’t going to die, Jenny.’
Jenny sniffed and took the tissue Ally offered her. ‘Thanks. I suppose I’m just being stupid. People do survive cancer, don’t they, even if they’re told they’re not going to?’
‘They do, indeed. Positive thinking is terribly important in fighting any illness, Jenny,’ Ally agreed, ‘but you haven’t been told any of those things—you’re just letting your imagination run away with you. With luck it will have been caught in the very early stages—you’ll probably just need regular checks.’
‘I read in a magazine about using interferon for skin cancer—would I be suitable for that?’
Ally blinked. Nowadays patients were so much better informed than they used to be, and it was always quite tough on the GP who had to be three steps ahead of what was being printed in the press.
‘Skin cancers haven’t generally responded well to chemotherapy, but you’re right that alpha interferon has shown some very promising results. I’m not sure exactly which patients it’s suitable for but when we have more details from the hospital we can ask the consultant. You could ask them at your next appointment. It’s important that you understand the treatment they’re recommending.’
Jenny bit her lip. ‘I can’t, Dr McGuire. Once they start talking about cancer I know I’ll just clam up. I hear that one word and then I don’t hear anything else.’
Ally leaned forward and gave her hand a squeeze. ‘Well, that’s why it’s a good idea to take someone with you. Can your husband take time off?’
‘He has to look after the twins. My mother’s away…’ Jenny’s eyes filled again and Ally reached for the phone, tapping in a number and then covering the receiver while she talked to Jenny.
‘When’s the appointment?’
‘Thursday at four o’clock.’
Ally uncovered the receiver and waited. ‘Mum? It’s me. I need a favour.’
She listened and smiled while her mother made the usual remarks and then her face sobered. ‘Could you babysit two eight-month-old twins for an hour while their mother goes to hospital for an appointment?’ She talked for a few minutes more then replaced the receiver and scribbled her address on a piece of paper.
‘This is where I live. My daughter Charlie is five and my mother will be looking after her until I finish evening surgery, so you’re welcome to drop your two off on your way to the hospital. That way you get time to concentrate on what’s being said and what you want to ask.’
Jenny took the piece of paper and gazed at it, her expression slightly stunned. ‘Are you sure…?’
‘Absolutely.’ Ally gave her a gentle smile. ‘And if you still don’t feel you’ve asked all the questions you want to ask, I’ll have a word with Mr Gordon.’
‘Bless you, Dr McGuire.’ Jenny tucked the paper safely inside her purse and blew her nose loudly. ‘I’ll probably be OK once I know what’s going on. It’s just the uncertainty that gets to me, you know?’
Ally nodded sympathetically. ‘It must be very tough, but try and stay positive. The other people you might find useful to get in touch with are the support group Cancer BACK UP. They’re in London but they have a helpline, with trained nurses giving information and answering all sorts of questions which you might not want to ask the doctor.’
She flicked through her address files and scribbled down another number which she handed to Jenny.
‘Now then, I’ll tell Mum to expect you on Thursday, and in the meantime give me a ring if you’re really fretting about anything.’
Jenny stood up and smiled, looking much more relaxed. ‘I can’t thank you enough…’
