This recording is part of the Medical English For You prototype series. Listen to the recording and follow the script below.
Dear Doctor,
Just a short summary before I pay you a visit. Maybe you’ll think I’m too anxious but I hope you’ll understand. I’m concerned the 15 minutes I’m supposed to have will be vtoo short to discuss my symptoms.
To be honest, I’m fine apart from some bouts of diarrhoea. My GP insisted that I have a faecal sample sent to pathology to rule out any blood in my faeces. I didn’t take it seriously, but it came back positive, of course. I’m a pessimist, I know, but what can I do? Your personality doesn’t change when you reach 75.
My GP referred me for a colonoscopy. I’m so afraid of it I’ve broken out in a sweat right now. Please promise me you’ll arrange full anaesthesia for me; otherwise, I can’t go through with it, to be honest. There’s something else that scares me. My mother died of colonic cancer. I don’t want the same thing happening to me.
Should I have some other diagnostic work-up done, like blood tests or scans?
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Richard Howard
