In all the calls, doctors kept telling Brian it was an ulcer but he always thought it was cancer. Well, Brian was right
– Widow Dagmar Finlayson
Feeling sick and unable to eat, Brian Finlayson suspected he had more than a stomach ulcer.
He did. He had cancer and it killed him after video consultations with his family doctor misdiagnosed his illness.
His widow, Dagmar, said her husband was told he had an ulcer that could be treated with drugs, but would die five months later from a cancer he suspected he had.
She said the ex-soldier, who died at 63, had called his surgery, the An Caorann Medical Practice in Portsoy, but had not seen a doctor face-to-face. She said: “This went on through video and phone calls after Brian was unable to eat without being sick.
“From September last year until December he called our GP surgery several times but was told to persevere with the drugs for stomach ulcer.
“Brian told the doctor that he was worried he had oesophageal cancer, because that had killed his brother and that it could run in the family, but he was told that was very unlikely.
“He was losing weight and the symptoms were worrying but had no choice but to go along with taking the drugs for a stomach ulcer.
“He could neither eat nor swallow and eventually, in December, when we insisted on Brian being examined by a doctor, he was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. There, a scan revealed that the cancer had spread to his lymph nodes, stomach and kidney. It was oesophageal cancer as he feared.
“We were griefstricken because he had wasted three months and the chance to go on chemo to extend his life.
“Brian served his country as a soldier for 25 years in Bosnia and other places of conflict but when he needed good health care he could not be examined properly by a doctor.”
He passed away at home in February without the chance of any treatment to buy more time for him. Dagmar, 59, said: “I know we were all living through Covid where doctors were worried about getting or transmitting the virus to patients but when a patient cannot keep any food down that should have been a warning signal for a physical examination and tests.
“Video calls did nothing but stall the diagnosis and deny Brian the chance of some kind of chemo.”
The couple met when Brian was serving in Germany with his regiment, The Gordon Highlanders. They were soon inseparable and married.
“Brian’s commanding officer called me the ‘German Jock’ because I worked so hard to integrate with Army life.”
They had three children, two daughters, Sarah, 36, and Jennifer, 35, and a son, Paul, 29. The mantelpiece in their Aberdeenshire home is decorated with Brian’s Army medals and photographs of his regimental days, holidays together and their love of camping. A candle burns in his memory.
Dagmar said: “We were deeply in love and now the pain of separation is so hard to bear. No one should have to go through this to have their cancer diagnosed and I fear that others will be misdiagnosed if video and phone calls continue to be the norm.”
Brian’s funeral in February was limited to 20 people and his coffin was borne by six men who served with the Gordon Highlanders. His Glengarry cap rested on top of his coffin while pipers played a last lament.
“I wanted him to have the best send-off possible because he had been a good father, husband and soldier,” Dagmar added.
“I now have to put the pieces of my life back together and carry on without Brian but I will do whatever it takes to prevent this happening to anyone else.”
The An Caorran practice declined to comment. NHS Grampian said: “Firstly, we wish to extend our condolences to Mrs Finlayson on the death of her husband. While we cannot discuss individual patient care or treatment in detail, we can confirm that Mrs Finlayson contacted our feedback service earlier this year.
“We responded directly to all the points she raised and offered to discuss any parts of the response further. This offer remains open, should Mrs Finlayson wish to get back in touch with us again.”