Questions to ask 'Post Surgery' of yourself - to your Specialists - Tick Sheets - Self assessment
arpie
Member Posts: 8,197 ✭
I know that after my own surgery, I didn't always quite know what questions to ask of my surgeon and 'the team' that we all see regularly for the first 5 years following our treatment - so I set about looking for 'tick sheets' that would help me, as these appointments approached!
I came across some really interesting files. They are all 'multi paged' so I've put a 'sample page' from each document to give you an idea of what is in it.
The first booklet is available at most Cancer Clinics and was put out by the Cancer Council - 'Living Well After Cancer'. It is a good one to give to friends & relatives to read as well - to give them an idea of the longterm affects of cancer even after successful treatment - as they often think that once you've had your surgery, chemo, rads & tabs - that you are now 'well'. We all know that that is NOT necessarily the case!
It really is a lifetime sentence.
This booklet covers a lot of areas that concern us all - and may be able to help answer questions in many situations that we face.
(sample page)
The 2nd one is: "Questions to ask 'post cancer' " - a 'tick sheet' - these questions could be spread across the whole team - your surgeon, Onc and Rad Onc as well as GP. Tick the ones that are relevant to you in the lead up to your individual appointments.
(sample page)
The next is "Self Care Specific Symptoms" - this sheet could also be for any of your team - with the 2nd section relating more to mental health issues that may impact you.
(sample sheet)
And finally - a Survivorship Care Plan - virtually a ''Self Assessment Yearly Checkup'' sheet .... which has more specific symptoms that you may be concerned about and also has pages for noting yearly checkups required re Dexa, Mammograms, Colonoscopy, MRI etc - almost a 'diary' to keep re future appointments.
(sample Pages)
Write down the dates you've had them, and when the next one is. Add any other exams that are not already there
You can use any or all of these documents to track how you feel you are progressing - date them & further down the track, you can compare them to see how you are travelling.
Take care & I hope these sheets help in tracking your health - both mental and physical. xxx
I came across some really interesting files. They are all 'multi paged' so I've put a 'sample page' from each document to give you an idea of what is in it.
The first booklet is available at most Cancer Clinics and was put out by the Cancer Council - 'Living Well After Cancer'. It is a good one to give to friends & relatives to read as well - to give them an idea of the longterm affects of cancer even after successful treatment - as they often think that once you've had your surgery, chemo, rads & tabs - that you are now 'well'. We all know that that is NOT necessarily the case!
It really is a lifetime sentence.This booklet covers a lot of areas that concern us all - and may be able to help answer questions in many situations that we face.
(sample page)
The 2nd one is: "Questions to ask 'post cancer' " - a 'tick sheet' - these questions could be spread across the whole team - your surgeon, Onc and Rad Onc as well as GP. Tick the ones that are relevant to you in the lead up to your individual appointments.
(sample page)
The next is "Self Care Specific Symptoms" - this sheet could also be for any of your team - with the 2nd section relating more to mental health issues that may impact you.
(sample sheet)
And finally - a Survivorship Care Plan - virtually a ''Self Assessment Yearly Checkup'' sheet .... which has more specific symptoms that you may be concerned about and also has pages for noting yearly checkups required re Dexa, Mammograms, Colonoscopy, MRI etc - almost a 'diary' to keep re future appointments.
(sample Pages)
Write down the dates you've had them, and when the next one is. Add any other exams that are not already there
You can use any or all of these documents to track how you feel you are progressing - date them & further down the track, you can compare them to see how you are travelling.
Take care & I hope these sheets help in tracking your health - both mental and physical. xxx
6
Comments
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Thank you. This is really helpful. I always forget what I need to ask in appointments and think about many of these things after I come out!1
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Thank you, that is very helpful.1
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Make sure you download the documents at the bottom of the post, not the ‘sample pages’.
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Thanks @arpie, great resources.
I always had a good list while going through treatment, now you've given me some ideas for my list afterwards. And its good to read some of the questions about feeling a bit lost and working out how you actually feel after you get through that bit! I can relate to a lot of it.2 -
My Turn to print these off ..... seeing my surgeon on Monday for my 2 year 'check up'! It should just be routine.
Then we fly to Tassie for a week, visiting buddies from NZ who have a house down there!! I will sneak a fishing rod & lures in, to indulge my passion ....... BIG bream down there - they are not commercially harvested, so grow massive!!
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@arpie - hope you both have a fantastic break away - and enjoy all the bream you catch. We have O/S friends currently holidaying in Tassie and they've reported that whist the weather is not as previously forecast it is sunny and they can still enjoy the scenery. All the best for your appointment on Monday.
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Bumping this one to the top, so that anyone with reviews may be able to use them!! Click on the 4 sheets down the bottom to get the whole document - the others are just pics of Page 1!!
Take care xx
Off to Gloucester for the weekend with a bunch of Hubby's triathlon buddies & partners .... there is snow on the mountain - it will be FREEZING!!!!2 -
Bumping this one as I am checking the sheets myself for me teleconference with my Rad Onc today .... basically 3 years since detection!
Make sure you click the documents st the bottom of the first post as the others are just ‘samples’ of Page 1. 3
