DCIS diagnosis last friday

So sorry to see you joining us here, Linlinnylinda​    Whack up ANY questions that you may have, as we’ve all ‘been there, done that’ and all of us combined, should be able to give you a helpful answer. xx. 

Everyone remembers the shock of hearing the ‘diagnosis:  “You've got breast cancer” ..... Causing sadness, distress and even anger.   It really mucks with your brain, sometimes even more than your body!  It can be highly stressful & upsetting in the early days of diagnosis - so if you feel a bit overwhelmed by it all, give the Helpline a bell on 1800 500 258 (Mon-Fri, 9-5) for a confidential chat with one of the Mods xx.

Make sure you stay away from “Dr Google’ (difficult tho it is) - as a lot of info there is not only out of date - it probably also isn’t even relative to your own diagnosis.  Going down that rabbit-hole will also muck with your brain.  

Hmmm - didn't the surgeon explain the results to you??  Have you been allocated a Breast Care nurse yet? They should be able to help you with understanding your Patholgy results - some even sit in on you with your followup appt with your surgeon.  Your team will guide you towards the best treatment for your condition .... be lead by them.

Make sure you take a trusted friend or relative with you to all your meetings from now on (for physical and mental support - and a 2nd set of ears!) & also consider recording them too, on your phone xx. It is almost impossible to remember everything that is said & this way you can go back over it in the quiet of your home & take notes. xx

Consider listening to Charlotte Tottman's Podcasts on her own experience with BC - as she explains it all very well xx  She is a specialist breast cancer Counsellor who had a double mastectomy following her own diagnosis, choosing to stay flat. She was surprised at her own reaction to the news/surgery/treatment, as she'd been counseling others for many years & thought she 'knew it all'!  She has done 2 ‘podcast seasons' ... check out the 1st season, right from her own diagnosis onwards and how she coped, then move on to the 2nd season. She is very easy to listen to & you'll probably recognise your own reactions in many of the podcasts. http://www.drcharlottetottman.com.au/my-podcast.html

Check out this thread too - there is a lot of info on the forum & what to take with you to hospital - even 'tick sheets' that you can fill in to take with you to your appointments on your mental & physical health .... this info has been gleaned from many of our members over the years ... I hope it helps you xx
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/23477/a-big-welcome-to-all-new-online-network-members#latest

take care & all the best with your ongoing appointments xx

Hi there
I had my surgery five weeks ago and I totally understand how overwhelming it is waiting on results. Im not very good at waiting. 🤷🏻‍♀️       
For now, I would just concentrate on understanding the results of all your tests and what the plan is going forward.   Questions will come naturally as everything is explained.  
Recording the phone call is a great idea. You can set up a voice recorder on your phone and put the call on speaker when it comes through but don’t forget to hit that record button. That’s definitely something I would forget to do. 😄  Just have a notebook and pen in front of you as a backup.    
I prepared a heap of questions but didn’t ask any of them as they were mostly covered in the information I was receiving or turned out to be irrelevant.    
I hope you have been assigned a Breast Care Nurse already but if not, you can find contact information online. Give them a call and they will do the rest. It is good to have that support in place right from the start. In the days after my Telehealth appointment, I rang my nurse several times just to clarify some of the information I had received and they are there to support you at every stage.    

Try to stay busy today, preferably doing something you enjoy and I hope all goes well with your appointment tomorrow.  💕