Is this the normal process?

In most cases, there is a multidiscilplinary team who will consult with each other regarding your treatment. Typically an oncologist, breast surgeon and radiation oncologist. All breast cancers are not alike, and each different type and subtype have treatments which are best for them. Then you add in the stage (how advanced) and the grade (how aggressive), the age of the patient and any other medical conditions. All these will be factored into whether you have chemo first (and what type and dose), or if surgery will come first. (Lumpectomy or mastectomy), will reconstruction be wanted...this will have a bearing too on the sequence of events. So we have a situation where the professionals will decide which weapons to use, and in what sequence. Much as a general in the army wouldn't say to his troops..."Hey you lot, grab a weapon...any weapon..and shoot anything that looks like the enemy"..they would carefully plan their strategy, then hit with force. I know I freaked out whilst waiting...in my mind, there were all these malignant cells plotting and planning their attack, and were breeding like mad, and spreading to distant parts. The doctors were playing on their fiddles and in the mean time, Rome was burning. Take heart that this is their bread and butter...they know our disease (all types) well, and once the ball starts rolling, you'll wish for just one day off to catch your breath. Having said that, at the same time you will be massively relieved that someone is DOING something. Hang in there. xoxo