FRUSTRATED

@Cate64 HAHA Oh no! I shouldn't laugh.

It sounds like Breast Care Nurses are the new Leprechauns.

:star: Legend tells of a fantastical place where pink-clad nurses dance at the end of the rainbow, guarding their pot of gold Berlei bras :star:

@InkPetal  ooohhh, sounds likeyou have the same breast care nurse as me................ are you under the care of The Northern Hospital??

I want to get in on this ranting and frustration venting too, haha! :lol:

I've started going to physiotherapy to rehabilitate my back. The sessions are $90 a pop without the plan, and there's no way I would have even thought about seeking that help unless it had been advised by someone. If I hadn't needed a new referral** and had my GP notice I was still in pain, I probably would have just kept shrugging it off as 'something I got from chemo' and chewing up painkillers.

Maybe doctors don't mention these things because when you work in medicine these are just 'next logical step's to them, such general knowledge level stuff that they assume everyone will just naturally click "Oh, of course, rehabilitation therapies, I'll ask about those" (kind of feel like adding 'said no-one ever'. :lol:)

The dot connecting has been such a mess for me in other areas too (like meeting someone before my surgery who told me they'd be my breast care nurse and not hearing from them again). I don't know. I keep getting this feeling that I'm a kid who fell through the cracks.

I love the journey kit. Those books were my rock in those first few months, but full disclosure, almost a year on and I have no idea where they are. I don't know how everyone else is, but I rely on my care team to be on the ball with what is available in regard to not only what treatments and services are available but also how they can be affordable.

I'm blah blah blah today. Carry on chums.

**...how sick are you of having to renew referrals, seriously, why do they run out in 6 months, who ever 'got better' from cancer in six months? Puts me right at rant o'clock. :dizzy:

Hi everyone -- just wanted to thank you all for raising this topic. And apologies in advance for the long post and for being opportunistic and jumping in here, but I think this topic is very relevant, and would love your input if possible.

For those who don't know me, I'm Di and I look after the development and review of the Kits and resources here at BCNA (the My Journey Kit, Hope & Hurdles and My Care Kit).  I read your posts with interest, as we do have a little bit of information on this topic in My Journey Kit, but it's only a small amount and we may be able to improve it -- most of the information is in the separate fact sheet: Chronic Disease Management Plan.

I agree that health professionals don't always do a good job of letting you know what help you are entitled to and how to access it (like you, personal experience speaking here! :). So, I would love to hear what you think would be the best way to make this information more accessible to you. We could put more detail in the My Journey Kit, or just continue to point people to the separate fact sheet.  I would love to hear which you think would be most helpful, or if you have another idea.

If you have a My Journey Kit handy, you can have a look at page 191 to see where the current information is and what other information it has around it.  If you don't, this is the wording that relates to Management plans:

"Women diagnosed with breast cancer are eligible to claim through Medicare for up to five allied health services per year as long as their GP develops a GP Management Plan and/or a Team Care Arrangement and writes a referral to qualifying allied health professionals. Allied health services available under this scheme include physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists and dietitians. For further details talk to your GP or visit the Department of Health and Ageing website at www.health.gov.au."

The Chronic Disease Management Plan fact sheet can be downloaded from the BCNA website (https://www.bcna.org.au/media/2844/bcna-fact-sheet-chronic-disease-management-plan.pdf) if you haven't seen it yet.

As I said, I'd love to hear any comments you have about the best way to help people find this information.

PS... just a final note if anyone is unsure about how this works with private health insurance. As noted, the GP Management Plan allows you to claim a Medicare rebate for a total of five Allied Health visits in a calendar year (from two providers). You may still have some out-of-pocket costs, if the health professionals charge above the rebate amount (it's similar to the way you would claim allied health on your private health insurance if you have extras).  If you have private health insurance 'extras' that also cover allied health visits, you can use a combination of both (eg. use your private health insurance until the rebate amount is exhausted, and then use the Medicare-funded visits for another five).

Thanks again in advance.

Di

You only  get 5 visits with a team care plan . ..and most people  need all of that  with the exercise physiologist. It's  annoying. My husband is a diabetes  educator and for those  clients 2 with him, 2 with podiatrist...leaving little for anything else. Mental health plans at least are diff and give you 10.

Hi Cate! Hmmm I didnt know that either!!! though I found out things through my Breast Care Nurse which put me in touch with a rehab program. I also have an exercise physiologist but it has come from my Insurance Company AMP who organised it, as I was eligible for income protection for 2yrs, I have 1yr left to go. I urge everyone to ask, ask, ask!!! as you wont be told whats available really and there is alot!! 

I hadn't heard of domestic assistance, but have to say being a single parent for 6yrs and kids are now 17 & 19 have taken over everything!! I can work 3 days and as both are on holidays, I leave a list each day of all sorts of things!!! and they actually do it!!! LOL or I threaten to take the modem to bed with me when I get home from work hahaha!!! Certainly worth asking about though, I agree!!! Im sure there must be lots available and I know there is so much we could certainly use a helping hand with!

Hugs xoxo Melinda 

@Share  wouldnt it be wonderful to get some assistance? I have tried to find things online but have found nothing as yet that gives me any indication.

I feel like such a failure when i look around & see the dust & grotty floor that normally I would have under control.

@wendy 55 can I ask do you work?? or do I have to be on a benefit to be eligible for assistance around the house, I have kept working full time to keep my mind active & manage quite well doing that & keeping the house organised though I do struggle a little with the bathrooms & mopping & I would give anything for help with that... 

Hi ladies,
this was one of the things brought up by the McGrath Breast Care nurse who spoke at the Hahndorf forum, there are many and varied things which we are able to access IF only we were told, I did bring up at the forum that GPs need to be better informed, they are the starting point for all of us and even though we go on to other specialists and allied medical people its the little things that would be most beneficial to us especially the massage, I did not know that we are entitled to that, I have a Chronic Health Management Plan and have accessed the podiatrist as I have hand and foot syndrome from the xeloda chemo drug I take,and cannot cut my toenails, such a simple thing, and yet I cannot use a pair of scissors at the moment,! I will certainly be looking at what other services I can access, the dietician was useful, and I did speak with an occupational therapist because of my hands, Im sure there are many other services available as well so will be taking that up with my GP when I see him next, also you may not be aware but if you are unable to do your housework or other chores around the house you may be eligable for domestic assistance, I receive a hour and a half a fortnight, and the wonderful lady who comes to my home, vacuums and mops all of my floors, does all of the wet areas, showers toilets etc, what a blessing I can tell you, I was able to receive this due to a referral from the local hospital and the mcgrath breast care nurse, this happened when I was in hospital for 8 days and my wonderful partner finally realized just how much I still tried to do, and had an ephinay! that it would be good to have some help around the house, he had tried to help but didnt do it the way I wanted!!! Im sure you can all understand that,!!! and you also get to that point when you have to give in and accept help, not something we like to do! 
this is a great site and such a help to us all.

wendy 55