Hi @melsev,
it’s normal to feel overwhelmed. I was diagnosed in July 2023 ( age 58). I have zero knowledge of BC, and none in my family or my hubby’s has cancer. Like you, it came as a shock.
Things went extremely slow at the beginning for me as my GP referred me to the public hospital and I saw Melanie Walker. She is lovely. However, she gave us options and we couldn’t decide as we know nothing.
A few weeks later, I chanced upon an acquaintance (she had BC 6 years ago) who highly recommended her surgeon to me. We went to see him as a private patient. We immediately warmed to this surgeon for numerous reasons including him being able to confidently guide/lead us. You can read a discussion I put up last year,
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/25762/totally-confused-after-seeking-second-opinion/p1My suggestion is to see both of them and pick the one you feel comfortable and connected (trust).
As I went private, I immediately went for surgery the following week after seeing the second surgeon. It was a very successful surgery as my tumor turned out to be twice the size and we had clear margins. Choosing an excellent surgeon is so very important. I still see him today and am glad with our decision to go with him.
Another tip is to search for the name of Sarah Kemp on this site and see if any other ladies had seen her.
All the best and take care.
Gin
