Diagnosed this week and struggling
Hello everyone I'm glad to have found this community. I found a lump a few weeks ago, had a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsies and have two tumors in one breast, both invasive, one lobular and ...
Forum Discussion
Hi @Sammie_909 I hear you and sending you lots of positive vibes.
I agree with @MelV83 suggestions like the BCNA network podcasts and don’t forget their helpline. Information is helpful and I too felt some comfort that research and treatments are continuing to evolve and improve and enjoy strong success rates. I am sorry to hear about the impact of your family friends cancer experience ❤️ - it’s very relatable. I focused on the many women I knew whose treatment had changed their outcomes and whose friendships I could still enjoy 🌻🌸
I had a slightly different approach to information (it worked for me - everyone is different) which was not to read about everything, but to take it step by step in phases. It varies from person to person but my treatment plan was sequential- almost all of us start with a battery of diagnostic tests which is in a way quite comforting, but it then diverges. In my case I had neo adjuvant (pre-surgery) chemotherapy and immunotherapy, surgery (breast conserving), radiation therapy, then more chemotherapy.
So in my treatment plan there were “stage gates” where the oncologist and surgeon would assess my response to the treatment and tweak or alter it. So it was best for me not to get too far ahead of myself.
Asking for a bit of detailed information from my medical team and having my oncologist explain if there was any relevant evidence base (like trials and research) that guided their recommendations helped me appreciate the breadth of knowledge and statistics that informed their approach.
My GP was great too. I had been referred to a McGrath foundation breast cancer nurse who was a help in the early weeks but once I started active treatment the nurses in my day ward were fabulous.
So in my treatment plan there were “stage gates” where the oncologist and surgeon would assess my response to the treatment and tweak or alter it. So it was best for me not to get too far ahead of myself.
Asking for a bit of detailed information from my medical team and having my oncologist explain if there was any relevant evidence base (like trials and research) that guided their recommendations helped me appreciate the breadth of knowledge and statistics that informed their approach.
My GP was great too. I had been referred to a McGrath foundation breast cancer nurse who was a help in the early weeks but once I started active treatment the nurses in my day ward were fabulous.
We are all wonderfully different in how we need to grapple with this challenge in our life but we on the network are also in solidarity with you 🌻
For sure we are best off accessing the formal and informal support of others that works for us.
For sure we are best off accessing the formal and informal support of others that works for us.