Meeting with Specialists Initially
Hello, My name is Jen, 29, married, no kids. On Friday 21st April I had scans for a lump in the right breast. On Monday 24th April, I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in the right breast, left breast ...
Forum Discussion
Hey Jen. Over the years I've come to the conclusion that oncologists tend to be more like stereotypical scientists than the doctors we are used to before the whole specialist train arrives. Bed side, or desk side, manner often isn't great.
That is really hard to get used to, and in a perfect world it shouldn't happen. Given pressures on the public health system, if you are going that way, or a perception of greed in the private it is really hard to get a satisfactory amount of time with them.
My advice to anyone new to this is keep records of everything. Ask for copies of blood tests, reports, and get scans recorded to disc. Get cards from everyone you see, write their names down and keep the whole lot in a segmented folder. Treatment can take a long time, things get lost and you forget stuff.
Good luck, Jen. Breast cancer means learning a whole new language and getting used to a new headspace which is challenging enough without dealing with the treatment of the disease. Ask questions as things come up and, once again, good luck. Marg xxx