Xmas diagnosis delays
After 1st seeing gp xmas eve ("concerning symptoms"), wait for imaging centre to reopen after public holidays. Back to gp today - knowing it was bad news, now have to wait for breast surgeon's room ...
Forum Discussion
I feel you @Skinnylatte. I was a December diagnosis last year. A flurry of activity and then everyone disappeared. Phones went unanswered, I was floundering and felt completely abandoned. At this stage I was waiting on a test result, that normally takes two - three days, to see if I had to have chemotherapy or not. It took nine days.
I have four children. At the time of diagnosis they were three days off 18, 14, just 12 and 9. The latter two are my niece and nephew who I'm raising because their mother, my sister, died from breast cancer seventeen months before my diagnosis. Telling them was quite simply the worst thing I've ever had to do. But you know what, a year later we're all still here, in one piece. Well, except me. Still here but minus a couple of pieces!
I won't pretend it was easy, but your children might surprise you. My elder two rose to the situation in their own quiet way. How old are yours? There is lots of support for kids going through this, and help for you to help them. My specific advice is to tell them when you have a bit of a plan. They will appreciate the concrete information. Tailor it to their age and their personalities. Some children need detail, others broadstrokes. You'll soon know.
Make sure friends and other family don't come in flapping and wailing! I strove to keep things as 'normal' as possible. Which wasn't very normal at all, but the moment you crack down on bad behaviour, even if you're in a fainting condition on your bed, they'll feel much better!
It can also be a time when kids learn greater independence and some useful household skills... Cancer as a learning experience!
Try not to worry about an extra few weeks. If it was ultra urgent the docs would have you in surgery quick smart. This concern comes up here a lot, many have queried it, and there doesn't serm to be any medical alarm that we can tell.
Everything will be better for you when there's a plan. Whereabouts in Australia are you?
Come here to voice your worries, concerns, queries, rants, laughs and tears. While everyone's path through this diagnosis is different, our feelings are remarkably similar. We get it. Big, big hug lovely. K xox
I have four children. At the time of diagnosis they were three days off 18, 14, just 12 and 9. The latter two are my niece and nephew who I'm raising because their mother, my sister, died from breast cancer seventeen months before my diagnosis. Telling them was quite simply the worst thing I've ever had to do. But you know what, a year later we're all still here, in one piece. Well, except me. Still here but minus a couple of pieces!
I won't pretend it was easy, but your children might surprise you. My elder two rose to the situation in their own quiet way. How old are yours? There is lots of support for kids going through this, and help for you to help them. My specific advice is to tell them when you have a bit of a plan. They will appreciate the concrete information. Tailor it to their age and their personalities. Some children need detail, others broadstrokes. You'll soon know.
Make sure friends and other family don't come in flapping and wailing! I strove to keep things as 'normal' as possible. Which wasn't very normal at all, but the moment you crack down on bad behaviour, even if you're in a fainting condition on your bed, they'll feel much better!
It can also be a time when kids learn greater independence and some useful household skills... Cancer as a learning experience!
Try not to worry about an extra few weeks. If it was ultra urgent the docs would have you in surgery quick smart. This concern comes up here a lot, many have queried it, and there doesn't serm to be any medical alarm that we can tell.
Everything will be better for you when there's a plan. Whereabouts in Australia are you?
Come here to voice your worries, concerns, queries, rants, laughs and tears. While everyone's path through this diagnosis is different, our feelings are remarkably similar. We get it. Big, big hug lovely. K xox