It was good that nurses, docs, etc asked how I was doing, and I would be honest about the symptoms/side effects, but every time they uttered ‘that’s normal’ or ‘that’s unusual ‘ I’d start to cry on the inside. Except once, when the crying on the outside happened. I was then suggested to get my GP to organise a mental health plan. The last thing I needed were more appointments.
There is nothing ‘normal’ about getting BC, even more so for me since I’m 42 with no family history. There is nothing normal about getting radiation damage to your lungs - I know no one else who has had this. There is nothing normal about struggling to use a calculator because your working memory isn’t working.
Telling me my side effects are ‘unusual’ is not helpful in addressing the symptoms, least of all the impacts of hearing this on my mental health.
Then there is the ‘everybody is different ‘ statement. Of course we all are. I came to interpret this as ‘we don’t know’ which would have been a more honest answer.
So, skip these words and phrases. Focus on what changes can be made to the treatment. Tell me how long side effects are likely to last.
