Your Support System For Breast Cancer
I am a 68-year-old woman and my breast cancer was discover during a routine mammogram. Since my mother died of Metastatic breast carcinoma I decided that I should have my mammogram regularly. I also had been treated for endometrial and renal cancer 2 years earlier. So I had a diagnostic mammogram followed by an ultrasound...
View MoreDiscuss the support system you rely on to help face the emotional and physical challenges of breast cancer
My support system includes my doctors, family, and my church. I believe I had some of the best oncologists in the business. For the first to cancers, I lived with a disabled friend and my middle son took care of me when I had my hysterectomy and cryoablation of my kidney tumor. When I had the breast lumpectomy I had moved in with my daughter and she and my older son helped with transportation. My pastor anointed me for healing and my church family prayed for me.
Who are the key members of your breast cancer support team?
I believe I have had some of the best oncologists in the business. I have a biased opinion I'm sure. From my GYN-oncologist, interventional radiologist, radiation oncologist to my medical oncologists, I have been treated with kindness and dignity. I got to know 3 of the nurses that worked in the offices with the doctors. They were very helpful with issues as they came up. I don't know what I would have done without my family. My daughter has housed me and fed me. Due to other physical limitations, I can't live alone.
Do you believe you receive adequate support from both your healthcare team and your community?
With the help of one nurse, I was able to take community transportation to get to my radiation treatments. Before that, the local Cancer society helped as well as my daughter and my older son. I should have gotten community transportation sooner but there was no one in the radiation department to get the papers, fill them out, and have the doctor sign them. I had the papers sent to the doctor's office via fax and his nurse filled them out and had the doctor sign them.
What do you wish family and friends would better understand about breast cancer?
For the most part, they know that even though I do not have BRCA 1 & 2 it still runs in the family. My mother died of metastatic breast cancer. My granddaughters know when they get older they will need to have their mammograms on time as ordered by their doctors. That is the most important thing to me. I watched my mother go through surgeries, radiation, and chemo. She was in severe pain most of the last 3 years of her life. Now, this was before routine mammograms were done. All I can say is GET YOUR MAMMOGRAMS DONE WHEN THEY ARE DUE.
