Breast Cancer Worries
Breast cancer is a scary and frightening condition to have to face. There is no real way to avoid it and there is only a slight chance of reducing the risk of getting breast cancer later in life. Women are advised to go for regular checkups with the doctor for proper screenings and check their breast themselves. This means that if you do have the unfortunate chance of getting breast cancer you will have caught it early and your chances of survival are so much higher.
So, after you went to the screening you were called back for a follow up with the doctor, so what now? You went for your follow-up visit. The mass is malignant. Right now you may still be in shock, but soon this will turn to fear. If you found the lump yourself and have waited a week or longer to get any answers you are probably in a full-blown panic. There are so many questions. Where do you turn? Where do you run? Well, take a minute, take a breath, and do a little bit of research. It could save your life and maybe your breasts.
In the terror of this moment you probably want to run to the nearest oncologist for your prognosis. Thats fine and good, time is of course of the essence when it comes to cancer treatment. But please, do not feel chained to the first doctor to whom you are referred. Your primary care physician will probably make an appointment for you and you should keep this appointment, but in the mean time sit down with your biopsy report and call someone who really cares.
There is nothing to say that your oncologist will not care about you. But, he may care more about the dollars he will make off of you than he does about whether your husband is a widower next year. Oncologists are the highest paid physicians in America, they get paid whether you live or die, and many (not all) only see billing cycles, not patients.
Support is one of the best things to help with breast cancer; a good and strong support network will keep you going when you feel there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Speak to your friends, form relationships with women who may be in the same place as you are now and find some hope. There is hope for lots of women who have breast cancer. Chances are that you will be one of the lucky women who get to keep their breasts or keep their life.
