Treatment
The following is a letter to a newly diagnosed Breast Cancer patient who is also a friend, after her husband sent me an email telling me about her diagnosis. I thought the advice might be worth sharing with other women who are newly diagnosed.
(Husband) and (Wife) -
Your email clicked into my IN box literally as I was about to begin a breast cancer coaching session with a group of patients all at later phases of the journey, treatment, healing or wellbeing. All past the diagnosis phase (which I've nicknamed the "terror" phase").
(Husband), I realize you've written just to me, and there is probably a reason for that, but I am writing back to you both to alleviate the need to translate what I write, and also because I love (Wife) too much not to write back to her directly as well.
From your note, a few immediate thoughts and questions come to mind, based on the breast cancer patients, caregivers and providers I've seen navigate this journey over the years...
Some questions:
• Why has surgery been scheduled before pathology is in to inform the surgeon?
• Has a second opinion been gotten on the pathology to better inform the surgeon and oncologist BEFORE making the treatment decisions?
• If the tumor is small, why has surgery been scheduled so quickly?
• Is (Wife) being treated at an NCI designated cancer center that has the absolute best, most current, evidence based tools (like the ability to analyze the genome of the tumor)?
• If the tumor is "small" and the pathology is not yet in, has anyone discussed "proactive surveillance" as a possible option?
• Are you working with a patient navigator / advocate who is asking the providers the hard and critical questions, compiling ALL answers, reviewing pathology and recommended treatment options, and then helping you make a fully informed decision about a course of treatment?
Remember, you are both in shock right now, and objective decisions are going to be impossible for you to make without guidance. I can tell you from first hand knowledge that I was pushed into rapid treatment options that were far to aggressive and, knowing what I now know, I would have made different decisions in my diagnosis phase.
Some suggestions:
1. Dr. Deanna Attai hosts the Breast Cancer Survival Guide Video & eBook here and reviewing both of these up through the Diagnosis chapter will, at the very least, validate what you have been told or present other options. Both include the National Cancer Inst. (NCI) "what you need to know" and "critical questions to ask your doctors" to make informed empowered decisions at each phase of the journey. This is the link to the product page, I'm happy to Gift it into your account or give you a code to get it now, your choice, take a look at the Trailer and decide - http://www.mybridge4life.com/content/breast-cancer-survival-guide
2. Get a 2nd opinion on the pathology from a 2nd lab, AND get a second opinion from another provider (at least one), and then make your first treatment decision / if your initial provider is threatened by a 2nd opinion, they are the wrong provider
3. Gather ALL of your imaging, pathology, etc., and call NCI's 1-800 # and review at ALL with a federal cancer information specialist (its free and your tax dollars pay for this) and ask them to review the various outcomes for like diagnosis' and offer an opinion about which treatment options have yielded the highest 5, 10, 20, year remissions based on NCI studies. Again, this will validate your choices, hopefully, or let you know other treatment options should be considered.
Call me if you want.
Sending LOVE and LIGHT to you BOTH...
Wish I could give you a giant hug!!!
m
(Husband) and (Wife) -
Your email clicked into my IN box literally as I was about to begin a breast cancer coaching session with a group of patients all at later phases of the journey, treatment, healing or wellbeing. All past the diagnosis phase (which I've nicknamed the "terror" phase").
(Husband), I realize you've written just to me, and there is probably a reason for that, but I am writing back to you both to alleviate the need to translate what I write, and also because I love (Wife) too much not to write back to her directly as well.
From your note, a few immediate thoughts and questions come to mind, based on the breast cancer patients, caregivers and providers I've seen navigate this journey over the years...
Some questions:
• Why has surgery been scheduled before pathology is in to inform the surgeon?
• Has a second opinion been gotten on the pathology to better inform the surgeon and oncologist BEFORE making the treatment decisions?
• If the tumor is small, why has surgery been scheduled so quickly?
• Is (Wife) being treated at an NCI designated cancer center that has the absolute best, most current, evidence based tools (like the ability to analyze the genome of the tumor)?
• If the tumor is "small" and the pathology is not yet in, has anyone discussed "proactive surveillance" as a possible option?
• Are you working with a patient navigator / advocate who is asking the providers the hard and critical questions, compiling ALL answers, reviewing pathology and recommended treatment options, and then helping you make a fully informed decision about a course of treatment?
Remember, you are both in shock right now, and objective decisions are going to be impossible for you to make without guidance. I can tell you from first hand knowledge that I was pushed into rapid treatment options that were far to aggressive and, knowing what I now know, I would have made different decisions in my diagnosis phase.
Some suggestions:
1. Dr. Deanna Attai hosts the Breast Cancer Survival Guide Video & eBook here and reviewing both of these up through the Diagnosis chapter will, at the very least, validate what you have been told or present other options. Both include the National Cancer Inst. (NCI) "what you need to know" and "critical questions to ask your doctors" to make informed empowered decisions at each phase of the journey. This is the link to the product page, I'm happy to Gift it into your account or give you a code to get it now, your choice, take a look at the Trailer and decide - http://www.mybridge4life.com/content/breast-cancer-survival-guide
2. Get a 2nd opinion on the pathology from a 2nd lab, AND get a second opinion from another provider (at least one), and then make your first treatment decision / if your initial provider is threatened by a 2nd opinion, they are the wrong provider
3. Gather ALL of your imaging, pathology, etc., and call NCI's 1-800 # and review at ALL with a federal cancer information specialist (its free and your tax dollars pay for this) and ask them to review the various outcomes for like diagnosis' and offer an opinion about which treatment options have yielded the highest 5, 10, 20, year remissions based on NCI studies. Again, this will validate your choices, hopefully, or let you know other treatment options should be considered.
Call me if you want.
Sending LOVE and LIGHT to you BOTH...
Wish I could give you a giant hug!!!
m