Yuyu's Cancer Diary
August 19, 2008
| So many unknown... | Views: 515 |
So, here I am, a week after the diagnosis, my shock is starting to wear off, and I am starting to face the issue.
Last few days have been so frustrating for me. To be honest, I am not very comfortable with my surgeon. He seems like an energetic and charismatic doctor, but I feel like he is not really understanding me. I don’t know how to explain it better, but I feel like he is just giving me a cockie-cutter solution, double masectomy for everyone.
When he diagnosed me, he said he does not know how big the tumor is or how bad the cancer is until he does surgery. But, isn’t there someway to have more information than saying he will not know until he opens up? For exmaple, MRI, another biopsy, etc. I just don’t feel comfortable with deciding to have double masectomy without knowing how bad it is.
I am not saying I am special or my case is special, anything like that. But, I have always had a gut feeling that it could be Inflamatory Breast Cancer ever since I started to have symptoms. I shared my concern when I saw him last week. He just said “it is possible you may have IBC” but was not willing to do anything to find out other than performing a surgery. I also told him that I feel very tired, feel feverish (although no actual fever), weak urine, etc, and asked him if it is possible these symptoms are related to my cancer and the signs of cancer sperading to other organs. He just brushed it off saying “maybe it is just anxiety”.
Also, be being 34 and single, I wish my surgeon would understand my concern of what it means to lose both of my boobs. I hoped that he would go extra miles to find out a little more about how progressed my cancer is before asking me to make a decision.
So here I am, I am trying to get a second opinion, but I had no idea how hard it is just to get a second opinion…
Stacey 
Thanks for your support -
Dear YuYu; Glad to see you making tracks on a 2nd opinion. Is there any way that your own Dr. could refer you to an Oncologist right away to get the issue of chemo first then surgery? Or script for an MRI?, that might save you time. I am afraid that you might be wasting precious time here waiting for the 2nd opinion, although probably needed. If you are not feeling very well, I would use that call right now to your own family Dr. and explain your angst on what has transpired and plead for an MRI ASAP. It might fill in the gaps more clearly. What is the standard procedure for Inflamatory Breast Cancer? Does the web have anything on that? Never heard of such a thing. No matter what you do it is your choice but I think you need some more guidance here. I hope you have a family Dr. who can help you with this one. I pray that you find some answers as you seem so well grounded, but need emotional support and clear medical options. Thank you for keeping us up to date on your situation. Weezie
YuYu
Always trust your gut feeling it will not let you down. Surgeon’s love to cut I found it was best to see an Oncologist he tested me to see what kind of breast cancer I had and it the mastectomy would be best it turned out not so for me my breast cancer is estrogen based and taking the breast off would not make a difference. I am still battling the cancer it has been 4 years now but doing well and treat it like a chronic disease. Good luck and remember you know your body the best..
Cheryl