I received an unexpected diagnosis in August. I had a lumpectomy and sentinal node removal in September. No further surgery is required but the MDT have recommended chemo, radio and hormone therapies and am meeting oncologist next week to discuss my options.
Unfortunately I was assigned a nurse who is new to her role and does not seem to understand the importance of consistent communication and I have absolutely no confidence in her and have received nothing in the way fo information other than the very useful Macmillan "Understanding breast cancer in women" booklet.
I have a nursing background and have fortunately managed to access online information but when I came to giving serious thought to my treatment options earlier, I felt really low as all I was finding (unsurprisingly) were examples of women who had given up treatents or had terrible ordeals. I know the majority of people won't have had such negative experiences but I'm not able to access the good stories, only the horror ones. That's when I realised i would really like to be in touch with others in my situation. Family, friends and colleagues have been brilliant and I really thought I was coping well (and I am to a degree) but I think I would benefit from contact with other women in a similar situation.
Hi and welcome to the Online Community. I am so sorry to read about your BC journey and the challenges you have been dealing with but I do hope you will find the support available in the community helpful at this difficult and challenging time.
Talking with others who are walking the exact same type of cancer treatment path will help you navigate this unwanted journey.
The New to Community is like the Community Reception area and as there are many cancer types and experiences so likewise the Community has many dedicated support groups to connect into so can I recommend you start by joining our supportive Breast cancer group as this will be a good place for you to connect with other folks who may be on the same cancer treatment pathway.
Navigating the community will depend on the device you are using. To join a group just click on the green link above then scroll down and choose 'click to join' or 'join' on the page that opens.
You can then introduce yourself by putting up a post by clicking on ‘New Thread’ or ‘New here, say hello’ then hit the box with the X on the top right (phones).
You could just copy and paste the text from this your first post and you can also join in with existing ‘Discussions’ by clicking on 'reply'.
It’s always good to talk so do call the Macmillan Support Services on 0808 808 00 00 - most services are open 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week Clicking here to see what is available. This service provides lots of cancer information, emotional support, benefit and financial guidance or just a listening ear.
To find information covering diagnosis, treatments and pages covering most types of cancers check our Online Information and Support Section.
All the very best ((hugs))
