getting the best care

Hello , sorry you find yourself. here you are still in shock !

just because your local hospital has a poor CQC report , does not mean they are poor at cancer treatment …….have you met an oncologist yet ? a lot of coping with cancer is to do with  trusting the care team . If you really don`t think they are giving you good treatment , you could ask for a second opinion.

Cancer guidelines are quite strict , each hospital has its own regimes for some reason , but you can ask questions .  They should explain to you why you are having certain treatments and why

I had your type of cancer too , I am still here  alive and kicking 5 years later , cancer is very treatable , you are in for a long ride , but there are lots of us who have done it !! You will be drip fed information as results  of blood tests , scans etc come in ……...try not to terrify yourself , you can`t change anything by worrying . look at the threads on this site and keep away from google

best wishes and happy new Year …...xx

Hello far as I know you can ask always for second opinion or to be referred to another hospital.Thats what I am going to do to ask to be referred to another hospital.I don't think the doctors looking after me  properly they didn't offer me any other treatment options except Chemo and genuinely lacking caring attitude.This hospital doesn't do any research so I want go somewhere where give me more choices.

Good luck

I'd say to look at all the hospitals that you would consider in a realistic travel distance from home and then check how they rate for cancer care and meeting treatment targets. I live in London where there is lot's of choice, and was warned about waiting times at the Royal Marsden by the nurse at my screening centre (so I could choose from a number of hospitals. I chose UCH as I know that it's good, but after checking that evening I discovered that it wasn't meeting its treatment time targets due to sheer numbers so switched to another hospital in the trust (and ended up with a surgeon and oncologist who also work at UCH!) Take a look at this https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-41483322 then look at reviews on the ones you are interested in.

Hi

You can choose where to go for your care, I moved hospital after a mis-diagnosis last year & a treatment plan that I felt had been reached in haste - I had no confidence in the team. Moving was not difficult, good luck.

Debs 

Horgot to say that you can choose where you are treated under NHS rules, but you''l have lots of trips to hospital in the coming months, often more than once a week and daily if you have radiotherapy later, so consider the journey too..

Dearest ,  I am sorry you find yourself here, a place where none of us wanted to be.  

Take a deep breath now and relax a little.  I was like you, as many of us where when we started out on this journey.  You will be in shock, dismayed and a million other words and feelings, angry, unsure and scared.

Joining this group was the best thing that happened to me, I went from feeling my life was over to ... okay, there is a way with this and there is.  Most of us refer to it like a 'roller coaster' ride, the ride you didn't want to go on but someone got you a ticket and pushed you in the queue regardless.

I think you first need to find out 'roughly what your diagnosis is' ... one lump, two lumps etc, approx sizes and the suggested treatment at the hospital you are at - then go from there.

Each of our journeys are different and we should all be offered the full range of treatments available as a matter choice, but this is not always the way - so doing your own research via the lovely ladies and gents in this group is a mind of information - from the very people going thought or have gone through treatment.

I stepped outside the box for my treatment, I had one 'lump' and went from having a therapeutic mammoplasty to a 'lumpectomy with combined radiotherapy - IORT , radiotherapy given at the same time as the operation to remove the 'lump'.  This operation saved me weeks of daily visits for radiotherapy.  

All treatments are different, you might or might not fit the criteria for the operation I had, along side it is only offered at a few hospitals, the main thing is you know about it and can at least ask the question.

For now, you mind will be on overdrive with the added bonus that you won't really be taking anything in fully.  This is normal.  If you can, take a friend or relative with you to your appointment, make notes, write down any question you want to ask - you will get there and like Londonmumof2 has said, you do have choses of where you have treatment, once you fully know what you are dealing with then you can look at Consultants, your options, hospitals, chooses, etc (I think there is a scheme called the 'Choose and Book' or similar; where you can do as it says, via the NHS choose which hospital you want your treatment at).  

At a time like this many find they are guided by their own hospital, however, if you have worries or concerns, you do what feels right for you - make your own enquires, you will know when you feel comfortable.

In the meantime, try not to worry, says I, like all the others before me and those after me, far easier said than done.... but when you are the other side of treatment, you to will understand 'you will be okay, you will get through this' - for now you just have to sit the roller-coaster of a ride out.

Offering you big hugs - welcome about the Fruit Loop Train xxx

Thank you. I guess I just need to wait and find out a bit more. Good to be part of this forum and get so much support.

Hi Lionel, 

firstly bless your heart we all know how you are feeling as we have all been through it or are going through it. You will go through all sorts of emotions but as you get to know more about your cancer and treatments available you will start to absorb it and deal with it step by step. It becomes less frightening as time goes on and you of course will feel anxious about the treatments but once you start it starts to get a little easier as you know what to expect. It’s the not knowing and waiting on results that are the worst parts of this journey.

I too am 47 years old and a mum of a 4 year old daughter and i remember being so frightened like you and immediately thought I was not going to see my daughter grow up because I have cancer but your doctors will explain that BC is so treatable now days and unfortunately is so common too. Your kiddies will help focus you and get you through it. 

I didn’t go through the NHS for my roller coaster ride so I can’t offer advice re the best hospital on the NHS but I do agree with everyones comments as regardless of the different treatments people have endured at different hospitals we have all felt the same with our emotions when you are told that you have cancer and in a way become part of a family because everyone on here cares. Use this forum as it will really help you when you are having struggling days and we have all had those days where we want the ride to stop but it won’t.  

Sending you lots of hugs and love and strength. 

Netty xxxx

Hi, Just to re -assure you. I was a patient in a small country hospital linked to a larger one and I had great care from the small hospital and its nurses. I had a double masectomy in the . country hospital and was released the same day to avoid infections I suppose. My brother and his wife stayed for a couple of nights, but I was lucky and felt fine. After all you aren't "sick" with an operation. I completely understand your concern, but cancer sections are usually well run. My only comment and warning would be to urge you to keep on top of the follow up appointments and don't wait too long for them to call you in. Just ask ..and persist... for a definite date. I was told I would get an appointment after surgery, to start rdiotherapy within six weeks. I was almost glad when I didn't receive a quick appointment as it deferred things I was dreading, but after 9 weeks my son got worried and chased it up. There was a feeling of panic from the nurses who tried to call me in when i was travelling. It took another three weeks before I finally started radio therapy.  (Which turned out to be nothing to be afraid of)!. I was told I had the radiotherapy within "the window" but still worry. So ,please, make sure you get your follow up treatments  on time even if it means nagging and ,like me, i isn't in your nature to nag. lots of love. It will be o.k. 

Thank you so much for your kind reply. It is gradually becoming less dreadful. I spent at least a week feeling like I was about to die and, as you say, not see my children grow up. It was horrific.

Can I ask - did you go private and how did you find it?  I have an appointment with a consultant this week to discuss options.