Diagnosis

[FAYLB]

Hi my name is Fay. In October last year I was diagnosed with uterine cancer stage one and was operated on recently. I was diagnosed in one hospital & operated on at another hospital. I feel that this is causing a great deal of confusion for me. I was told by the first specialist that I had uterine cancer stage one and also had three other spots on my lung spleen and adrenal gland.  At the second hospital where I had my surgery I was checked upon by telephone, I asked the doctor about my 3 other spots & was told that they were just scars & was told that I probably got the lung spot from a pneumonia or bronchial illness. I had to see my GP this week for something else & was told by her that I do have 3 other spots & not actually scars. Very upsetting because I am being told one thing from one doctor at one hospital & then another at a different hospital in a different department another story & then a different story by my GP.

I didn't even get to meet my surgeon before my operating date, only on day of surgery and all followup appointments were done by telephone. In a time when you need reassurance is this what Medicare is now no personal preappointments & followups done over the phone. Especially when you are on your own.

[Ridgy]

Hi Fay, I think this is the new way forward in communication as I had a similar experience. I was told I had cancer over the phone. I have to co-ordinate all my appointments as GPs don't nor do oncologists. Like you it seems treatment is wait and see post-surgery. I've had enlarged lymph nodes that they say are reactive to the scan. It seems there are so many people with cancer you're lucky to get any kind of support, follow-up that you haven't instigated yourself. Don't let this upset you, just be your own health advocate and read up as much as you can on your cancer, pull questions together, demand appointments with specialists via your GP and find a support group for your cancer! Call the Cancer Council for info and ask them to enrol you in the Enrich program. Big hugs, we can get through this, or live with this, we have to!