Dumbest thing my doctors have said or done

One of the things my BS said from the beginning "If you were my mom I would . . . "  I finally stopped him and said, "I'm not your mom."  Fast forward a year or so later, at my most recent appointment with him, yes, he used the "my mom" thing again.  I hate that.  I guess it makes him feel better. 

LadyOD, I'm still sitting here thinking of the other lady's letter.

Anesthesiologist commenting that of course I wouldn't want to get nipple recon why go through surgery for something "only cosmetic."  Hmmm,,, think how important it is would truly be my decision thank you. 

Another Onc (not the one I usually see) "don't you think you could have worked through chemo if you had wanted to?  NO, a year out I'm still suffering SE's that are affecting my work and I'm worlds away from how sick I was then.  I couldn't get up the stairs back then, I sure as heck couldn't have worked. 

I couldn't stand the wig, gave it away unused to a wig bank at the cancer center.  One of my BS's stared at my head one day and asked if I knew I could get a wig.  

OMG cookiegal, where were you when I needed you then!  I sure wish I had said that, but, I didn't even think of it, can I blame that on chemobain?

My first appt with my BS I said I wanted an MRI. He said it wasn't needed and went on to say that the cancer I have has been growing for at least 8 years. I said I have been getting annual mammos for 15 years. He said people make mistakes. I again said I want an MRI. He said that they may read that wrong too. Nice!!! I asked how then am I to get any assurances that this is the only cancer and that I am doing the right things. He gave some philosphy about living each day to the fullest. Ugh.

 He called me the day after my MRI to let me know they found something in the other breast. Was very very nice and my biopsy is tomorrow.

Thank you Mary,

We can all use all the prayers we can get!

I am so grateful to this website. It moved me from being frozen in fear to educated and taught me to demand the MRI. Regardless of the outcome of the second biopsy, 'm pretty sure that I will also have a BMX. I wouldn't have known how to stand up for myself and make these hard decisions without all of the great knowledge and supportive people here.

As for the mammos missing the cancer, that does make me mad but it would have been there anyway and the treatment still would have been the same so I won't dwell on it . Just keeping my fingers crossed that it is treatable and curable and the rest doesn't matter.

Getting closer!

I told them at a mammo then ultrasound years ago exactly where it "hurt". "Oh, we don't ultrasound for pain" they said. Too bad. That's exactly where my tumour was found finally! Didn't show up on mammo as it was against my chest wall at 6 o'clock.

My surgeon didn't bother to send me to an onc. He said "Let's save the big guns until next time."

I was about to be put under for my re-excision to take away excess skin left behind from my double mast. I was telling the team in the OR how well I had been handling go breast-less. I had just said "I guess breasts aren't as important as I thought they were" as another team member walked in. "Oh breasts are VERY important he says!" There is a dead quiet in the OR as everyone looks at me. Just as I start to laugh they slap the mask over my face and I'm out.

Oh, oh, oh! !!! I have another one:

When I had had a biopsy on a lump on my right breast years ago, my doc was actually in the hospital himself, so someone else stepped in.

When I woke up in recovery I was VERY much in pain. I asked for meds, but the nurses said the surgeon didn't prescribe any. I told them to ask him. He wasn't available. Anyway, of course, my blood pressure wouldn't go down as I was in too much pain. They couldn't release me. I needed pain meds that I happened to have at home. They wouldn't let me go. Finally I signed myself out against their wishes and went home to my own meds.

I found out at the post surgical visit that the surgeon hadn't bothered freezing my breast! He said he didn't want to leave me a bruise! Are you friggin' kidding me! He saw my face and begged that I not tell anyone in the waiting room!

I have been experiencing pain in my left side with swelling for many months.  I have told both my BS and PS about it they just shrug and say its nerves regenerating.  At my last PS visit I explained to him that I feel like I have a blob on my upper back behind where my breast used to be when I sit or lie back. He never even looked at my back just the side.  He offered to liposuction it for me.  Turns out I have truncal LE!  I am so glad I didn't let him liposuction my LE.  Idiot!

Last year I went to my family doctor with a swelled spot behind my thumb and asked her if it was LE. She said 'it can't be LE, it doesn't involve your whole arm and you only had 3 nodes removed from that side' I insisted on a referal to the LE clinic and the therapist did say it was definately LE but it was caught early. We are working to keep it confined to my hand and not up the arm. Although I did worry the LE therapist since the LE is on my smaller arm, the overall measurements were smaller than the other arm but he could see visible swelling in the hand.

Sheila

Here's one for you.  My OC was encouraging me to join a support group for my depression.  I told her I wasn't ready for that just yet.  She said, "Well you need to take advantage of all of the perks breast cancer offers!"  

I usually am pretty quick with comebacks but in that particular situation I was so shocked I couldn't say a word.  That might have been because I was having an internal conversation with myself -- "Don't snatch her hair out!  Don"t snatch her hair out!"

-- Ann 

After being told that I needed a mastectomy for extensive, multifocal DCIS, I went for a 2nd opinion from a BS at a highly ranked hospital.  The nurse seemed inpatient with my shock & grief.  She said, "It's only an appendage."  I just looked at her.  (well, thank you very much but don't most folks prefer to keep their appendages, arms, legs, and breasts too).  She had meant it as a "comfort", at least i wasn't losing a vital organ,  but Please.  And she works in a Breast Center.

In addition to BC, I have a gene that causes colon cancer (80% chance)  I refuse to sign the consent form that allows them to release any genetic testing information.  One dr questioned it and I told him I was concerned it would be used to deny me things like long term care insurance.  He replied ": You won't need LONG term care insurance!"

Whoa, Ann - the "perks" of bc???!!! Yeah, like we get the survivor bags at the Race for the Cure!!! And TWO t-shirts! Lucky, lucky us!



jteach: The comment by the LE specialist would have left me speechless, but thinking of all sorts of good comebacks afterwards. I can relate - I also had 2 lumpectomies and node removal before the mastectomy.



And lbrewer - Like Jo, I think that's the worst thing I've read that was said by a medical professional. I'm sending you every wish in the world to make this jacka** eat his words!

I am not even to that stage in treatment yet and am already getting that vibe like I am some female Oliver Twist. " Please Sir...May I have some more?" What is that? We understand that things are never going to be the same more than anyone. They don't need to lecture us about it every time we ask an informed question. We are allowed to know what is going to happen to our own bodies! Sheesh!

I am so sorry there are so many arrogant doctors out there and that we seem to be magnets for them.

My MRI guided biopsy was fine yesterday and they volunteered that it looks benign. (Yay). They also agreed that they would also choose BMX in my situation. So that makes me feel better - aside from the meltdown I had over it yesterday. I swear agonising over it has to be worse than doing it. I am ready to be done with this horrible chapter.

It comes across that you have no say and no rights because you have CANCER and should be grateful for what you are given.  Makes me really mad!