Communication with Medical Team

Thanks for responding.  It is hard enough dealing with the roller coaster that is breast cancer.  Having to make sure your doctors are communicating with each other adds another level of "fun" to the mix.

I am so sorry that you felt alone during this process and that the nurse navigator has been less than helpful.  We have a breast cancer resource center that assigns patient navigators to newly diagnosed patients.  But they weren't very helpful to me or to my girlfriend recently diagnosed. 

I am fortunate that I have an amazing medical team that talk to each other on a regular basis via email and phone calls.  I found a lump under my arm that turned out to be fluid encapsulated by scar tissue where my lymph node biopsy was done.  I asked my plastic surgeon if he thought it was anything to worry about and he advised me to visit with my surgeon.  When I called my surgeon to schedule the appointment, they already knew about the lump.  So did my oncologist.   This is typical of my team.

I honestly thought that my current experience was the new norm and that doctors were finally getting it right in communicating with each other.  But in reading other blogs and speaking with other survivors, I may be wrong.

Momine -

I am so sorry you've had communication issues.  I wish I could clone my team and send them to every breast cancer patient!!

I learned years ago (with the thyroid cancer and no communication) that we have to be aggressive about our health care.  How do we get the word out to the medical community that the communication with the patient and with each other is key?  And assistance in coordinating with the doctors, hospitals, imaging centers, etc is huge in taking a lot of the worry and stress from the patient.  After all, studies show that reducing stress is one way women can reduce the risk of recurrence.  What is more stressful than having to do all the coordination and communication yourself?

Thank you for the suggestions Brookside.