Canadians in British Columbia

Ladies in Vancouver,

I have another question. I will have 20 sessions of radiation. I created a thread to ask around how many sessions others have, sounds everybody has 20+, I am not sure if my radiation is too light? Or does it depend on the machine?

I know I worry too much stuff, but how can I spend the days not thinking of this?

cathy67 I know it's hard to stop over thinking stuff when you don't know exactly what will happen. There are a number of variables that have to get factored into the number of treatments....your RO will explain them if you ask. Things like the type of tumour, size, stage, number of nodes, location, and others that we may not think of. What I got for rads May not be what you get so don't compare yourself to others. When do you start radiation? Are you able to come to the lunch on Nov 23, it would be great to meet you!

Elderberry.... I am chuckling about your wig being nice and warm now that the weather has turned cold. Now is probably the only time of the year that it’s comfortable.

I have a table at the pottery sale this Saturday Nov 9 at Douglas Park Community Center in Vancouver 10-2. I’m shamelessly promoting this sale b/c 18 months ago I wouldn’t have thought it would be possible..and here I am. This pottery reflects a lot of who I have become and what I valueas I navigate living with Mets. Feel free to come by and say hi.

Be well,

runor - Yup, as far as I know, the imaging place will not book it without an order so each time the doctor has to send it in.

are you still under the care of the MO /cancer agency? I got discharged back to my family doctor and she's in charge of ordering my diagnostic mammos & any other follow up. If she has any concerns, she's to request the MO /cancer agency involvement back again asap but otherwise she'll take care of it all. I'm supposed to see her in person every 6 months for a physical exam as well.

generally speaking - as a student nurse & seeing things from the other side - I'd say the patients have to keep an eye on the calendar. I think for all of us it might be a good idea to find out from the booking clerk at the facility you go to how far in advance they book diagnostic mammos (I think they're not all the same - some might book 6 mos in advance, some only 3). Once you know how far in advance they book, make sure to either see or call your doctor that far ahead of when you should be getting it, and remind them to send the requisition.

Moth, you are correct. That seems crazy to me. Automatic call backs should be generated somewhere in a system and not dependent on a doctor remembering to request an annual mammogram. It's too easily lost in the paper shuffle.

I was going to get all in a flap over waiting anotehr three months or so to get a mamm but as someone else said, if the cancer is back, i'ts not like getting a mamm NOW is going to change anything. So I wait.

BCCA guidelines for follow up care and surveillance include a physical exam by your PCP every 6mo for 5 years and annually thereafter, plus an annual diagnostic mammogram. I lived in Toronto when I received my tx in 2015. In Ontario MOs conduct patient follow up annually for 5 years, after which you are discharged back to your PCP. BC's healthcare system is overburdened, just like Ontario's. My exposure to BC's healthcaresystem has been primarily as an advocate for my father-in-law, since moving here a couple of years ago. Both systems are overburdened, but I do believe it is possible to receive truly excellent care, provided you advocate for yourself or have someone else do so on your behalf. Should that be necessary? No, but that's the reality.

Diagnostic mammos need a requisition to identify the areas of concern, including new issues, if there any. runor, if you don't trust your doc's admin to follow through in a timely manner when you request the requisition, you may want to consider booking your follow up appt with your doc, requesting the diagnostic mammo at your appt and then following up after your mammogram for the results. Sure, she'll say no communication means no issues, so don't call, but patients fall through the cracks often enough. Book a follow up appt if necessary for the results for peace of mind, if she won't give you the results over the phone. Ideally you could phone and request the mammo x weeks/months before your appt and get the results at your 6 month appt, but that requires an efficient and helpful admin/receptionist.

BCCA guideline info:

http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/books/breast/follow-up/detecting-recurrences

http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/family-oncology-network-site/Documents/4)%20Baxter,%20S.%20Follow-up%20Care%20of%20Breast%20Cancer%20Patients.pdf

Great news, runor! Unfortunately, it's just a job for many people in the system and they lack empathy for the stress and mental anguish caused by waiting. It sounds like a combination of events - your doctor slipped up and the Rush requisition was finally received or potentially even tracked down if it had been misplaced within the BCCA, you followed up and hence the call. Best wishes for uneventful results.

Pots: I will apologize publicly for not coming by and seeing you.Shame on me. I got hung up on my own crafty stuff. I am repurposing a completely bashed up, trashed circa 1940's, made in England cardboard suitcase I found at one of those "treasures" places. It is small and my DH said it reminded him of the one he had when he started at boarding school as a little boy. I hope the craft sale went well and you made some sales.

runor: it always pays to raise a little Hell.

Cathy67: good news on no chemo!

Keep on truckin' Ladies!

Pots: Be authentic! Be a ceramic artist. As a cocktail napkin I once had said "Be yourself. Everyone else is taken"

Welcome Mk1118, I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnosis at such a young age. I can't recommend my oncologist since his bedside manner is not great. Might be the same person. Inititals S.C. Hopefully someone will come along soon with good recommendations. I have heard good reviews of some here but can't remember the names.

Callanish (w. 10th near Vine) is a great place for support and they have a young adult support group for people up to age 45 (I think). They are amazing. They are away at retreat right now until the weekend but here is their website in case you think you might like to talk to them.

https://www.callanish.org/

This site is really helpful too. I hope you can come back and that someone has some ideas for getting a new oncologist. I think bedside manner is really important.

Elderberry, thanks!

The greatest encouragement is always from patients or their family members.

wrenn,

I know we can change our MO, but at the same time, we cannot see two MOs for different opinions. I use oncotype test as second opinion for chemo decision, and fortunately my RO gave me his opinion based on the score, so I got two Dr's opinions.

Mk1118,

Before my first appointment at BC cancer agency, I went for appointment with counselor, cause I already felt pressure from cancer treatment, thanks God my daughter is already 14 years, so she can take bus for her daily activities, and I have friend to help if she needs ride in the evening.

I told counselor some hardships I met, fortunately husband and daughter so far so good. Counselor said, cancer treatment is no. 1 for us, put our other roles aside, mum, wife, daughter,... but be patient at first. If you do think that MO is good, you shall go, and you can hire someone or find someone to help care your two kids.

My MO is so far so good, but hard to meet, it takes more than two weeks to see MO after getting oncotype score, and front desk cannot tell me score in the phone, and my RO also said, he can not tell me the score, but he said his opinion, thanks my RO, he did what he can in this system.

Best wishes to you! Take care yourself. We always care other family members, but we also have the need to be cared.

I recall someone here mentioning Christine Simmons being a good onc and I hope they see this thread. I had the same onc MK1118 sees and he really is cold. If I have a recurrence I am not sure I will see him again.

Cancer is a nightmare and wouldn't it be nice to have compassion shown by our medical team.

So sorry for all of you dealing with more advanced stages.

FYI, Dr Simmons is on sabbatical until February.

Hi ladies,

I went to BC Cancer Agency radiation department for therapy setup yesterday, and they game three pages information. For the moisturizer, they recommend water-based product, which means the first item in the ingredient list is water. I checked my moisturizers, all of them start from aqua in the ingredient list, does that mean I can use either of them, for example, the aloe vera lotion from vaseline that I bought in costco?