I wish I didn't have to deal with this. I was hoping to be all giddy about finishing treatment.
The Tamoxifen is sitting in my cabinet, waiting for me to start it... I just got it today. I can only get it one month at a time but I don't have to pay for it! Thank you French gov't.
Meanwhile, I had to go to the GP's because of my paperwork. Sorry but I'm not long on this system and haven't figured it all out yet, especially with a Big Event like this.
When I went to pay for my rads, after the last session, oh you haven't filled out the X paper... your GP is supposed to blah, blah...
I called her and she said brightly "I did that ages ago and I was wondering when you'd come by to pick the form up!" Ugh! Perhaps, you noticed, I have an accent and was born abroad? Maybe I hadn't figured it out yet??
I called the rads center and the secretary was legitimately surprised that I called her. "Just wanted to let you know that I have it. Do you want me to come by or can I wait till my apt. on the 6th?" She thanked me in a stunned voice, and assured me that I could wait till the 6th.
I also like to apologize to French people (when merited). That kind of shocks them. I'm sure they go home and tell their spouses but leave that for now...
I sat down and talked to her. She was surprised. "Once a year? No MRI's??" But then she had to tow the line. He's a specialist, I'm a generalist. Dr. N. is a specialist too but NOT in Breast Cancer. Only Dr. G. has the authority. Perhaps this is the protocol for your specific kind of cancer. I can't know it.
My sister who had never had breast cancer is being followed with MRI's. Can't I, who have actually had the disease, at least get as much??
She had to agree. She was between a rock and a hard place. She urged me to talk to Dr. G., make my case. Plead mental sanity or whatever. "Everyone comes to me and explains everything and they don't bother to talk to their specialists! They're the experts on their conditions..."
Fair enough BUT Dr. G. is not exactly question-friendly. He considering questions, questioning HIM, I told her. Some of my questions, he finds outright odd, like asking him what the percentages were on my two hormone receptors. They were both 100% and as an example, that's obvious that I'm a good Tamoxifen candidate.
She did go off about that. There can be side effects but please don't go off of the meds because of this. I told her, very seriously, that I know this drug is definitely the way for me to go. I've been reading up on it. Success with antidepressants. I'd try that first before going off of Tamoxifen. In desperation, I can be switched to an AI since I'm close to menopause (the drug that they give post-menopausal women).
I also heard that taking vitamin D helps with side effects. "But I didn't confirm it..." I added, as she wrote out the Rx as we were still speaking. "Can't hurt! Everyone seems to need Vitamin D..."
I'm calling my gyn. Fine but again, she's not a breast cancer specialist. I promised to not talk to Dr. N. under any circumstances! I'm not out to pit him against Dr. G. I have to play this right...
I honestly didn't know that Dr. G. would be the one doing my after-care. I assumed that it would be my gynecologist. No oncologist was ever involved, except for one I never met on the tumor board so no one else to consult.
My case was so straightforward that there was never a debate. I clearly didn't need chemo, and for that I'm very, very grateful but it did kind of put me in a Second-Class cancer patient category, taken off the shelf and dusted once a year, with only mammos and ultrasounds, nary an MRI in sight.
Can I change? Dumb to even ask that...
Yes, if worse comes to worse and I absolutely can't get the MRI done any other way, she can order it. She stressed that it was a last-ditch measure, only to keep me from going MRI-less crazy. She really wants me to talk to Dr. G.
I still love Dr. G. He took good care of me. He's nice. I think he really thinks he's doing his best for me. I just want my MRI's!!!!
The Tamoxifen is sitting in my cabinet, waiting for me to start it... I just got it today. I can only get it one month at a time but I don't have to pay for it! Thank you French gov't.
Meanwhile, I had to go to the GP's because of my paperwork. Sorry but I'm not long on this system and haven't figured it all out yet, especially with a Big Event like this.
When I went to pay for my rads, after the last session, oh you haven't filled out the X paper... your GP is supposed to blah, blah...
I called her and she said brightly "I did that ages ago and I was wondering when you'd come by to pick the form up!" Ugh! Perhaps, you noticed, I have an accent and was born abroad? Maybe I hadn't figured it out yet??
I called the rads center and the secretary was legitimately surprised that I called her. "Just wanted to let you know that I have it. Do you want me to come by or can I wait till my apt. on the 6th?" She thanked me in a stunned voice, and assured me that I could wait till the 6th.
I also like to apologize to French people (when merited). That kind of shocks them. I'm sure they go home and tell their spouses but leave that for now...
I sat down and talked to her. She was surprised. "Once a year? No MRI's??" But then she had to tow the line. He's a specialist, I'm a generalist. Dr. N. is a specialist too but NOT in Breast Cancer. Only Dr. G. has the authority. Perhaps this is the protocol for your specific kind of cancer. I can't know it.
My sister who had never had breast cancer is being followed with MRI's. Can't I, who have actually had the disease, at least get as much??
She had to agree. She was between a rock and a hard place. She urged me to talk to Dr. G., make my case. Plead mental sanity or whatever. "Everyone comes to me and explains everything and they don't bother to talk to their specialists! They're the experts on their conditions..."
Fair enough BUT Dr. G. is not exactly question-friendly. He considering questions, questioning HIM, I told her. Some of my questions, he finds outright odd, like asking him what the percentages were on my two hormone receptors. They were both 100% and as an example, that's obvious that I'm a good Tamoxifen candidate.
She did go off about that. There can be side effects but please don't go off of the meds because of this. I told her, very seriously, that I know this drug is definitely the way for me to go. I've been reading up on it. Success with antidepressants. I'd try that first before going off of Tamoxifen. In desperation, I can be switched to an AI since I'm close to menopause (the drug that they give post-menopausal women).
I also heard that taking vitamin D helps with side effects. "But I didn't confirm it..." I added, as she wrote out the Rx as we were still speaking. "Can't hurt! Everyone seems to need Vitamin D..."
I'm calling my gyn. Fine but again, she's not a breast cancer specialist. I promised to not talk to Dr. N. under any circumstances! I'm not out to pit him against Dr. G. I have to play this right...
I honestly didn't know that Dr. G. would be the one doing my after-care. I assumed that it would be my gynecologist. No oncologist was ever involved, except for one I never met on the tumor board so no one else to consult.
My case was so straightforward that there was never a debate. I clearly didn't need chemo, and for that I'm very, very grateful but it did kind of put me in a Second-Class cancer patient category, taken off the shelf and dusted once a year, with only mammos and ultrasounds, nary an MRI in sight.
Can I change? Dumb to even ask that...
Yes, if worse comes to worse and I absolutely can't get the MRI done any other way, she can order it. She stressed that it was a last-ditch measure, only to keep me from going MRI-less crazy. She really wants me to talk to Dr. G.
I still love Dr. G. He took good care of me. He's nice. I think he really thinks he's doing his best for me. I just want my MRI's!!!!
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