Please advise, about one month ago my daughter was diagnosed with multi focal breast cancer. This was after several visits to her GP who dismissed it as ‘going through hormonal changes’. They have given her a treatment plan which will consist of chemotherapy pumped into her heart. After chemo they’ve told her she will have a mastectomy. The only problem is they are delaying the beginning of the chemotherapy and my daughter is becoming more anxious with each passing day. She has a young daughter of 5 years old and it’s now starting to impact the child. Can anyone advise we feel totally helpless right now.
Hi, in my hospital I have been allocated a nurse (key worker) who will advise me on whatever problems I have. Hopefully your daughter will have someone who can reassure her. Wishing your family all the best.
I’m not sure where you’re based at but I can tell you that in the US oncologists here follow a study that concluded that “Waiting between 31 and 90 days to first treatment after diagnosis with breast cancer may be beneficial for doctors and patients who want a more extensive diagnostic plan and additional time to make decisions, according to the results of a new study. Importantly, this waiting period is not expected to compromise survival rates, according to the data.”
I don’t think any of us would be comfortable waiting 90 days and hopefully you’re daughter won’t have to wait that long but if she does studies don’t show that her long term health would be compromised. Sometimes a wait is even beneficial. More time to get your head around a diagnosis, get your support group established, maybe even change some of your lifestyle so that treatment is a little easier. And of course there is always that time may afford your doctors to make the best treatment decisions for your unique case as possible. It’ll be 40 days for me when I finally get surgery. Not happy about it but after talking to enough people on this site I realized it’s not unusual. I am so sorry you and your daughter are so stressed at the delay and we all get that I believe. But I don’t think her doctors would be delaying if they thought they were affected her chances of long term recovery. Many well wishes sent your way…
From one worried mum to another.I’ve just recently joined this forum and have just seen your post. I felt I had to say hello as my young daughter was diagnosed last year when our grandson was nine months old.
Her diagnosis is different but she has come through chemo,surgery,radiotherapy and now she and her whole family can see a light at the end of the tunnel.
I just wanted to share some words of encouragement.