I was just wondering how you all cope with waiting for results. I was diagnosed initially with grade 3 ductal carcinoma on the 15th March this year, having already waited around three weeks for the results of the mammogram & biospy. I had a lumpectomy & sentinal node biopsy on the 24th April and after seeing the consultant three weeks later, learnt it is stage 2 lobular carcinoma (which I have had previously). The tumour was bigger than expected and he didn’t get clear margins so I need further surgery, but prior to that he wanted to do a breast MRI. The wait for that was three weeks (I had the scan earlier this week) and the wait goes on for the results of that. Then I will have to wait to see the consultant again and then wait again for more surgery, before even thinking about possible chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I get that I’m not the only one waiting for surgery and there are folks far worse off than me, but how do you all cope with waiting for results? I get really low sometimes and frustrated at others because I just want to get on with the treatment. Please tell me I am not alone!
Hello! Waiting for results - aaagh, one of the absolutely awful tests we have to go through. I always say that we our head goes on a journey that one minute seems too fast, and we get bombarded with information - then we have to wait and it goes sooo slow - so we all have to find our ways of coping and staying sane? Lovely ladies will come here with much better ideas than myself, but I walk. A lot. I never learned to drive anyway, and being an older lady (64) I find that getting out of the house, going to the park, feeding the wildlife, meeting regular dog walkers and getting on first name terms with the dogs more than their owners, carrying on to a coffee shop, with a book, but often there’s someone to chat with . . . .
I just find that stepping out of the ‘house environment’ takes my head to a different space and place, and I love meeting people - I never talk about my health (BC anyway), just the usual aches and pains grumbles, but I learn so much about people.
In fact, I only recently discovered that an elderly neighbour down the road (he’s 98) is a D Day veteran, and he was kind enough to tell me and my son about some of it before he went off to Normandy this week.
So I recommend exploring, not even that far away, and seeing what’s outside of the waiting time? If any of that makes sense for you. Wish you all the best.
Hi
Oh gosh I know how tough this is. I had to wait 4 weeks for a PET scan then 3 weeks for results. I made myself ill. Constant diarrhea, couldn’t eat. Got very low and negative.
I went for counseling at the hospital which helped. Have you tried that route?
Try to stay positive and try to enjoy each day… But easy to say, I know.
Best wishes.