Hi all
After surgery ( lumpectomy and Sentinel node biopsy) 9 March I was given a discharge letter which stated that my follow up for the results and next stage treatment planning was 6 April ( up to now was told this would be a course of radiotherapy, no details on amount, frequency etc becauseof course what they find would affect this)
Having not heard anything I chased this up today and am now being told that I am unlikely to hear anything before 19 or 20 April, the nurse I spoke couldn’t tell me if my results were in or if this delay is that they aren’t or its because its Easter…
I just want to know if they got it, and I don’t think that unreasonable my life/ my husband’s life has been more or less put on hold since finding the lump back in January
We’ve already moved a booked and paid for holiday because of the surgery
I can’t plan for work events (i do training and development sessions and manage a team of 5) or personal life events (we’ ve got birthdays, family celebrations, music gigs booked /paid for and I like everyone am still catching up on these things post Covid19) and despite being a glass half full normally optimistic person I’m now finding this wait / delay extremely frustrating and its effecting my concentration and productivity at work
I know the NHS are stretched but should I read this as no news is good news or is this normal ?
Sorry for the whinge/ tone of my message but any positive vibes/ common sense to pass on gratefully received to help me cope with yet another wait… thanks
Yep , they really don’t understand how delay of getting these results impacts on you mentally and physically do they ? Life just goes on hold after the initial relief of having the op over and done with, then it’s almost like you are living in a parallel universe to everyone else where nothing can be planned , you have no idea what happens next in your life until you get the dreaded results - I remember it well even though it’s 8 years ago now for me .I’d make a nuisance of myself I think if I were you and keep on hassling them until at the very least you get a straight answer about the delay . I feel for you , I understand how the waiting feels it’s horrible x
I feel your pain, waiting is another thing that we have to deal with and like you I found it difficult. On the upside they have given you a timescale.
Soon enough that day will come when you are set free and oh what a feeling that is. In the meantime be kind to yourself, have some fun and deal with the now, don’t waste your day’s waiting around.
Have yourself a fabulously happy easter and celebrate you having accomplished another massive hurdle in the journey back to being you.
Xxx
That sounds like an unjustified delay, perhaps I was just lucky but I had my follow up appointment within 3 weeks.
Personally I’d ring my breast care nurse and ask why the wait is so long, it might be perfectly justified, which might make it a little easier to cope with. Alternatively you might feel there’s no justification, in which case are you the sort of person who would be happy letting the nurse know, very politely of course, that you don’t feel it’s acceptable, and ask her if she can do anything to unblock whatever the blockage is?