Hello Caroline,
Yes, even what you think might be the “easy” bits are filled with challenges. However, the challenges you seemed to have faced at your Planning Meeting seem to have been due to medical staff “emotional intelligence” failures. I always say how grateful I am for the medical treatments available to me but not always enamoured by the way they are delivered.
Based on your experiences, the staff you saw seem to need a refresher course to remind them that they are dealing with people and emotions and not just bodies.
How absolutely ridiculous that you could be left feeling useless about breathing. By the way, in the long run, belly breathing is a good technique for life - as any yoga lover will tell you. Also good for people with breathing difficulties apparently.
Just like people can learn to belly breathe, I am sure you can learn to chest breathe. Did they not give you any specific guidance? If not, then they should have done. So get back in touch with whoever is co-ordinating your treatment and let them know your situation and that you need help.
You are so young, do everything you can to protect your heart. If you are having radio, then you should be under a Clinical Oncologist and you can arrange to meet with them if necessary to discuss. Some people with breathing problems can’t hold their breath for the time required yet they can try other methods to protect the heart when radiotherapy is required on the left side.
On the other matter of “feeling” exposed. I do not give a flying f when people say things like “they’ve seen it all before”, “they’ve seen worse”, “they are use to being clinical” and all that. I think the point is being missed. …It is not about bleeding them!!
These highly trained professionals are supposed to uphold patient’s dignity and respect. They failed to do that in your case (and no doubt other people’s). By introducing another colleague of whatever gender without warning or explanation or protecting your modesty if it was not necessary to be exposed, shows neither respect nor dignity to you.
Not everyone can feel able to say at the time. However, you can make complaint/give feedback with constructive suggestion on how the Service could be improved. This could also help others.
By the way at my Planning Meeting, I was lying “exposed”, when I looked up and noticed 2 men through the glass screen. I recognised one as the Clinical Oncologist I had met before. I checked at the time, and found out that they had no specific need or purpose to be there regarding my treatment. I also fed back my experience to the relevant Trust and also described it as seeming rather “pervy”. Like I said, it’s about us not about them.
I hope you manage to resolve the breathing issue and wish you all the very best with your treatment.
Best Wishes,
Chick ? X