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europa · 10-13-2015, 08:28 AM

Hi there,

It's always scary when you get diagnosed. It can be numbing and it's easy to wait for someone to lead you. But I can tell you from personal experience that becoming "THAT" patient that nags and calls and pushes to get in sooner and persists pays off. If you are not getting anywhere with your current doctors, find ones that share the same sense of urgency that you do. If your hospital has a nurse navigator, find her/him and let them be your advocate. They can usually get things done and push the right buttons. My nurse navigator scheduled all my scans ( MRI and PET) within 24 hrs of being diagnosed. She also got me into surgery within 7 days (on the day the surgeon was leaving on vacation!). She made things happen. Don't sit and wait for others to do it...you have to take the reigns on this one and push your way through.
I am not a well liked person at my hospital. But I'm not there to be the most popular one. And because of it, they know not to dillydally with me.
Good luck!

10-13-2015, 08:28 AM	#2
europa Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 362	Re: How long is too long...Please help... Hi there, It's always scary when you get diagnosed. It can be numbing and it's easy to wait for someone to lead you. But I can tell you from personal experience that becoming "THAT" patient that nags and calls and pushes to get in sooner and persists pays off. If you are not getting anywhere with your current doctors, find ones that share the same sense of urgency that you do. If your hospital has a nurse navigator, find her/him and let them be your advocate. They can usually get things done and push the right buttons. My nurse navigator scheduled all my scans ( MRI and PET) within 24 hrs of being diagnosed. She also got me into surgery within 7 days (on the day the surgeon was leaving on vacation!). She made things happen. Don't sit and wait for others to do it...you have to take the reigns on this one and push your way through. I am not a well liked person at my hospital. But I'm not there to be the most popular one. And because of it, they know not to dillydally with me. Good luck! __________________ DX 10/2011 PET Scan + MRI 10/2011 Lumpectomy 11/11/11 Stage 2B +++ ER+(10%), PR+(5%), HER2+++(1 positive node, 1 micromets to second node) AC started 12/2011 ended 1/2012 Taxol + Herceptin weekly for 12 weeks ended 4/2012 30 zaps of radiation done 6/2012 Tamoxifen 6/2012 every 3 weeks of Herceptin for another year. Metformin Trial 8/12 10/12 MRI- CLEAR 01/13 BRAIN MRI- CLEAR! 01/13 Neck MRI- CLEAR! FINISHED HERCEPTIN 1/9/2013...Woot Woot Starting Walter Reed Vaccine Trial 2/13 CT Scans + ultrasound of abdomen CLEAR-5/13 02/2015 through 11/2015 emergency D&Cs for Tamoxifen induced uterine polyps which caused uncontrollable hemorrhaging 12/2015 blood clot to left leg caused by Tamoxifen. No longer taking it. On Xarelto, a blood thinner 12/2015 Ablation to prevent hemorrhaging from potential issues with Tamoxifen residue in my system 1/2016 continuing journey without hormonal therapy. Reevaluating the option of a hysterectomy and oopherectomy. 4/1/2018 2mm stroke. Yes, stroke! No cause ever found but they believe it was a migraine that went bonkers and created a tiny clot. No deficits. I was back to normal with 24hrs. Now on baby aspirin for life. 7/27/2018 hysterectomy and oopherectomy 01/07/2019 Mastectomy and expanders put in 3/22/2019 Vtach, almost died. Cause unknown. 7/22/2019 New perky boobs put in 7/21/2020 Off of all drugs but a baby aspirin because of the stroke in 2018. www.mychemobag.org www.facebook.com/mychemobag 8 YEARS NED