[Jedrik]

Very interesting topic, thanks all for contributing.
It's a bit different in germany: Most of us spend three days in hospital during staging and while sentinel nodes are removed. Those days include a visit from a social worker, sorting out help and claim forms, and a psychooncologist, assessing psychological needs and getting the women on track for treatment if needed. Both are available again when in hospital after surgery after chemo and between that you may call them when in need. I know of a woman who even got accompagnied to chemo because she was too afraid to face it alone the first time.
It's not their job to really work with you on the things that get you down, though. For this you get a list of local specialists, the services of most of them covered by health insurance. But how many frogs do you need to kiss until you got the one you get along with? Right now I find myself in a place where I even dread to try because it's all a bit much anyway.