@togerm, You certainly aren't required to take anyone with you to your appointment. Some patients find that having someone along can be helpful. Other patients find that they navigate best on their own, and that works too.
Early in the diagnosis process, I had someone with me. I was overwhelmed and didn't retain everything that I was being told, or I interpreted something differently than my partner, so we knew that we needed to follow up for clarification. Now that my cancer is stable, I go to my appointments by myself.