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Re: My Scan Results for followup of Renal Cell Carcinoma
Kidney Cancer | Last Active: Feb 15, 2021 | Replies (37)Comment receiving replies
Ginger, thank you for your reply. I am trying not to let my stress get the best of me. I do become anxious when something new crops up concerning my health. I have never been this way before. Now that I have a “cancer diagnosis” I am stressed out about my health! That is a normal response! My cancer center wants to have me see a psychiatrist for medication to help with my anxiety. Also, they feel I need “coping skills”. I am debating whether to take them up on their offer. I have an appointment with the oncologist this coming week. I will let him know what my expectations are as a patient . I will be reasonable of course. I will have an ultrasound to check out my liver lesion. No one seems to be too impressed with it. My doctors nurse told me I am more “anxious” than the average patient. I am being “labeled”. I realize there are many patients and I am under “surveillance” but they still need to meet my “needs”. I am the “client”. No one really explained the ground rules to me! I don’t intend to sit around and wait for other people to respond! I will aggressively advocate for myself and in so doing I figure it will help other patients. I have “rights” as a patient. I will be writing a carefully worded letter to the cancer centers “administrator”. My care hasn’t been all bad. I will give credit where it is do. I just feel better response time after scans is needed for all Surveillance patients! I will never wait a week for results! I found out my results were available 2 days after they were done. Thanks to Colleen I now know what a “lucent lesion” is. I learn something new all the time! Thanks again Ginger for sharing your thoughts it really helps me put things in perspective! 😊
Replies to "Ginger, thank you for your reply. I am trying not to let my stress get the..."
@azkidney57 I have learned more and more that we do need to advocate for ourselves.
When I first was diagnosed with cirrhosis it was suggested that I see a therapist. After two or three sessions we both agreed that I didn’t need that.
Oddly I rarely stress about medical issues! I am stressed about having osteoporosis since I know what great risk I am at, particularly in winter with icy sidewalks and parking lots. The fracture I had in July really made me cautious.
Good luck with your letter, I think that is something more of us should do when dissatisfied. I hope it will get their attention and lead to better future communications.
JK
@azkidney57 I just read your message again and the part about possibly going to a psychiatrist struck me more this time. I have a niece who had triple-negative breast cancer, two years ago when she was 40. She did see a therapist as did my sister, my sister of course was very distraught about it. They both found it very helpful. My niece has been declared cancer-free but of course she will always worry. When it gets her very down she has that relationship with her therapist in place and she can see her for an appointment to help alleviate her stress.
It's certainly worth a try, and if like me you find it is not helping you can stop, or like my niece and many others you might find it very helpful.
JK
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@azkidney57 I think as you write your letter, you may find your stress level decreasing. I found that to be true for me, anyway. Sometimes patients receive less-than-ideal treatment by medical professionals. I am like you, and will not let it lie. Having dealt with chronic illness since 1988 I know when it's time to make my thoughts known. You're right, it does make a difference not only to me but for others. My scan/biopsy/test results are reviewed by a dr before they are released to me, even on the patient portal, so that may be why you don't get results right away. I recall my oncologist telling me "I don't want you searching the internet for information unless it is about the right diagnosis, so I am not going to say much right now". Which totally made sense to me, to not get too anxious. Does that make sense to you, too? Your nurse is labeling you, not the cancer center or your dr. You have a right to information. They need to realize that patients process information differently, and some want more information that others. Be gentle on yourself, and know we are right here for you!
Ginger