Don't know what to do

Well, it could be that the doctor is covering his tracks. You control what course of action to take...good luck.

Just go and see what doc says. You are never too old to take care of yourself. It could avoid problems and pain down the road.

Good morning, @neworleanslady1949. You recently had your primary doctor suggest you visit a hematology oncologist (blood specialist) and you’re wondering why you should do this because “you’re too old to start all that”. Well, gosh, my first thought is, you don’t even know what “all that” is!

Your physician apparently has seen a change in your blood results that raised a red flag and feels you need to be seen.
There can be a number of reasons to see a blood specialist, not all of them are cancer situations. There are blood conditions which can develop very slowly over time which need to be evaluated. Some don’t even require treatment.

As for being too old at 70+. I’m right there with you, being a woman of age. I had a very serious blood cancer and I’m now in remission and feeling amazing. I’m still alive to spend time with family and friends, enjoying my hobbies, spending time in nature… There’s so much to live for!

I’d really encourage you to get that appointment with the oncologist to see what all the hubbub is about and face it head on. I’m thinking you have a lot to live for too.

Was your questionable blood work found during a routine physical?

As @mikaylar and @loribmt mentioned, why not find out what your doctor is noticing? The ball is in your court how far you want to pursue what has been noticed. Perhaps you have other medical issues being addressed, and together everything can be overwhelming. I certainly "get it". And sometimes the thought of something new or unknown is pretty danged scary, I get that, also!

Take a few minutes to sit with some paper and pen, write out what your fears are, why you feel hesitant to pursue an answer. Deep breaths, and then just release them. I'm pretty sure your doctor is not making the suggestion "right away", are they? You do owe it to yourself to be informed. Let me know what you think of this, please. And lastly, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am glad you wrote in, and bet others can really relate to your question!
Ginger

Ginger has some really good points. Please know that we are here for you. Can't you tell? Ha!

I'm here, because I don't know what to do! I'm grieving the death of my mom, and this grief journey hasn't been kind to me! My mom was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. A lumpectomy was performed, and she underwent a course of radiation therapy. She was told the radiation would heighten the chances of the breast cancer not returning. However, it came back! This time, she opted for the mastectomy. All was well for awhile, then out of nowhere she fractured her rib. It was at that time, she was diagnosed with Angiosarcoma, caused by the radiation therapy she had recieved from the breast cancer. My mom was never informed of the risk associated with radiation therapy which was upsetting because she said if she was informed of the risk, she would never have opted to do the radiation therapy. To make a long story short, my mom then underwent 90 days of chemotherapy, with another round of radiation. Nevertheless, 90days after treatment my mom lost her battle with Angiosarcoma, and recently passed away. The cancer had spread like wildfire! I don't understand why radiation therapy is a treatment option, if its known to cause Angiosarcoma, a rare but highly aggressive form of cancer! To add insult to injury, radiation was also given to her after being diagnosed with Angiosarcoma. If radiation causes Angiosarcoma, why would it even be considered as a treatment option? My advice to anyone who is diagnosed with cancer, is to please do your research, get a second opinion, put your trust in God, not in the health care system, to know this..."ITS YOUR LIFE, YOUR BODY, YOUR CHOICE!" So choose what you feel is best for you regardless of the outcome! I just had to get this off my chest, Thanks for listening! Any words of encouragement is helpful! Thanks in advance!

@dawnblair33 I am so sorry about your mom . Cancer is always so difficult for everyone.
There are 2 things you can think about:
Set aside your anger at the entire situation and realize that you can’t change what happened . Maybe there are ways that you can help the women going through treatment now. Turn your anger into positive actions!
Write down questions you may have and make an appointment with the doctor or nurse practitioner/physician assistant in the office. Without anger, ask your questions and let them explain cancer and it’s difficulties. Knowledge is power; the power to help others understand.
I was an oncology nurse, until I retired, and I encountered many situations like this. It was never easy, but we did our best to help families cope with their grief.
Do you think you might you might try the suggestions?

@becsbuddy, Thank you so much, your advice was heartfelt and appreciated. I'm going to do what I can to make peace with my mom's case, but it's very hard! I need as much advice and guidance as I can get. Just need to know where to start! Thank you!
#cancersucks #RIPMom

@dawnblair33 I really didn’t mean to come across as hard or unfeeling, so I apologize if I did. My mother also died this past year, age 99. After a bout with bladder cancer, loss of hearing and covid isolation, she was ready to go. I think of her every time i look at Facebook and see a gorgeous quilt and then it dawns on me….
I’m also going to look for the discussion on death. Members might have good suggestions for you. Will you stay in touch with me?
I’m sending you some flowers for sunshine, warmth and comfort!

You are so blessed to have a mama you loved, and for so long. We are all headed that way. The good news, you will see her again.