Besides the second set of ears - someone take notes and don't hesitate to ask them to clarify information they give you or ask if you can call later if more questions arise. I created a document (on my PC) with my medical history, medications I'm taking, people I talk to (company, phone number and position - Surgeon, oncologist, even the insurance company). If your journey ends and nothing further needs to happen after the meeting with the surgeon - then your document is short and sweet. But if your journey continues - I found it really helpful to create a timeline of everything. My journey started September 2021 when I initially found my lump and I've had scans (MRI, PET/CT, ultrasound); needle biopsy, port implant for chemo; chemo, bilateral mastectomy, and radiation and I can find who I talked to and what my questions were and my understanding of their answers for everything. I felt it was a way for me to take charge of this journey I was going on. Since I'm BRCA2+ it will also be great information for my children to have. My son is also BRCA2+, but fortunately my daughter is not. The decision for the treatment I was going to have was mine and mine alone. I discussed with my husband what were my options and what I planned to have done - but in the end it is my body and the decision is mine. I was also extremely fortunate - my only side effect of chemo was hair loss; my only side effect of bilateral is - I'm not as flat as I had hoped (I'm staying flat); and the only thing with the radiation was the aquaphor stains on a couple tops. When I look at what this does to reduce my recurrence - those all were temporary inconveniences.