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It’s the moment you have been dreading since you took the biopsy. You have been dreading the results of the test from your physician. You do, in fact, have cancer. You are devastated. You know your family will be sad and devastated too. You are beyond reproach and yet all you want to do is get better. You feel ok but that doesn’t mean you are. You sit with the doctor as he or she tells you what the next steps are. You are so upset that you nod and get ready for anything.
In all the sadness and the fear of everything that is going on you should be aware that you don’t have to just do what you are told like a good patient. When the doctor is giving you treatment options you will have to pick one, even if it is against the doctors better judgement.
When the doctor gives you treatment options you should ask yourself a few things. First thing to ask is how much you trust that doctor. It might seem like a stupid question but in the case of oncologists there are usually being seen by the patient for the first time. Trust is an important factor so don’t rule out needing that. If you trust the doctor than their opinion means more.
The other thing you ask yourself is there better treatment options available. There very well might be. If there is then you have to ask your doctor if they are willing to provide it to you. If not then you need to consider a different doctor. There might be no other way around it.
The other thing you have to ask is if your gut tells you this is the right thing. Never underestimate your own instincts. They can prove to be valuable here.