When In Doubt….What?
Are you ever in doubt about your care? There are a lot of opinions out there about treating cancer. Do you ever question your doctor’s decision about a certain type of therapy? How informed are you about your type of cancer? Are you in the right place for the best treatment?
These are all questions you need to answer to get the best care for your cancer. And there are no easy answers. It takes research, point blank questions to your doctors and a good advocate who can share in finding the answers.
I think sometimes doctors are reluctant to send their patients elsewhere for better treatment. Not ‘different’ treatment, but better treatment. Some cancer centers do it better….that’s all there is too it. They do the research, they gather the experts, they have the knowledge and they present the patient with better alternatives. The last thing you ever want to hear facing a new doctor is, “I wish you’d come here a year ago, we could have really helped you.”
When that diagnosis is presented, wouldn’t it be a good thing to ask, “Is this the best place for me in my present condition?”
Then you have options; make the choice to stay where you are or get your cancer to the specialist down the road who might have a better idea on how to treat it.
The worst thing that could happen, is that you never asked.
When in doubt…What? ASK
July 25, 2011 @ 4:11 pm
Some people are just overwhelmed with the diagnosis. Some are not sophisticated/educated enough to even think about asking a question much less seeking other alternatives. Sadly, this choice is the patient’s or caregiver’s responsibility to get other opinions. Some doctors just make it impossible to even consider…..”go home, get your affairs in order, there is nothing to be done.” The thoughts the patients and caregivers have “surely this doctor wouldn’t lie to me. This must be definitive.” Has any doctor that you’ve seen, ever said..”why don’t you get another opinion?” And oh by the way, here’s where I would go and the doctor I would see!!! Not for me. I always initiated the conversation, had done the research and told my doc where I was going and why. He was OK with that.
Sometimes you have to wonder, what do they teach students and residents/interns about their relationship with patients! Sometimes you think that the docs view themselves as Hammers and all of them are just looking for Nails rather than this is a real person with family and loved ones and I should do everything I can to help MY PATIENT!!! IMHO, there is no such thing as false HOPE in the cancer world so long as the doctor presents the facts and then suggests that a second opinion might be in order. Patients are smart enough to read between the lines. BUT the greatest tragedy is to eradicate all HOPE and I have spoken with some patients who have had that done. Sad to hear it in their voices. What was the doctor thinking. Being realistic; being compassionate; being honest….perhaps so. Have they heard the sound of a voice with no HOPE? Probably not!!!