Plan and Prepare

TIM_WWJD
TIM_WWJD Member Posts: 38
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I am in the very early stages of treatment. in fact I am waiting to have my port and peg installed and hope it will get done Friday. If so I will start treatment on Monday. What i am posting this for is hopefully others in the early discovery stages will read this and it will help.
Plan for every visit to all your doctors and therapists. Make up a note book with questions to ask because you will forget to ask them if you do not. Take a family member or close friend to every appointment. They will be valuable to you for support and to hear what is said. Keep your notebook with you and review it before each appointment. Collect names, numbers, and business card along the way. It is hard to keep everyone straight. Write down everything you can. I am telling you this because I have regrets about not asking all my questions because I forgot my book. Some of the questions for one doctor will pertain to others. Some of the forms you fill out ask the same questions, such as medicines and dosage write those in your notebook. I wish you all the best and I hope you can use some of these ideas.
Tim

Comments

  • HAWVET
    HAWVET Member Posts: 318
    #2
    Good advice
    Hello Tim,
    Thank you for sharing. I am sure there will be others who will read your comments and it will be helpful to them. You are right about preparing your questions. I do wish you well after you start your treatment. Am glad it was caught in the early stages.
    Aloha, Johhny
  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #3
    Great ideas, Tim. I would add the following: ask for copies of medical records each time a new one is created, blood test results, doctor visits, CAT, PET, and MRI results, whatever. If you do this, you are likely to get them free of charge, while, if you wait and ask for the extended volume all at once, they are likely to charge.

    Having these records available can be of immeasurable value in the future should you, regrettably, have to revisit the subject of treatment. They will answer questions about exactly what treatments you have had, what results have been found, what medicines you have had and your reactions to them, among other things, saving time and experimentation under the worst case scenario.

    Take care,

    Joe

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