Any Nurses/Docs w/BC???

jbug
jbug Member Posts: 285
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I'm newly diagnosed and still in the staging process...also an critical care nurse w/teaching background. I have lots of in-depth info at my fingertips, but still more scared than anything. Anyone out there in the same boat??? Does being in the health care field help or hinder?

Comments

  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #2
    i am an icu nurse, it is
    i am an icu nurse, it is both a blessing and a curse. this is alsonot my first time with a primary. you will do fine and get through, lots of support here with very knowledgable people.
  • Katz77
    Katz77 Member Posts: 598
    #3
    Calling all nurses
    I'm a nurse. Worked mainly OR for the last 18yrs. Did a little time on the surgical floor and covered for ICU, but all I knew about chemo/cancer was the sharps disposal was yellow. lol Now, I'm grown up and have learned alot. I start rads on the 30th and I feel like I'm starting over. New area to learn.
    I think knowledge is good, but ignorance is good also. I mean that in a nice way. I did alot of research and it scared me to death. I try not to read EVERYTHING. I find what's best for me is to ask or research whats troubling me at the time. This site is great for finding out the answers to most of my concerns. Good luck and keep in touch
  • newbiefromcananda
    newbiefromcananda Member Posts: 234
    #4
    carkris said:

    i am an icu nurse, it is
    i am an icu nurse, it is both a blessing and a curse. this is alsonot my first time with a primary. you will do fine and get through, lots of support here with very knowledgable people.

    I am a nurse (worked in
    I am a nurse (worked in addiction clinic for 6 years ) now supervisor of homw health care ....Lisa
  • e_hope
    e_hope Member Posts: 370
    #5
    I too am a nurse, I work
    I too am a nurse, I work orthopedic rehab. I agree with carkris, " it is both a blessing and a curse."
  • EveningStar2
    EveningStar2 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #6
    neo/peds
    I'm an RN now working adult med/peds. I agree with what the others have said and I think this board has been one of the better sources of information.

    Maureen
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #7
    EveningStar2 said:

    neo/peds
    I'm an RN now working adult med/peds. I agree with what the others have said and I think this board has been one of the better sources of information.

    Maureen

    i'll tell you thing I have
    i'll tell you thing I have learned as a nurse is that sometimes i have waited too long trying to fix something myself, and paradoxically I tend to convey my concerns in too calm a manner and it doesnt convey the degree of my discomfort. I wasnt aware of this, until someone pointed it out. As a critical care nurse you are trained to appear calm but sometimes it works against you. So complain loudly, call early and get what you need. as you can get lost in the system.
  • Kim59
    Kim59 Member Posts: 43
    #8
    carkris said:

    i'll tell you thing I have
    i'll tell you thing I have learned as a nurse is that sometimes i have waited too long trying to fix something myself, and paradoxically I tend to convey my concerns in too calm a manner and it doesnt convey the degree of my discomfort. I wasnt aware of this, until someone pointed it out. As a critical care nurse you are trained to appear calm but sometimes it works against you. So complain loudly, call early and get what you need. as you can get lost in the system.

    nurse
    Worked med/surg for 12 years. Have been in Quality management for the last 17 years. I think being a nurse is a blessing. Knowledge is power.
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #9
    Kim59 said:

    nurse
    Worked med/surg for 12 years. Have been in Quality management for the last 17 years. I think being a nurse is a blessing. Knowledge is power.

    yes it can be a blessing
    yes it can be a blessing because you understand more readily, but I find being taken care of extremely difficult, and I have needed this for the first time in my life. Taking care of others is more comfortable for me. Maybe a lesson in life I need to learn?
  • mlmjt1
    mlmjt1 Member Posts: 537
    #10
    Hi jbug
    I am a homehealth nurse and have been at it since 1985. I tend to try to take care of things myself which is not a good thing. Now I report everything to the oncologist and let her worry about it. I find that I know just enough to scare myself. I also tend to read very little and I rarely go on line to get more information. My information comes from oncology. I think as nurses we think that we need to know everything and I used to feel stupid asking questions, but I dont anymore. If something is scaring me, I ask then I get an answer I can understand and feel much less scared.

    On the positive side, I have learned more about patients and have more empathy now than I have ever had in the all the years I have worked as a nurse. I guess I finally get it! Thats one of the good things that has come out of all of this.

    Hang in there and post often...there is a wealth of wisdom and knowledge on this site, stuff you just wont get from your docs or your research.

    Hugs
    Linda T
  • jbug
    jbug Member Posts: 285
    #11
    mlmjt1 said:

    Hi jbug
    I am a homehealth nurse and have been at it since 1985. I tend to try to take care of things myself which is not a good thing. Now I report everything to the oncologist and let her worry about it. I find that I know just enough to scare myself. I also tend to read very little and I rarely go on line to get more information. My information comes from oncology. I think as nurses we think that we need to know everything and I used to feel stupid asking questions, but I dont anymore. If something is scaring me, I ask then I get an answer I can understand and feel much less scared.

    On the positive side, I have learned more about patients and have more empathy now than I have ever had in the all the years I have worked as a nurse. I guess I finally get it! Thats one of the good things that has come out of all of this.

    Hang in there and post often...there is a wealth of wisdom and knowledge on this site, stuff you just wont get from your docs or your research.

    Hugs
    Linda T

    Hi All!
    Just got back on-line today...had my sentinel node biopsy 25 Nov and was horribly sick after...expected it to be a breeze. Surgical site only sore now...of course, still have to wait for the path reports! Got my hormone receptor data back...good news on that front. I'm HR/PR positive and HER2 negative.

    Thanks for all your feedback and comments...I do think this is a double-edge sword...the first day i looked at all the postings I was already imagining myself w/bilat mastectomy, ovaries gone and bald from chemo! My husband suggested I get off the site and take a few breaths to calm down.

    The best thing has been to be able to communicate w/others and know that I'm truly not alone in this. The range of pathology is very wide and just because I had a small tumor doesn't mean I my fears will be smaller than anyone elses. It's still cancer!
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #12
    jbug said:

    Hi All!
    Just got back on-line today...had my sentinel node biopsy 25 Nov and was horribly sick after...expected it to be a breeze. Surgical site only sore now...of course, still have to wait for the path reports! Got my hormone receptor data back...good news on that front. I'm HR/PR positive and HER2 negative.

    Thanks for all your feedback and comments...I do think this is a double-edge sword...the first day i looked at all the postings I was already imagining myself w/bilat mastectomy, ovaries gone and bald from chemo! My husband suggested I get off the site and take a few breaths to calm down.

    The best thing has been to be able to communicate w/others and know that I'm truly not alone in this. The range of pathology is very wide and just because I had a small tumor doesn't mean I my fears will be smaller than anyone elses. It's still cancer!

    I'm not a doctor, but I wash the underwear for one....
    And, I've been in the medical world, IT department, for a very long time. All of my buddies offered advice, some of it that scared the liver out of me (breast was my second cancer in 6 months...stage III rectal was first).

    You are right, my dear, it's a double-edged sword...but, I drew great support from this site, mainly because it's NOT just about the treatments and the side effects...it's that, but more as well...we all are at different stages in treatment (as you can see from my post, I'm headed to 5 years soon...). And so we are fairly good at offering suggestions to ease the journey. I was stage II, ER/PR+, HER2- (after FISH). I still have both of my breasts, and a beautiful (I think..lol...my beau wants it longer...) thick head of hair. There were some narly moments, but they are over, and I am on with my life.

    Hugs, Kathi
  • Deb1969
    Deb1969 Member Posts: 165
    #13
    KathiM said:

    I'm not a doctor, but I wash the underwear for one....
    And, I've been in the medical world, IT department, for a very long time. All of my buddies offered advice, some of it that scared the liver out of me (breast was my second cancer in 6 months...stage III rectal was first).

    You are right, my dear, it's a double-edged sword...but, I drew great support from this site, mainly because it's NOT just about the treatments and the side effects...it's that, but more as well...we all are at different stages in treatment (as you can see from my post, I'm headed to 5 years soon...). And so we are fairly good at offering suggestions to ease the journey. I was stage II, ER/PR+, HER2- (after FISH). I still have both of my breasts, and a beautiful (I think..lol...my beau wants it longer...) thick head of hair. There were some narly moments, but they are over, and I am on with my life.

    Hugs, Kathi

    Im a LPN, working in long
    Im a LPN, working in long term care for 5 years doing wound care. Just recently had began working at a community health clinic, was diagnosed with BC about 8 months after starting this job. Sometimes knowledge is good and times it is scary.
    Deb
  • ms_independent
    ms_independent Member Posts: 214
    #14
    I'm newly diagnosed (on
    I'm newly diagnosed (on monday, waiting for a surgery date)and an RN. I am currently unemployed because we just moved 500 miles and I don't have a job yet (guess I'll wait a little while now). My nursing background is primarily critical care and ambulatory care. I will be watching the responses you receive. Thanks for posting the question.
  • Bella Luna
    Bella Luna Member Posts: 1,578 Member
    #15
    I am not in the health care
    I am not in the health care profession, but I was diagnosed with breast cancer and am currently undergoing treatment. My surgeon is a breast cancer survivor, six years. I think she is an inspiration and a wonderful doctor to boot!

    I was sent to a cardiologist because I am on Herceptin. Turns out, my cardiologist is a cancer survivor too. I was blown away and thoroughly inspired once again! Wonderful to see docs/nurses who are survivors and working in the field. I can only imagine how difficult it can be at times.

    I am grateful and touched to have met them, just the same.
    BL

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