Skip to main content

Breast Cancer Treatment: How to Choose Your Doctor and Get Your Body & Confidence Back

What’s the big deal about breast cancer – lets dig into some facts. 

Also, do read: If Yuvi can, You can! 

Breast Cancer Facts You Should Know
Take a look at these breast cancer facts:

1.  In 1 out of 10 women, doctors say the cause of breast cancer is genetic. This means if your grandmother, mother or any family member has it, you are at a higher risk than other women.
2.  Regular breast self-examination will help to detect lumps or any symptoms early. The earlier you find out, the better for you. If detected early, you may not have to remove a breast and may require only a minor surgery.
3.   Don’t EVER ignore the early signs. Your body is TRYING to tell you something. Pay attention and take action.
4.     Do not ignore any signs of lumps, pain around or under the armpits – these are not signs to easily dismiss.
5. Breast cancer treatment is highly personalized. So, go to the best breast oncologist-surgeon.

Don’t completely TRUST Mammograms, Go with your GUT FEEL
The routine mammogram isn’t fool proof. So, consider the following:

1. If  you feel you have symptoms of breast cancer but the mammogram indicates otherwise, go with your gut feel. 

2.  Take a second medical opinion. 

 3. Ask your doctors whether you can opt for 3-dimensional breast MRI. It is expensive and may have side effects but it gives your doctor an accurate imaging of how your condition is positioned. Knowing the exact details helps your doctor to plan the next point of action.

Breast Cancer Treatment: How to Choose a Doctor You feel You can Trust
Just visiting any reputed hospital will NOT do. Note this when you meet your doctor:

1. Understand his/her approach to you and analyze how comfortable you are. Understand how you feel when your doctor examines/touches you. If you are uncomfortable, it's a clear 'NO' and if you are comfortable, go with your intuition.

2. Ask questions. If you are afraid, say it to your doctor. If you are ashamed of this condition, tell your doctor how you feel. Ask more questions. Watch how your your doctor reacts – is he defensive, impatient, reassuring, confident, compassionate? 



3. Of all the qualities that wins a patient’s trust, especially in cancer cases, it is compassion. Your doctor can be the best in the world but if he has no compassion, would you really trust him/her?

4. Make sure you cross-check your doctor's references. Ask patients, para nursing staff, doctors in your network. Do all your homework about your doctor. File it, if necessary, in case you have areas of doubts. Be 100% sure before you finalize your doctor. This is your body, your battle and your life - so don't take chances.

Breast Cancer: Explore ALL treatment options
Breast cancer treatment may vary. If recommended by more than one doctor, it should be PRIORITY in your ACTION CHECKLIST.

Also, find out:

1.     Has your doc studied your genetic history and current physical condition?
2.  Has he/she discussed the implications and more than one treatment option with others in his team?
3.    Has he presented his findings and that of the others in his team before you?
4.  Has he sought your opinion on how you feel through every stage or has he DECIDED and simply informed you?

Once you decide a particular course of action, pursue it with passion and confidence. Read self-help books or inspiring books to keep yourself motivated. Don't let people overload you with advice that shakes your confidence. Surround yourself with those who love and stand by you. Go through every phase with a smile. 

Thank everyone who is there with you. Simple acts of love can make you experience 'sunshine.' Thank the doctors and the nursing staff who see you through painful tests - this reinforces your confidence in them and boosts the positive bonding you develop with them.

Most importantly, be determined to LOVE and RESPECT your BODY and tell the Higher Self/God how grateful you are every day for this beautiful life.
♥♥  I thank you with all my heart for reading my post. I dedicate this post with  gratitude to all cancer care givers across the world including doctors, nurses, para medical staff and others who help in healing and making the lives of cancer patients bearable and happier through very painful phases. REQUEST: Please SHARE this article on your favorite social networks. Every share, like or tweet makes me reach out to more people.I am grateful and I appreciate you for doing so. ♥♥
Labels:

Comments

noman dudda said…
Thanks for an informative arrangement on breast cancer! Anybody must be attractive on your text! I gotten such awesome match from home health care
August 11, 2014 at 5:00 PM
Post a Comment

Most Popular Posts

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences.  [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste.  You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this  new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being born
180 comments
Read more

How do you light Deepam at home?

How do you light deepam at home? As a child, I loved watching the ritual of my grandmother lighting the deepam or the traditional lamp at home in the evenings. A sense of serenity accompanied her frail figure as she would carefully straighten every wick, dip it into the tiny puddle of oil and light the lamp. As my grandmother would read out the scriptures and chant the prayers, the fragrance of incense sticks and flowers added depth to the experience. In many Hindu homes nowadays, the lighting of the lamp (or the nilavilakku, as Malayalis refer to the traditional lamp in their homes) is not a regular practice. A lot of people have many questions around how to light deepam at home and which oil to use and so on. An important point to keep in mind - Maintain physical cleanliness and hygiene while lighting the lamp. Wear clean clothes while lighting the lamp. Frequently Asked Questions About Lighting Deepam at Home Collating most queries related to how to light the deepam at home, I'v
1 comment
Read more

Tumhari Sulu movie review: Vidya Balan makes you laugh, cry, croon and fall in love with 'Sulu'

I have always looked forward to watching Vidya Balan's films, which is why I watched her latest one, Tumhari Sulu, and decided to share this movie review. I read many reviews which bring in the feminist aspect of the narrative. I want to look at the little details of an ordinary life that are portrayed by Vidya Balan's extraordinary acting.   As ''Sulu'', Vidya Balan breathes life into the character of bubbly housewife, whose life revolves around her husband, son and of course, her favorite hobby of participating in all kinds of contests and winning them with a die-hard spirit.                                          [ Image: Vidya Balan's Facebook page ]                                Vidya Balan's mastery over details comes through in every scene - shooing off birds so that they don't put ''potty'' on her clothes, posing in front of the mirror with the kind of bag that working women use and pretending to be one, and eve
Post a Comment
Read more

7 Am Arivu (the Seventh Sense) - Why it is spiritually relevant

7 Am Arivu (the Seventh Sense) is a film that I was desperate to watch for two reasons. One, I am a Suriya fan and I had heard so much about his performance in this movie that I didn't want to settle for watching a CD of it and losing the actual cinematic experience. Second, I had read from various bloggers and their reviews that this film revolves around the story of Bodhidharman, a 16th century prince from Tamil Nadu who had mastered knowledge spanning multiple forms of art, and was sent to China to save the people from evil. Once he goes there, the transformation begins for himself and for the people there and he  goes on to become Damo, the father of Shaolin and Kung Fu and hypnotism and such other mystical yet spiritually relevant forms of mind mastery. 7 Am Arivu Goes Over the Top with the Dravidian Rhetoric In 7 Am Arivu, there has been a lot of controversy created by the fact that nearly every character eulogizes about the importance of being Tamil and yes, the Dravidi
9 comments
Read more

Vidyarambham: How and why Malayalis celebrate writing the words ''Harisree Ganapathaye Namaha"

For Malayalis, Vidyarambham is an auspicious day on which the elders and children mark the day by writing the sacred words, "Harisree Ganapathayeh Namaha." The observance of this ritual may differ from region to region, community to community and family to family. Whatever I share here is based on how vidyarambham is celebrated in my home.   [READ: What is Vidyarambham?] Vidyarambham: How Malayalis observe this sacred day In families where the children are gearing up to enter pre-school or play school and are not yet ready to join the formal schooling system, Vidyarambham marks an important occasion for an elder to introduce them to the world of "vidya" or "knowledge." The words ''Harisree Ganapathayeh Namaha" are written on the child's tongue by the grandparent, an elder or parent.                                        [Image credit: Travel Manorama Online ] Vidyarambham: Why it matters  An interesting aspect of Vidyarambha
4 comments
Read more