Welcome to Oncology

[undeterred]

Talk about a pamphlet you never want to get in the mail!

A good friend of mine needs a hysterectomy. There are fibroids/tumors but no biopsy so far has been malignant. Still she is being referred to an oncologist for treatment as cancer is a possibility.

She set up an appt and they sent her this pamphlet in the mail.

Now she's even more worried.

[RevCheesehead]

1. That sounds horribly premature.

I've had fibroids, and twice had surgery. Unless there's a real possibility of cancer, sending that pamphlet seems insensitive at best.

[undeterred]

2. They probably don't realize the emotional impact it has

She had a biopsy last week that was negative but it was not possible to biopsy everything, so I guess they are just referring her to be on the safe side. But going to the oncology clinic changes the way you think about what's happening.

[RevCheesehead]

4. Exactly.

Maybe that's their standard policy, but sheesh - don't they consider the fear that the word itself implies??

Once she's over the shock, perhaps she can tell them how frightening it is to get something like that in the mail, especially since there's been no official diagnosis yet.

Bless you for being a friend to her - she's going to need you. :hug:

[OzarkDem]

5. Better to go to the experts

If her GP or ob/gyn is uncertain, they're doing the right thing to refer her to a specialist who sees many of these cases and probably has better training and equipment for a more specific test.

Odds are she doesn't have a problem (most biopsies are benign) but its always good to know you're in the hands of an expert.

BTW, oncologists are real heroes in the medical profession. The pay isn't as great as other fields and they have to spend every day giving people the worst news of their life. Its incredibly hard work with few rewards and lots of failures, but they're committed and very compassionate. There is no stronger bond than that between patient and oncologist.

[undeterred]

6. I agree with you

and shes a health care professional, so on an intellectual level she would too.

There's just a quantum emotional leap from "Welcome to Obstetrics and Gynecology" to "Welcome to Oncology".

[OzarkDem]

7. Hopefully they'll learn to be more sensistive

Perhaps a gentle reminder will help them in their bedside manner.

We often see the same thing for breast biopsies, I think the GP's (and their staff) often feel awkward and are uncertain of what to say without alarming patients.

[Greyhound]

8. Beware the "experts" for they are profit driven.

When my mother walked in they only saw a goldmine (gold-balls insurance). Vegetarian, non-smoker, non-drinker, that came in every 6 months for her checkups like clockwork. She did everything they said she should, tests, blood work, etc. she died of (probably) breast cancer that went 'undetected' for @ least 10 years (that's 20 mammograms and who knows how many thousands of dollars) until it was too late to do anything except turn in another $150K in claims so she could die in the hospice.
Of course most of the professionals are just what they puport to be, but they are the employees of corporations that couldn'r care less if you live or die as long as you're providing a stream of billable codes.

[CarpeDiebold]

10. onc pay...

i agree that it is emotionally taxing to be an onc, but i would add that their pay is nothing to spit at. it's one of the highest paid (and tehrefore most competitive) specialties in all of medicine, and with damned good reason.

but the rest of your post was beautifully said, agree 100%.

to the op, i hope it will never come to your friend needing that pamphlet...insensitive as it may have been to send it. lots of du love :hug:

[Tallison]

9. Ignorance is the real thing to fear

To the extent that even false scares help people reprioritize their lives and values for the better, they can be a blessing.

[LisaL]

3. They are only trying to inform people.