Second opinion

Okay, it has been a few days, and a lot has happened.

Originally, the Doctor that gave me the result of the biopsy, let's call him Dr. K. had set up a surgery date for me on the 11th. He explained me that it was important that we operate quickly, that Chemo would not be neccessary for me, and that "maybe" we'd do radiation...but for now we needed to operate. Well, when you are told you have cancer and in the same sentence you are told you need to have surgery in 3 days, that's a lot. Anyways, I did agree to having the surgery, and he set it all up for me.

The day after I had found out, my Mom called me to tell me that her friend S., who works for the Cancer Information Service as a Psychooncologist, recommended I go to the University Clinic, since it is a Certified Breast Cancer Center. S. had explained my Mom that these centers are most up-to-date about treatment options etc.

So, off I went to Dr. K. to explain him that I would have to cancel the surgery because I only got an appointment at the Uni Clinic on the 11th. It appears that he was offended that I wanted a second opinion. He went on to explain me how that is very foolish of me, that I would regret that later, and more or less pushed me out of the room with the words "I wil see you on Thursday in the surgery!".

Wow! Here I am, confused as I can be, and this person is just causing me even more confusion. So I felt unable to say anything and just left, crying to M.

During my morning run the next day I felt that I really needed help in this dilemma, and that I just did not comfortable with Dr. K. treating me this way. So I went to my family practitioner, Dr. A. explained him the situation. He agreed that I needed to go to the Uni Clinic, and said that he would call Dr. K. to cancel the surgery and request that he would send me all the documents I needed for my appointment.

It is hard to explain you how difficult this was for me. Normally I am not somebody that really minds speaking up, but the diagnosis has confused me so much, mad my head spin around a million things at a time, and in this very moment I needed a Doctor who is supporting and helpful, not one whose ego is too big to let me do what I should do-get a second opinion!

~H.