What questions did you ask your oncologist in the beginning and/or what questions did you wish you would have asked?
If I do chemotherapy before bi-lateral mastectomy can I avoid having to get radiation instead of having surgery first?
My first question was, how do we move forward? Types of surgery, risks involved in each, what surgery / treatment will give me the best outcome as far as extending my life were questions that followed. I never wanted to discuss statistics or my immortality or mortality rates of women like me. After going through it the one question I would ask after scans is, is the cancer shrinking, or stable? I never asked this. But have been couriuos as to how that would make me feel and my treatment decisions different. Of course since I have read my reports each showed shrinking to disappearing completely. I always accepted every thing looks good statement from my doctor. I am sure he said more but I never listened. My family did that for me. I suppose it was because I understand that it didn't matter if it shrank and couldn't be seen. I was diagnosed at stage 4 and even if you couldn't see it it was still there somewhere and would be forever. But I think I will start having this clarified this time around. I think this time it will give me hope and make sure that I stay grounded and remember to live my life to its fullest potential.
I asked her option on what was the best preventive measure before my first Chemotherapy treatment (T/C) for NOT having nausea . She advised water, water and more water. Stay hydrated all the time. I loved water before being diagnosed and love it even more afterwards. I always had water in my hand everywhere I went. Sometimes they would call me double fisted because of having 2 waters. Yes, is the answer it WORKED No nausea what so ever Thank God! !!