OK, I am going through a bit of a tough one here.
I have moved twice in the last year, and am 1000 miles away from all my family and my best friends. Also do not have wonderful health service to speak of in my ruralish area, and am new to my diagnosis and my job.
My problem is this: I had a sort of cancer scare 6 months ago (breast cancer) which was declared a "no problem" by the doctors in the closest city. Since then, my mom has gotten breast cancer, detected by a test not given me 6 months ago. And i have had a potential abnormality or two. But my new general doctor felt that if I was fine 6 months ago, then why go and see the city specialist again, even though I had been invited back to her office, which is three hours away. Again, I have to say we are a very small area, and good doctors would not really want to stay here for long if they are specialists in anything. My mom told me to tell my specialist about her cancer (invasive lobular). But I did not think of telling my GP. I am a bit literal that way, and am telling him soon.
How do you folks beat the literalness of AS with doctors? Do you have any good resources about preparing for doctor's visits? What kinds of questions to ask? My new doc also told me that he does not think I have AS. But my good friend told me that all it takes is a five minute conversation. Anyway, I cannot pick a new GP, as there are few to none where I live.
Please keep me in your thoughts. It, I have to admit, has not been an easy year and the last bit has been scary.
Also, any resources on how to converse with cancer patients? and how to treat talking about disease? with family too?
05 Dec 2012, 1:07 am
