Thanks Jane for Your Notes - Emilie's Cancer Journey

5/13/2010 1:05 PM

Friends are invaluable. When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, a fellow nurse offered to go to my appointments with me. I told her it wasn’t necessary. My husband would be there and I’m a nurse, too. She stressed to me that she wanted to be there because she could take notes for me.

Though I was resistant to the idea at first (I didn’t want to impose), I agreed to it in the end. Jane went with me to my appointments. I can’t tell you how helpful that was. She took notes for me, so I didn’t have to. She asked questions that I didn’t think to at the time. When I was first diagnosed, everything was a blur. It didn’t matter that I’m a nurse – I was a woman just diagnosed with breast cancer. I couldn’t get beyond that and think straight. I only assumed the worst.

The day I received my diagnoses one of the staff in the surgeon’s office suggested I read Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book. After leaving the office, I went and purchased this book before heading home. I sat on my couch for the next few hours trying to make sense of the 640 pages in front of me. None of it seemed to make sense. I never picked that book up again.

But I kept Jane’s notes from those initial doctor appointments. Bless her heart – she went to more than one. Nearly a year later, I read over them. I still smile at her editorial comments such as “this is good” or “early stages."

When I read her notes hours and days after the appointments, I couldn’t remember being told the information. I didn’t remember the doctor saying certain things, but Jane wrote them down. Her notes helped me remember and they gave me strength.

I’ve always been an advocate for patients, but if you ever have a friend that needs a friend to go to the doctor’s office – offer to go. You don’t have to be a nurse, but you can be a friend, supporter and note-taker. It’s invaluable.

(Go to Archives to follow Emilie's journey and posts from February, March and April 2010.)

Posted at 5/13/2010 1:05 PM | Permalink | Email this Post | CLICK TO VIEW/POST COMMENTS (1)

Comments

The Note-takers

This segment of your blog brought back so many memories. I used to go to every doctor appointment with my grandmother. She always thought of questions to ask him, but would develop amnesia once on the table. I would write the questions down and ask them for her. The doctor was great, because he would talk to her as if she was the one who asked the question. Then I would write the answers for her to refer to later. It is never a bad idea to bring another set of ears to any event that frightens you. No one can comprehend through fear, and having a friend nearby lessens that fear. I don't care what anyone says, to hear the word cancer in reference to yourself knocks the wind right out of you. To act on it and not let it also take your sails down is a true sign of strength and spirit. It is a battle that needs to be fought with every weapon you have, and friends are one of the greatest weapons we have to fight any battle.

at 5/17/2010 1:14 PM

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