Diagnosis: Biopsy Positive

When you hear your doctor say you have cancer, what can I say - It stinks. I was not ready to die and I wanted to live to see my girls grow up. It took a couple of days to get my arms around the reality of ME having cancer. Then I had an epiphany with the realization that I had early disease and that I better get my act together to be able to see my dreams come true. Get real I told myself, you need to pull yourself together, storm the gates of heaven with prayer and get going. Put an action plan in place and move forward, make a checklist, understand what my new needs will be and get on with life.

Take Control

What I know now is that every woman and their family does things differently. There is no right or wrong way - there is only your way. The way you see things, your past experience with crisis, your current relationships, these are all factors that influence how you will act, react and recover.There is no one right solution. But, this I know, the more information you have and the more support you have the better. Information is power and power translates into action.

At Susan's Special Needs our entire team is geared to providing our clients with information. This is so exciting to me, because year's ago, no one had the answers and no one wanted to talk about it. We can help devise your plan to move forward and living with your new norm.

Treatment Coach

Our objective is to provide an understanding of the process you will typically experience and as a coach referring you to products and services that you will need in the different stages of your journey through cancer.

I recommend when you visit your doctor in the early stages you take along your spouse, sister, significant other or friend to help you listen to the information and record notes. In your initial doctors visit. Your doctor will be very specific as to the findings of your biopsy. The following questions will help get you started to bridge the gap and begin to put your situation in perspective:

• What kind of cancer do I have?
• Where is it located? Is it isolated or has it spread?
• If your diagnosis is breast cancer, what is the status of the lymph nodes.
• What tests have been performed and concluded regarding the stage of this cancer?
• What is the typical treatment for my site of disease and how quickly do we begin?
• Can you refer me to someone who will guide me through my journey such as a treatment life coach?

It's Confusing and Frightening

Most hospitals and doctors can provide a list of places to look for wigs and/or breast forms. If a list is not offered it's easy to overlook this step. Women are typically frightened and confused just beginning the process. Contact your nurse navigator, your local American Cancer Society and, of course, the Internet is a wealth of information. Search for your local mastectomy shop that is certified with Board Certified Fitters. (Board Certification means that the shop has been accredited by a certified practitioner with years of client experience.) This shop will provide the experience necessary to help guide you at each stage of your journey and help you with the products you need for your comfort and self image. At Susan's we use my Needs Action Plan to discuss each phase you will experience and help prepare your for your journey. http://www.susansspecialneeds.com/