The Doctor’s Word

Not knowing—a diagnosis, the meaning of a word, or the potential side effects of a
treatment option—only feeds your anxiety. You feel helpless, hopeless. In this battle,
you are what you know. The more you understand about your diagnosis and recom-
mended treatment, the more you can do to make it successful.
The first step to becoming informed is to understand
your diagnosis. Breast cancer comes in many different
kinds, sizes, and stages, and doctors handle each one
in a different way. When you got the word about the
biopsy report, that moment put your mind in a whirl.
So how can you remember exactly what the doctor or
nurse said? Here’s how.
Survivor’s Notebook
As part of getting informed, start a survivor’s note-
book now. Get a loose-leaf notebook in an easy-to-
carry size. On the inside front cover, create a “Return
To:” box with your name and address so that if you
lose it, the person who finds it can return it to you.
(Even if you’ve never misplaced anything in your life,
the current undue stress may cause you to lose track
of details—like where you put your notebook.) Then,
on the first page, list your doctors’ and nurses’ names
and phone numbers. Use the notebook to keep all the
details about your diagnosis and your treatment: ques-
tions, dates, names, responses, advice, and side effects
of medications or treatments. As you become more in-
formed, you’ll also use it to summarize what you read,
where you read it, and questions you have about it. So
let’s get started.