Confidence

This is such a good, important question.

What I had found during my routine monthly breast self exam was actually a very subtle dimple. I found this after a mammogram and a gynecologist missed it. It took me two weeks to gather up the courage to make an appointment to see my gynecologist to point out the problem.

I was really scared and didn't want to seek out medical help, but I forced myself to speak up and tell my doctor that something was wrong. He listened to me and ordered a diagnostic mammogram, which then found the abnormality.

One of the keys is having a good general doctor in place because a quality general doctor knows great specialists. The saying that birds of a feather flock together is so true.

The key to seeking out the medical care I needed was to act in spite of my fears and to speak up when I didn't like the way I was treated by a medical staff member, including doctors. The key to obtaining quality care was my perseverence. No matter how much a person is frustrated, scared, or feels like shying away from the medical situation, he/she has no choice but to see it through and keep persevering until he/she gets the medical help he/she wants and needs.

It was not easy for me to stay strong and adament about my own care. But I thought of what was at stake here, and it was my life. That was all the motivation I had to keep going toward my goal of quality care.

There is a lot of information out there about breast cancer; hundreds of websites, books, blogs, constant news updates. It can be overwhelming. In conducting your own research, try to narrow things down by the stage you are in, not only the stage of the cancer but your learning stage. If you have just been diagnosed, concentrate on learning what to expect - this will help prepare yourself.

Post questions, so that others can let you know what is happening based on their own personal experiences.

Learning about your cancer, may be amazing scary at the beginning but it is there and it exists. I have found that the more I know or talk about it the better I am able to come to grips with the reality of it. Now the scariness is still there but at a lower amount.