I am forever thankful for the care I received from my oncology care team. But I am also often frustrated by lack of knowledge for late-term effects resulting from that care.
PUBLISHED February 02, 2018
Doris Cardwell received a life-changing diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer in 2007. While undergoing treatment, she co-founded a mentor program for the cancer center treating her. She also created community events to educate, encourage and empower people regarding cancer. Doris was the first Survivorship Community Outreach Liaison for her local cancer center. She is an advocate, educator and encourager on issues facing cancer survivors. Doris is a wife, mother, empty nester, survivor of life and lover of all things coffee. An avid speaker and blogger, she is available at www.justdoris.com.
One of the of the challenges I find in being a cancer survivor involves lack of information. Some cancer survivors prefer to have less information, some prefer more. I fall on the "prefer to have more" side, and that has been a source of frustration in the last 10 years. A specific example would be recently I went to an eye doctor appointment.
The doctor told me I had signs of glaucoma but would need to return for more testing. When I left their office, I researched glaucoma. It didn't take long, and I had found several interesting studies. One of them found that women with a history of breast cancer are three times more likely to have glaucoma. Another study reported that women who had lost their ovaries before the age of 43 were at a 60 percent higher risk for glaucoma. I had a complete hysterectomy at the age of 39 to help prevent a cancer recurrence.
The doctor told me I had signs of glaucoma but would need to return for more testing. When I left their office, I researched glaucoma. It didn't take long, and I had found several interesting studies. One of them found that women with a history of breast cancer are three times more likely to have glaucoma. Another study reported that women who had lost their ovaries before the age of 43 were at a 60 percent higher risk for glaucoma. I had a complete hysterectomy at the age of 39 to help prevent a cancer recurrence.
No comments:
Post a Comment