For the cancer patient, waiting seems an often too familiar state of being. In this article, one survivor shares her experience with periodic checkups and how they make her feel.
BY Bonnie Annis
PUBLISHED February 15, 2018
Bonnie Annis is a breast cancer survivor, diagnosed in 2014 with stage 2b invasive ductal carcinoma with metastasis to the lymph nodes. She is an avid photographer, freelance writer/blogger, wife, mother and grandmother.
Taking a deep breath, I open the doors to the cancer treatment center and walk inside. In the corridor, pressed tightly against the hallway walls, I see men and women in various stages of cancer treatment. Some sit with their bald heads reflecting the overhead lights. Some sit shrouded in blankets or throws. Some hold tightly to the hands of loved ones. All of them hold the face of uncertainty and worry.Today I'm here for my six-month check-up. It's hard to believe six months have gone by so quickly. It seems like yesterday I was here visiting my oncologist.
I remember my first visit to the cancer treatment center. Making the decision to leave my original oncologist had been difficult. He'd seemed to have lost interest in me after I refused to go the standard procedural route of post cancer adjuvant therapy. I'd done my homework and didn't feel an aromatase inhibitor was beneficial for me. After trying three and experiencing severe side effects, I'd decided to seek alternative options. My doctor did not support me. He was constantly pushing me to take the medication. At first, it wasn't evident he'd given up on me but when I began to see his lack of attention during my office visits, I put two and two together. I knew it was time to move on.
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