I have always been a supporter of getting the answers and moving on. I have said on more than one occasion that once you get the game plan you are better able to process how and what you need to do next and it puts you back in the driver seat. Today I learned a new lesson. One of my patient that has finished treatment is now just back for routine check ups. I see her dealing with some hesitation and possibly loss issues including depression and her voice told me that things had gone too fast and she was now asking the what if's? She is a very faith oriented person and does feel that she is where she needs to be but is still struggling to resolve some of the issues regarding her surgery and treatment and the what if's. I hear her loud and clear and it certainly has put a new spin in my head. We often forge ahead with what we hope is right for the patient and yet this time we needed to slow down and listen maybe a bit more attentively. How often after the fact do we look at situations and wonder how it got to where it ended up? For me, I needed the quick intervention and moving ahead and have not looked back. I understand where this patient is coming from but this is also after all has been completed and she is out of the daily loop of professional health care workers to help her process this while she is going through it. It makes me think of seeing a wreck and doing what you need to do and then when it is done, you hit a wall. How long that wall stays up depends on your ability to process it and move one. Patients are often feeling a loss at the end of treatment since they have had people around them every day that understands what they are going through and how to help them every step of the way and now after possible a year, you are to resume your life and it has changed. This is a time that support groups, counseling, and renewing of friendships become even more important as you pass to a new normal. I heard her loud and clear today. She emphasized how since having cancer, she is never sure what is normal and what isn't and what you report and what you don't. You don't want to be a hypochondriac but on the other hand you don't want to ignore something that could lead to bigger issues in your life. The key to all of this is to never assume that all is going as expected. Take the time to sit and listen and support, and care. So next time we will have to assess our direction and meet the needs of each individual as they come through the door and reach out as it is a scarey time for all. Make it a day that is great! S
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AuthorMy name is Sue Kilburn and I am a clinical nurse breast cancer educator at the Yolanda G. Barco Oncology Institute in Meadville, Pennsylvania. Archives
March 2015
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