The girls I know at the Young Survival Coalition website have discussions on many topics about the impact of cancer on our lives. Sometimes though someone comes up with an idea to lighten things up. Here are the most popular things we don't want to hear from our doctors...
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When complaining to my plastic surgeon about the funky shape of my tissue expander, he said "Well, its sort of like a beach toy that is not fully inflated yet".
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When asked to take part in a clinical trial suitable for stage II cancer I asked my oncologist "So that means I'm stage II then?". He said "Yeah at least!"
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After taking samples of my tumor, my physician asked "Do you want to see them, they look like little tiny pieces of angel hair pasta?"
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After discussing plastic surgery for breast cancer my plastic surgeon said "You know they are never going to look real".
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When discussing with my oncologist about getting my port removed he said " Well, I guess we can put it back in if we need it".
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Talking to my oncologist he says, "Well everything is fine, for now"
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My primary oncologist asked me "So, who is your primary oncologist?"
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My plastic surgeon remarks "I hate making nipples".
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Arriving to get a mammogram a few years after a breast cancer diagnoses. "Why are you here?".
1. I think we cancer patients develop a fine sense of the ridiculous. Sharing stories like these with friends of mine who have had cancer is one of the things that helps me cope. See my site for an anecdote from a friend of mine whose doctor had a terrible time telling her she had cancer--it seemed like the doctor was going to list all the parts of her body that were healthy before she finally got to the one that was diseased.
Here's the link:
http://www.assertivepatient.com/2006/09/talking_to_doct.html
Posted at 10:46PM on Sep 22nd 2006 by Jeanne Sather