The role of the right medical team in a cancer patient's life

 

When one gets diagnosed with a dread disease like cancer, your life changes. At first, there is disbelief. Then come chaos and fear. The latter remains with you for a very, very long time. 

Over the past 19 months, I learnt so much! Not only did I learn about lobular pleomorphic breast cancer and its treatment, but also about the importance of a solid support structure. 

One would think that a support structure involves only your family and friends. Yet, each medical professional involved in your diagnosis and treatment becomes a crucial part of your support structure. That is why I advocate the significance of selecting your medical team with the utmost caution and scrutiny. 

Today, I want to thank each of the doctors and their teams who are part of my breast cancer journey. Their unconditional care and support make everything more bearable.  

Dr Rudolph van Wyk is our family doctor and the one who broke the bad news to my husband and me. His compassion, knowledge, and detailed explanations are what makes him stand out as an exceptional general practitioner. His team of nurses, Margie and Mercia, and Gerda at reception is always friendly and caring. 

My surgeon is Dr Charles Serrurier; he is considered one of the country's leading oncoplastic surgeons. He has a heart of gold and a warm, welcoming personality. That helped me to relax a little, especially in the early stages where I had to decide whether I will undergo a double mastectomy or not. 

He has an extensive team who were involved in five of my six surgeries since August 2019. The admin team, Mandy and Lisa, is as warm-hearted as the doctor they work for. At the hospital, several medical professionals work with him: Dr McKnight, a nuclear physician who made sure my lymph nodes were clearly marked ahead of my mastectomy; Drs Du Plessis and Norton, the anesthesiologists who managed my sedation for my many surgeries; Dr Maske, the pathologist who identified my type of cancer, based on the histology of the tissue removed during the mastectomy; and the nursing staff of the Rosebank Netcare Hospital's Topaz ward. 

Dr Ronwyn van Eeden is my oncologist. She and her team, nurses Vuyo and Claudette, held my hand throughout the most challenging part of my treatment - chemotherapy. I admire them for their patience with all my questions and for coping with my mood swings. Then there is nurse Una, who drew my blood before each chemo session. She has such a gentle hand and an even gentler soul; and Teresa, the oncology practise pharmacist. The ladies at reception are also always friendly and accommodating. And without Liezl, my case manager, I would have been totally lost within all the admin. 

My cardiologist is Dr Dello Iacono. He and his sister Francesca, who manages his practice, are such caring individuals. The same goes for Dr Papavarnavas, who is my gynaecologist, and his team. 

 

You may wonder why, as a breast cancer patient, I have a cardiologist and gynaecologist in my medical team. My cancer is HER-2 positive, and the drug that I take to inhibit the production of the HER-2 protein can have severe effects on my heart. I also have hormone-positive breast cancer, and the treatment for that involves blocking my body from producing estrogen. As a result, I need regular check-ups of my reproductive system for potential side-effects.

Then, the doctors who oversee my screening every three months: Dr Kaplan, a specialist radiologist and Dr Govender, a diagnostic radiologist. They are responsible for analysing my chest x-rays, my abdomen's ultrasound, mammogram, and ultrasound of my breasts. They and their teams of sonographers and receptionists are friendly and professional.

  

There is also sweet Meagan Atcheson, a clinical dietician. When I started on this breast cancer journey, my oncologist referred me to her. But, I have never had issues with my weight and diet, so I thought I'd be okay without her guidance. Little did I know that I would gain 20 kg due to chemotherapy and the subsequent treatment. I have almost lost half the weight I gained with her help, and I started following a more nutritional diet and a healthy lifestyle.

Last but not least is our local pharmacist, Lisl Rourke. She and the friendly team at Geen and Velleman Pharmacy have always been supportive and caring.

I conclude by encouraging you to make sure that you are comfortable and happy with your medical team, no matter what illness you were diagnosed with. When I set out on this journey, I felt uncomfortable with the radiologist who made the diagnosis, so I went for a second opinion. The general surgeon who performed my first surgery is a friendly doctor; the same doctor recently performed a colonoscopy on my husband. But his office staff are smug, unfriendly, and unaccommodating. They expect us to drive 65 km and back to collect admission forms because they are too busy to send an e-mail. I was also extremely dissatisfied with the first oncologist I consulted. He got irritated by all my questions and told me that he would not explain slower just because I want to write everything down. Needless to say, I saught a different oncologist! 

Remember: it is your body, your life, and your choices. You have the right to seek a second or even third opinion. You deserve the best possible medical care for whatever your illness. And this is true even if you are a patient at a public healthcare facility. 

To all the doctors and their teams mentioned here, and those I forgot to mention, thank you - you're amazing!