For the person going through it
Find the whole path in one place, from the first finding to follow-up.
019 April
The first look
On 9 April my Hausarzt, my family doctor, examined me. I had no symptoms, only a small lump that had been there for a few months. But over a short period of time it had become aggressively large.
I still remember her look, and the rush. The way she asked reception to put an urgent sticker on my referral. That was the first moment I felt this might not go well.
02Within one month
Everything moved so fast
In Germany we say it takes ages to get a doctor’s appointment, and I agree, it often does. But when there is real urgency, they take it very seriously and make things happen.
The cancer was growing at a fast pace. But on the other side, the doctors worked at a pace I can truly recommend. Within one month I had my diagnosis (aggressive breast cancer, stage 3) and my treatment schedule in my hands. That is the positive side of our healthcare, and I want to share it.
03That whole month
A world turned upside down
My whole world was turned upside down. All that month I had one doctor’s appointment or another, every single day. My thoughts were mixed and overwhelming: the news, the daily visits, the fear of what would happen next.