What do you say to someone waiting for biopsy results?
It is tempting to say, "You will be fine," but you both know that you can't make that guarantee. Instead, a more helpful thing to say would be something like "I'll be here for you, no matter what the test results reveal."
Say things to let the person know you care. It can be as simple as, "If you need to talk, I'm here for you" or "I'm sorry you're going through this. It must be very scary." Be willing to accompany the patient to doctor's appointments.
What do you say to someone waiting for a cancer test?
Ring them up, send a card, note or text to say you're thinking of them. Let them know that if they want to talk you'll be there to listen - then make sure you are available. Respect their need for privacy. Offer support throughout the whole diagnosis - at the beginning, during and after treatment.
Know when to call your doctor by using the 2-week rule: If you notice a subtle change in your normal health and it lasts 2 weeks or more, it's time to explore what is causing the change. Your doctor wants to hear from you before a small problem becomes a bigger, more complex one.
These procedures are usually fairly quick and might take 15 to 30 minutes to perform, depending on the part of the body being biopsied. Typically, the biopsy sample is then saved in a special type of preservative and sent to the pathology lab for processing.
Your GP, hospital consultant or practice nurse will give you your results and explain what they mean. A biopsy is sometimes inconclusive, which means it hasn't produced a definitive result. In this case, the biopsy may need to be repeated, or other tests may be required to confirm your diagnosis.
Hear me oh Lord, I hunger for you to have the test from this biopsy come back clean - completely cancer free. If there is any cancer in me now, tear it from my body and leave me cancer free until the end of time.
If you need to see a Doctor urgently on the day (Urgent meaning it is not regarding regular medication, on-going problems), please phone up or come in and book an emergency appointment. These are run every day and are only bookable on the day.
