What to Ask Before Cancer Surgery
When someone has cancer there are several emotions that are to be expected including fear, anger and resentment. The patient will be scared and confused and it is up to the doctor to do his best to put him at ease. There are a lot of questions that need to be answered about the steps that need to be taken. This guide will help with information regarding what to ask before cancer surgery.
Frequent Questions to ask Before Cancer Surgery
Most people going through such a medical procedure will require as much information as possible. It is the doctor’s responsibility to help the patient cope but at the same time be as straightforward as possible. These are some questions that most cancer patients must ask before an operation.
- What alternatives are there? Surgery should be considered only if there are no other viable options available.
- How will the procedure affect the patient’s life? The cancer sufferer will want to know how his life will be different after the operation.
- What are the risks involved? Since cancer is a very serious condition a patient has the right to know beforehand the chances of something going wrong.
- What is the name of the procedure? To ease the stress the patient will most likely want to research the procedure at length. In order to do that he will need to know the exact medical term for the procedure.
- What will happen if they don’t operate? It must always be taken into account the fact that cancer surgery is complex and difficult. It might not always be the best course of action.
- Will this procedure cure the patient? There is no need to give people false hope. They deserve to know the truth.
- What medication is needed on the day of the surgery? When should the patient stop eating? These are important questions that help the operation go as smoothly as possible.
What to Ask Before Cancer Surgery- Questions About the Recovery
Just because the surgery is done doesn’t mean that the entire process is finished. The road to recovery can be even more stressful and difficult and the patient needs to know exactly what guidelines to follow.
- Are there special instructions to speed up the recovery? Most patients will be willing to go the extra mile in insuring a quick rehabilitation process.
- What type of scarring is to be expected? Although not vital since it is only cosmetic, maintaining a good appearance can help with the patient’s morale which in turn can speed up recovery.
- What type of follow-up will be required? After such an ordeal a patient will want to get on with his life as quickly as possible and leave the whole experience behind.
- How long will the patient stay in the hospital? Nobody likes to stay in hospitals. The faster he is out the faster he can get on with his life.
- What limitations will the patient’s prior activities suffer? Every cancer survivor wants to live the life they had before, even though this is not always possible. Most of them need to make adjustments to their daily routines.
- When will the patient be able to return to work? Money is a concern for everyone. Cancer surgeries aren’t cheap. The sooner the patient can return to work the sooner he can start making money.