I learned many valuable lessons from this first experience with cancer.
- Educate yourself.
- Prior to your appointment, prepare a list of questions and don't be afraid to ask them.
- Get your family or friends involved. It's important to have support. You may think you can handle this alone, but having someone there will help you tremendously.
- Don't be afraid to self-advocate. You don't always have to do whatever the doctor tells you to do.
- Never rush into anything. The decisions you make will affect your life forever. Take the time to make sure you are doing what is right for you.
- Get more than one opinion if you're unsure.
Angi, this is great advice and not just for people considering reconstruction. It's true for most medical situations. Of course, sometimes people have an appendix about to burst or a heart emergency, but most of the time, it pays to gather all of the information before deciding what to do.