Breast cancer treatment

I don't know what help this message board can be, but if you're here asking this question.....that answers my first question for you without me needing to ask it (I think?).

Look through any of the discharge paperwork (or your wife and/or you may also have emails from MDACC), and look for your discharge instructions or look for anything labeled "discharge planning" or "What to do Next?" "Next Steps"....that is her instructions for what to do next. There may be contact information in this packet/folder of papers or emails, the email may just be links to click on and go set up an account at the MDACC patient portal. In fact, let's start there, I would hope this has already been done (it should have been), but have she (or you) set up her MyChart? If not, go to their website and do it!!!!


------------VERY LONG RANT FOLLOWS, FEEL FREE TO IGNORE....UNLESS YOU'RE INTO THIS KIND OF THING--------------------------------------

I know that sounds braindead simple and of course you have already done all of that, which is why you're here now asking the tigerdroppings.biz health and fitness board, but you have to understand that I've discharged a few patients in my time and I've been the one who went over the discharge paperwork with patients and their significant others and I've explained everything, answered every question, gone over every page and highlighted things I think need the extra emphasis or I've crossed out whole pages of things because it's unnecessary (usually just a page of medical lingo of no value to the patient), and I've seen patients then throw that packet in the trash before they leave, or they just leave it on the bedside table in exactly the same place it was when we signed it together. ( In defense of some people, some folks have confusion and/or bad hearing or there's some kind of barrier to them getting the message that this packet of papers is FOR YOU TO TAKE AND KEEP WITH YOU and sometimes we aren't careful enough to make sure people understand that). My point is, I've seen plenty of examples of people who were well cared for and given everything they were required to be given(teaching, instructions, equipment, medications, etc) and I've seen them later on claim to be oblivious as to what they were supposed to do next because "No one told me"....well, I often know that that is a lie, they were told and for some reason they didn't do anything with the information, but they will loudly claim otherwise. I also know that doctors and nurses are humans and they forget shite, don't do shite, lie about shite, etc, so I'm not completely absolving anyone here. I don't care to place blame here, too late for that to do any good, let's just move forward to get her hooked up with what she needs. The reason I'm typing all these damn words is to try to be very firm towards how I explain this to people. If you or someone you care about are a patient with serious medical issues, YOU HAVE TO TAKE CHARGE AND MAKE shite HAPPEN! I know it's not right, I know it's not fair. I know that the "people at the hospital/doctor's office/clinic/etc" should have done their job, but I know as well as anyone that that is not happening 100% of the time, hell maybe not 50% of the time. It shouldn't be like that but it is, so just resolve to be her best advocate because you have to be. It's like defensive driving tactics are often the only way to drive safely, it sounds counterintuitive but it works. I just want your wife to get what she needs, and you just sound like the kind of person who needs to hear this. Be more aggressive about getting all the answers as soon as possible and don't be afraid to be a pest and call quicker than you think you should, or call more times than you think you should. You can't risk falling through the cracks because you trusted other people to do what they said they would do, but didn't, and you wait too long to act or you(her)miss out on things that are essential. If you don't need to hear this, if it doesn't apply to you and her, I'm sorry, this wasn't intended to be an accusation.

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For a cancer patient, this kind of thing should have been done already(for every damn patient, obviously, but cancer patients are extra-special, (sorry I'm not sorry), that's what is aggravating me right now. I don't want to take it out on the wrong person, but I've been a nurse for a long while and this is our job. So either someone(s) at MDACC dropped the ball by not doing their job, or your wife (and/or you) were not listening. Sorry, I'm not trying to be a dick and accuse you and your wife being the issue here. I'm just saying it's possible. I can't relate to the stress you or her are in related to all of this because I've never been through it, so all I can do is try my best to imagine that's it all really confusing and overwhelming so I try extra hard to be patient at all times.

Here's the point:

If you don't find any information in her discharge paperwork, or don't have access to it anymore, contact CASE MANAGEMENT at MD Anderson directly and explain the situation to them. She is still their patient and it is their job to make sure she is set up to proceed with her care, they will help you.

MD Anderson Cancer Center - Case Management Navigators

If you have anyone's card and phone number/email from her time there, call them and ask for help getting in touch with case management, but otherwise call their main number.
Phone# 1-877-632-6789
I still think your best source of contact info is in the actual physical discharge papers, or looking on Mychart patient portal.