Surgery delayed, cancer patients stop feeling abandoned

In mid-March, her surgeon told her that the cancer had invaded her right breast and forced her to have her breast removed.

“It was a shock,” said Bruin, 53, who lives in Quebec.

With tears, she said Hôpital du Saint-Sacrement, At the hospital where she was treated, she began preparing her mind for the next surgery.

Her mastectomy and breast reconstruction were scheduled for April 1st, but there was no guarantee.

By then, state-wide hospitals had already limited surgery to the most urgent cases to free up beds and staff to treat COVID-19 patients.

Still, it was a blow when at the end of March her doctor called her to tell her that the surgery would not occur. Worse, he couldn’t tell her when it would be rescheduled.

“Psychologically, it’s very difficult,” Bruin said. “Cancer is unwieldy under normal circumstances. This is not normal. It’s a lot of extra stress and pain.”

Delay causing stress

It’s not just the blu-in.

The Canada Cancer Society states that many patients have postponed radiation or chemotherapy treatments or surgery because of COVID-19.

Andre Beaulieu, a spokeswoman for the Quebec Division of Society, said that for patients with compromised immune systems, the decision to keep them out of the hospital is often in their best interests. If they are exposed to the virus, they may be more susceptible to complications, he said.

In some cases, patients may be given other options such as oral chemotherapy or hormone blockers to slow the growth of the cancer.

When it comes to surgery, Beaulieu said urgent life-threatening cases are still a priority, but he acknowledged that delays cause a lot of stress.

Earlier this month, Health Minister Daniel McCann said that as the number of COVID-19-related hospitalizations began to decline, more beds would be available for more surgery.

Beaulieu said the news is promising, but hopes the state has plans to address the backlog not only in the coming weeks, but in the coming months.

“We want to prevent cancer patients from becoming collateral disorders during this crisis,” he said.

The long waiting time has become long

However, some patients doubt that the healthcare system is always ready.

Pierre Goujon, a cancer patient at Montreal Hospital (CHUM), was initially told to have laparoscopic surgery within three months.

It dates back to December, long before the COVID-19 crisis.

He has been waiting for three and a half months. Finally, surgery to remove two cancerous nodules in his prostate was scheduled for the end of March.

After that, it was canceled by COVID-19.

“I wasn’t surprised, but very disappointed,” said Goo-John, 57.

Eight months after the first diagnosis, new symptoms such as burns and a feeling of pinching on the feet began to appear.

His doctor told him he could come for more tests if the pain worsened.

Gujoong personally asked about having surgery, but that is not an option.

“I’m crazy,” he said.

Yesterday, the hospital coordinator was called in to tell him that there are more urgent cases than him.

That alone made Ggon anxious.

The longer he waits, the more worried his cancer will be, and the more hormonal and radiation therapies become inevitable.

“I feel like the system has left me aside,” Gugu said.

Want to move forward

Bruin can be associated with the feeling of abandonment of Goojon.

Being single and isolated from her family for COVID-19, Blouin says it is sometimes difficult to deal with so many uncertainties.

Last week, her doctor asked her if she could go to another list this time just for mastectomy.

After the pandemic, she has to wait for breast reconstruction.

“My name is on the list. There is no date. There is nothing,” Bruin said. “He didn’t want to make a promise.”

Bruin’s friends and family think she made the right call.

Although her cancer is localized and not considered a major emergency, Bullouin’s mother, Françoise, died of breast cancer when Bruin was 10 years old.

Bruin regularly begins meditation and yoga, with some support from two women who had cancer last year.

But she is a retention pattern.

She wants to get back to work by now and misses her colleagues.

She understands that the healthcare system needs to focus on COVID-19, but she wants the state to understand the sacrifice these delays are putting on cancer patients like her. I will.

“You need to understand psychologically that I am very tired. I am exhausted from all this stress. I put this behind me and go with my life I want to be able to do that. “