I am recently diagnosed and going through all the decisions, options etc...how did others choose their surgeon? I mean you can ask for referrals from plumbers, car mechanics, hairdressers but how do you get a referral for a breast surgeon? My gyno recommended a couple who both seem competent but what exactly do I know. I'd like to speak with another patient but you can't get a list !
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Glad you found us here. Are you going to a hospital in the city, or the island, or...? Sloan Kettering, of course, is ideal. I think your first step might be to call the local branch of the American Cancer Society (cancer.org), see if they have any resources that might help you. Then, if the place you're being treated so far has a social services department, ask how they can help. Our hospital has a program that matches women with similar breast cancer diagnoses—one who's been through it, the other just starting—and the grapevine that this creates is a very useful tool for selecting doctors of all kinds. Best of luck to you, and please stay in touch here - we can most definitely help as you go through this. PJH
Thanks, I was actually pretty much decided on a surgeon that my gyno recommended, I liked him & found info online about various awards but I would love to hear form other parients that used him, if only to find out if his staff was good, did you wait long, were they happy with their result (of course assuming they are alive they should be happy!)
I'll be treated on Long Island but the surgeon I am going to was trained at Sloan, so i guess the best of both world's. Considered going in to Sloan but my case seems fairly routine so I think the travel might just add to the anxiety level, seems smarter to stay close to home, unless things turn out to be worse than epected.
Amazing how nice everyone is to you when you join "the club" I've gotten tons of support from all the hospital and mammo center staff. Nice to find the site to see how aother people are dealing with it.
Thanks.
I tink you'll find that what you mention is one of the truly good parts about cancer - you feel SO much caring and love, from so many (often unexpected) places... Good luck with your surgery - too bad they won't share any patient names with you! That's exactly what our cancer center DOES do - they get permission from patients to share their names with others. Most everyone is very happy to be available to tell another woman about their experience. Hope your treatment is uneventful— PJH
It's much easier to be treated close to home if little problems develop that have to be checked out like some post-surgery redness that you want someone to take a look at. In choosing a surgeon, the most important recommendation is the one from another doctor plus your own gut feelings about the doctor. For an oncologist, whom you would see much more frequently over a longer period of time, the other factors you mention about staff and wait times increase in importance. With surgeons what really matters is how competent they are in the operating room.
It sounds like you are doing a really good job of researching your options. That's a really good skill to have and will help you feel more in control when everything seems to be spinning out of control. You'll get the better medical care and will be more likely to have the best possible medical outcome.
Thanks Phyllis, the surgeon I chose is actually an oncologist also and literally up the block from my home so I am feeling good about my choice ... lumpectomy scheduled at the end of the month, fingers crossed that all goes smoothly. So far my outlook is that this is just a blip in the radar, trying not to freak out!