Two weeks I had sharp chest pains so I called my Doctor's office. While crossing my arms due to the pain in my chest, I found a lump in my breast. I called my Doctors office wanting to make an appointment. I got sent to the emergency room because he said I had heart attack symtoms...After 1 1/2 days in the hospital and going through several test, I was discharged. I was told I had a strong heart and great lungs. I then followed up with an appt. with my regular Dr. He ordered a mamogram. To make a long story short....I was sent to a surgeon who did a biopsy and was told I had breast cancer. I had a lumpectomy on Tues, March 22. I was told on March 25th that I have Infiltrating Ductile Cacinoma and that the cancer was in 3 or more lymp nodes. We still do not have the "final" pathologist reports. The surgeon had to go "deep" into the chest wall and those test are still pending. He advises that I will need radiation and chemotherapy. They have an appointment set up with an Oncologist on April 1st AND on April 6th with a "radiation oncologist?". Before my surgery, I kept asking for an oncologist opinion....I never got one....I had seen an oncologist two years ago because I was told then that I had cancer "somewhere". I went through a lot of test, but then I was released by the oncologist stating that he could not find any cancer anywhere. I am very nervous, as the surgeon has the appointment with the SAME oncologist that released me two years ago. I am praying that God will lead me to the "right" place. I might also mention, the hospital that I was in and did test prior to surgery, lost my records twice. I had to have two biopsies, because they lost the first results. I would appreciate any feedback.
Lou...God puts people in our paths for a host of reasons and I believe today I was sent to this sight to give you GREAT ADVICE. Call the Cancer Treatment Center of America and have them make arrangements to get you out there for QUALITY TREATMENT.
They will want the films from the pathology report and medical records from all doctors that have treated you concerning cancer. HOWEVER, they are extremely organized, kind, professional, experienced and every wonderful thing you can think of. They will: review your medical history with you; run their own tests and compare the results with your existing medical records; customize a treatment regiment specifically for you; and they will have you and your care-giver meet with someone from every department there: nutritionist, naturopathologist, spiritual advisor, case worker, oncologist, physical therapist, and pain management.
I was just there 2 weeks ago after several unfortunate incidents with my oncologist over the past three years. I've decided to travel back to the Zion, Illinois facility monthly for treatment until they open the Philadelphia facility in October.
If you believe in God and divine miracles, you will DEFINITELY want to go there. They will handle the flight and lodging arrangements, just tell them when you're ready to go.
Be blessed and keep us posted.
Fran
Hi Lou,
Yes, do go to CTCA. My husband had a good experience there with an oncologist named Dr. Kelly, who does treat breast cancer. But we were amazed at how caring and well informed everyone we met there was. They really want to do "patient centered medicine" and they have made tremendous progress along that path.
Be well. Don't worry; they will help you figure out insurance and all.
If you find that you cannot go there, find someone else you feel trusting of. Don't go back to doctors that you feel uneasy about. It's your body!
blessings
Laurie
Lou...I completely understand your anxiety. I had lobular carcinoma Nov 2003 and had a masectomy of my right breast. I was blessed in many ways through the entire experience of not having to endure many things that other breast cancer patients have gone through. I can only tell you how I responded when I found out I had breast cancer. I knew I had not gotten cancer 'over night' so I decided to take two weeks and research what exactly I did have. One full week to research it and one week to just let it all sink in. Educating myself helped relieve my anxiety. I immedately got a copy of my pathology report. Call them everyday until you get it. Once you get it, get on the internet and look up the definition of each word. I had difficulty understanding it even after looking up the definitions. I met a great friend who had also had breast cancer and she was in the medical field. She was able to put the pathology report into layman terms for me so I could understand where it was, what lymph nodes were actually involved or if the cancer had went thru them, etc. I then got on the internet and educated myself about the type of cancer I had, how it can travel in your body, etc. I then educated myself on treatments for the type of cancer I had. I was amazed at the options available including alternative medicine. Like you, I also had a bad experience with an oncologist. Get two opinions. Have them tell you what type of treatment in detail they want to give you. Again, research the type of treatment they advise. Your treatment is your choice. I chose my treatment and, no, the oncologist was not happy with me, but I was. I am now cancer free and have never regretted my treatment decision. Only you can choose your treatment. Make sure you understand all the side effects of any treatment you choose, not only the immediate (during treatment) but also ask about the long term side effects. This will also help you tremendously because you know you're body better than anyone. The key is: know your options. Cancer Centers of America can help you with some of the questions you will have. Luckily, I talked with them but found it was not necessary to physically see them. However, after researching their cancer centers, I would have chosen the one in Oklahoma (and I'm from Tennessee!). You can find good information on Cancer Centers website and M.D. Anderson Clinic in Texas. Both are excellent starting places for your research. Good luck and I know God will lead you in the right direction through this.
Dear Lou:
Sorry to read your story and I only wish you the best. From reading your message I found that you had answered your own questions. You have many questions regarding the oncologist, the hospital, and especially being told 2 years ago you had cancer 'somewhere in your sytem' but never found????? I would strongly suggest a second opinion and find an oncologist and a hospital that you are confortable with and who can answer all and any questions you may have. My daughter was diagnosed just before Christmas with Lymphoma and we have a hospital 15 minutes from our home but once we met with the oncologist and his team we did not feel comfortable with that hospital so we now travel over two hours every other week to another hospital and we do not regret our decision at all. We know that all the questions we ask are answered and we have wonderful support from the oncology nursing staff. Go where your heart leads you and as they say the 1st decision is always the best. Best of luck and hope to hear back from you. God Bless and I have added you to my prayer list.
Mally
Lou,
Tell your doctor you will not be happy with the
same oncologist and if he won't get you another one the best thing to do is get another doctor, too. It sounds like you have had very bad luck with doctors. If a doctor doesn't help you or listen to you or doesn't send you to someone who
will then he shouldn't be in that profession.
When you are told you have cancer somewhere they
should find it, not dismiss you.
Pray for God to guide you.
I have excellent doctors and onocologist. they
all take very good care of me and if I am not
satisified with any doctor they do find me one
that will help me.
God Bless You.
PLEASE contact CTCA for information. There are 3 facilities currently - Seattle, WA, Tulsa, OK, and Zion Il - the 4th in Philadelphia to open soon. I went through a similar experience last year - bilateral infiltrating ductal carcinoma and was sent to a surgeon immediately after biopsies. He said bilateral radical mastectomies with chemo. Got second opinion, another surgeon, same recommendation. I wondered when the oncologist would be recommended? LOTS & LOTS of information on the internet and recommendations did not agree with pathology from biopsies - left was 1 cm stage 2, right was 2.5 cm stage 1. HER results were not in. Breast cancer centers of America (not CTCA) had article showing 'we are way OVERTREATING breast cancer - chemotherapy should not always be automatic'. I was devastated and felt so alone. Then, I remembered (divine intervention?) a TV advertisement for CTCA "we're here for you 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week". Went to their website and their home page shows "We fight cancer - that's all we do". That was the place for me! I didn't want a general surgeon to operate on a gall bladder, remove both my breasts, then on to an appendectomy. I wanted CANCER experts. You'll find it at CTCA as well as the most caring enthusiastic staff you'll ever encounter. There were patients there (I went to Tulsa) from Mayo Clinic, M D Anderson, etc that had given up hope - and they couldn't say enough for the support and treatment they received at CTCA. Good Luck and you'll certainly be in my prayers as all who have follwed me are daily. I was Blessed - lumpectomies and HDR brachytherapy on the Left, only. NO CHEMO was necessary. Given Arimidex Rx and am Cancer free at 6 months and annual exam coming up in July. Cancer can be beaten. But you need the 3 Fs - Faith, Family and Friends. Their support will be invaluable as you take up the fight. Remember, treatments available now (HDR brachytherapy) were not available 3 short years ago! Not approved for breat cancer treatment by the FDA until 2002. So, take advantage of all information, ASK QUESTIONS, and be comfortable with your treatment options and physicians. Again, God Bless you.
Listen to yourself, your heart, your mind, your experience, FIND ANOTHER DOCTOR! You know what the right thing to do is, you are in charge of yourself. If you can, get copies of all your medical records, including the ones from the oncologist. Pray daily for courage, strength, faith, comfort. All the best to you.
My heart goes out to you. Why, when someone is suffering, are their simplest procedures fraught with symptoms of staff incompetence! I could point to several lymph-system stimulants, and to many well-documented successes in abatement of cells-gone-crazy. For now, I will point out that every cancer researcher has known (& for the longer-lived, for all this time, since the early 1950's!!!) that cancer cells cannot live in an alkaline environment; nor in an oxygen-rich environment! These are NOT ignored by the teams at Cancer Treatment Centers, but are components of the all-things-considered approaches, which should be the norm, and are at CTC (as best we can, always striving to improve; aiming for the ever-elusive "perfection", we grow ever closer, because we, and our patients, are seeking it!) For yet another list of what one may do for themselves as well, see: cancertutor.com. Sincerely, your advocate, MLM, ND
Dear Lou,
I too had similar things happen. After a mastectomy I found 2 lumps and my doctor said ,"That is not cancer, just due to your implant." I waited 5 months and went to my plastic surgeon. He disagreed with his colleague and he took them out. Invasive ductal carcinoma. I found out by my new surgeon that it was always on the original MRI!The original doc. could not read my MRI.
God is so good. He will lead you to the best docs as you listen and watch Him engineer circumstances in your life! I have great treatment now. After major chemo and radiation 9 months ago ,I have no cancer.More hair than ever too!
In Him,
Karen
Psalm 139