On 7/3/2008
John Elliott wrote:
Is there anyone out there that have seeked treatment for the RCC at the Cancer Treatment Ctrs of America? If so please share with me your experiences. Would you recommend them? How much of a help were they?
Hi John
I received chemo and radiation from July through Oct of 2007 for cancer of the left tonsil at CTCA in Zion, IL and I HIGHLY recommend them. Everyone - the doctors, the nurses, the technicians - and many others were amazing. They were a God send during one of the most difficult times of my life. One day when I was having an extremely bad day, one of the ladies who worked in the cafeteria came over to check on me and see if she could get me anything.
I have Aetna Insurance and I had NO problems w/ their taking my insurance. If you are unsure, you can call them and they will check into it for you. I never had to deal w/ my insurance company as they handled everything for me. The gentleman who started CTCA did so after losing his own mother to cancer and believes that the patient and caregivers comfort are the most important things. They have a motto that God didn't give us an expiration date so they will not either.
What was very important to me was that CTCA believes in an integrative cancer treatment approach. They combine conventional methods, such as surgery, radiation, chemo, and immunotherapy with complementary therapies such as nutrition, naturopathic med, mind-body med, physical therapy, pain management, and spiritual support - you can participate in one, two, all, or none of the complementary treatments (I even tried acupuncture for nausea). I chose CTCA which is app 85 miles from me rather than a cancer treatment center that is only about 10 miles from me partly for this reason.
I know they pay for flights in for the patient - I'm not sure about a caregiver though. I knew several people that flew in for treatment (and still are flying in) but we drove and they paid us mileage. They have contracts w/ all the local motel/hotels and you are given a very reasonable rate (they pay a portion and you pay a portion). That is not the reason why I would recommend CTCA though. I feel I got the best care possible w/ the best machine available for my type of cancer - TOMO therapy. I still go back every three months for my check ups. You know how they say little things mean a lot - well for me it was the receptionist in the radiation department remembering me by name and asking how I was each and every day. My medical oncologist at CTCA stopped my heparin a couple of months into treatment because there is now proof it doesn't help. A couple of months after they stopped my heparin intake I was hospitalized at a local hospital. They forced me into having daily heparin shots in the stomach - and I was on the oncology floor. For me this was saying CTCA was ahead of our local hospital as to the latest data. If you have any questions about CTCA I will be glad to answer them. I can guarantee you that you will not be sorry if you go there. Oh, and my husband would add, they have one of the best cafeterias I have ever seen in a hospital. Nutrition is very important when battling cancer. Food for the patient is free and for caregivers they have a limit - I think it was $4 - you paid above that. They even have a gym there if and when you feel like using it.
Diana