MD Anderson-need referral

sfmarie
sfmarie Member Posts: 602
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Anyone out there being treated at MD Anderson and can give us the name of your oncologist?

My sister is struggling right now. I am not sure MD has any "new" answers but right now, she really needs help and we feel she is not getting a "whole" approach. She is in terrible pain, has trouble eating and keeping weight on and her energy level is very low. The current chemo (Erbitux and 5FU) is not working. They want to give it one last shot, then back to Avastin or clinical trials. No support in terms of nutrition. Any advice referrals would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Marie

Comments

  • geotina
    geotina Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    #2
    Marie
    There is a member on here "lmliess" who had her liver resection at Anderson. I'm sure if you pm her she can get you informtion and names you need and give you some direction.

    There is also a caring bride site I follow, keithfriend, who is having liver resection at Anderson tomorrow. Keith puts his caring bridge site all over the place so I am not talking out of turn putting it out here. You can go to his site and I think he lists the name of his docotor(s) at Anderson and his journey going to Anderson.

    Another member Roger (Crow71) posted in the last few days about his upcoming surgery. He is having HIPEC and resection in April. He is not at Anderson but perhaps if you send him a PM he can give you some insight as to where he is having his surgery at and what his experience is.

    If I can think of anyone else I'll let you know.

    Take care - Tina
  • Brenda3.16
    Brenda3.16 Member Posts: 209
    #3
    geotina said:

    Marie
    There is a member on here "lmliess" who had her liver resection at Anderson. I'm sure if you pm her she can get you informtion and names you need and give you some direction.

    There is also a caring bride site I follow, keithfriend, who is having liver resection at Anderson tomorrow. Keith puts his caring bridge site all over the place so I am not talking out of turn putting it out here. You can go to his site and I think he lists the name of his docotor(s) at Anderson and his journey going to Anderson.

    Another member Roger (Crow71) posted in the last few days about his upcoming surgery. He is having HIPEC and resection in April. He is not at Anderson but perhaps if you send him a PM he can give you some insight as to where he is having his surgery at and what his experience is.

    If I can think of anyone else I'll let you know.

    Take care - Tina

    Marie. I don't have any
    Marie. I don't have any information about MD Anderson, but I do admire the support that you offer your sister. My sister Amy posts here and is a huge support to me and my family.

    I am 42 have mets to liver and lungs and have been doing chemo since March 2009. I still feel good, work full time as a teacher, exercise, travel, ski and do everything I can. I have a 14 year old daughter.

    I live in NE Penna and have been to Sloan, Fox Chase , the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Maryland. The University of Maryland is much smaller than the others and was the only place that I felt that I was really treated like an individual. The other places all told me that surgery was not an option at this point and possibly would never be.

    My local oncologist is awesome. He is intelligent and really cares. He encourages me to get other opinions. I have been tolerating chemo really well and it has been working so far. I am going to go back to the University of Maryland again after I have been on Avastin for a few months.


    I am glad that you are encouraging your sister to keep searching for options. I am doing the same thing.

    Brenda
  • pf78248
    pf78248 Member Posts: 209
    #4
    M D Anderson referral - I am a cheerleader for MDA!
    Marie,
    I've read many of your posts and what a great sister you are. She is so fortunate to have you help her fight this awful cancer. MD truly has a whole approach and you get an entire team here including radiologists and surgeons, nutritionists, pain management specialists and any other kind of need you could possible have. And the team coordinates extremely well and we have found them truly extraordinary and caring.

    I am right now at M D Anderson with my husband David, stage 4 with liver mets, who Tuesday had a liver resection and so far is doing great. The oncologist he has is Dr. Wolff. He is wonderful. But I hear fabulous reports about every oncologist in the gastro section of this hospital.

    You or your sister can just call M D Anderson and ask for an appointment. You don't have to have a doctor refer, although our doctor did and I think we got in a little sooner. Of course they would want all her medical records and then come here in Houston for CT scans and bloodwork, etc. before meeting with an oncologist.

    Please let me know if I can provide any more information or help. You can look up the numbers on their website or let me know and I can give them to you.

    I will say this place is amazing. My husband was inoperable according to two surgeons but that wasn't the case when we came here. The surgeon and oncologist both agreed not only was surgery possible, but a very good outcome could be anticipated. I do know that having tumors in more than one location makes things way more complex and often makes resection postponed or impossible.

    I do wish you, your sister, and your entire family the very best. This stuff is nasty and I hate it.

    Priscilla
  • lizdeli
    lizdeli Member Posts: 569 Member
    #5
    pf78248 said:

    M D Anderson referral - I am a cheerleader for MDA!
    Marie,
    I've read many of your posts and what a great sister you are. She is so fortunate to have you help her fight this awful cancer. MD truly has a whole approach and you get an entire team here including radiologists and surgeons, nutritionists, pain management specialists and any other kind of need you could possible have. And the team coordinates extremely well and we have found them truly extraordinary and caring.

    I am right now at M D Anderson with my husband David, stage 4 with liver mets, who Tuesday had a liver resection and so far is doing great. The oncologist he has is Dr. Wolff. He is wonderful. But I hear fabulous reports about every oncologist in the gastro section of this hospital.

    You or your sister can just call M D Anderson and ask for an appointment. You don't have to have a doctor refer, although our doctor did and I think we got in a little sooner. Of course they would want all her medical records and then come here in Houston for CT scans and bloodwork, etc. before meeting with an oncologist.

    Please let me know if I can provide any more information or help. You can look up the numbers on their website or let me know and I can give them to you.

    I will say this place is amazing. My husband was inoperable according to two surgeons but that wasn't the case when we came here. The surgeon and oncologist both agreed not only was surgery possible, but a very good outcome could be anticipated. I do know that having tumors in more than one location makes things way more complex and often makes resection postponed or impossible.

    I do wish you, your sister, and your entire family the very best. This stuff is nasty and I hate it.

    Priscilla

    MD Anderson Referral
    Hi,
    I was treated at MD for anal cancer. I felt like I received wonderful care and I highly recomend MD. The team of doctors I had treat a lot of colon and rectal cancer patients as well. Dr. Cathy Eng, Oncologist, Dr. Richard Crane, Radiologist and Dr. Geroge Chang surgeon is the team that I have handling my case. You can go online and arrange to have medical records sent or call there. main number is 800-392-1611.

    Be prepared. MD Anderson is a very busy place. The wait times for CT scans, PET scans and appointments is long....very long. I got used to it after awhile and it was worth the wait. I'm NED and praying I stay that way. I fly down to Houston every 3 months for check ups.

    Wishing you well,
    Liz
  • sfmarie
    sfmarie Member Posts: 602
    #6
    lizdeli said:

    MD Anderson Referral
    Hi,
    I was treated at MD for anal cancer. I felt like I received wonderful care and I highly recomend MD. The team of doctors I had treat a lot of colon and rectal cancer patients as well. Dr. Cathy Eng, Oncologist, Dr. Richard Crane, Radiologist and Dr. Geroge Chang surgeon is the team that I have handling my case. You can go online and arrange to have medical records sent or call there. main number is 800-392-1611.

    Be prepared. MD Anderson is a very busy place. The wait times for CT scans, PET scans and appointments is long....very long. I got used to it after awhile and it was worth the wait. I'm NED and praying I stay that way. I fly down to Houston every 3 months for check ups.

    Wishing you well,
    Liz

    Thank you all
    Liz, Tina, Brenda, and Prescilla,

    I will certainly research the names and get an appointment at MD Anderson. You all know how much I cherish this board, the advice, the hope, the sadness, the community and the love.

    I wish I had a magic wand and could wave it and make everyone here NED. I also wish I won the lottery and paid for everyone's medical bills. That would make me feel awesome!

    I really hate this disease. I hate the "no warning signs/symptoms", the unknown, the searching the patient is left to do in terms of treatment, support, answers. Most of all, I pray they find a cure for this disease!

    Cancer sucks. But I pray each and every night for all of you here.

    Marie
  • sfmarie
    sfmarie Member Posts: 602
    #7
    geotina said:

    Marie
    There is a member on here "lmliess" who had her liver resection at Anderson. I'm sure if you pm her she can get you informtion and names you need and give you some direction.

    There is also a caring bride site I follow, keithfriend, who is having liver resection at Anderson tomorrow. Keith puts his caring bridge site all over the place so I am not talking out of turn putting it out here. You can go to his site and I think he lists the name of his docotor(s) at Anderson and his journey going to Anderson.

    Another member Roger (Crow71) posted in the last few days about his upcoming surgery. He is having HIPEC and resection in April. He is not at Anderson but perhaps if you send him a PM he can give you some insight as to where he is having his surgery at and what his experience is.

    If I can think of anyone else I'll let you know.

    Take care - Tina

    Tina
    Thank you for your continued support and concern and prayers. It is heartwarming! And really makes you believe in the kindness of humans.

    You are very special!

    Marie
  • Crow71
    Crow71 Member Posts: 679 Member
    #8
    geotina said:

    Marie
    There is a member on here "lmliess" who had her liver resection at Anderson. I'm sure if you pm her she can get you informtion and names you need and give you some direction.

    There is also a caring bride site I follow, keithfriend, who is having liver resection at Anderson tomorrow. Keith puts his caring bridge site all over the place so I am not talking out of turn putting it out here. You can go to his site and I think he lists the name of his docotor(s) at Anderson and his journey going to Anderson.

    Another member Roger (Crow71) posted in the last few days about his upcoming surgery. He is having HIPEC and resection in April. He is not at Anderson but perhaps if you send him a PM he can give you some insight as to where he is having his surgery at and what his experience is.

    If I can think of anyone else I'll let you know.

    Take care - Tina

    Hey Marie
    My surgery is going to be done by Dr. Shen at Wake Forest here in Winston-Salem. I had an appointment at MD Anderson but cancelled it after my Sloan consult. Sloan does not do the debulking surgery. For this surgery they refer patients to Pitt and sometimes Wake Forest. I think the same is true for MD ANderson. I really believe that Wake is the right place for me. Love Dr. Shen so far. Talk to me in a few weeks.

    Marie - or anyone - If you are interested in Wake just let me know and I'll help you out all I can.
    Here's the link to the surgery I'm having: http://www2.wfubmc.edu:80/gs/patient/iphc/

    Hey Tina - Hope you guys are doing well.


    Roger
  • krf
    krf Member Posts: 98
    #9
    sfmarie said:

    Thank you all
    Liz, Tina, Brenda, and Prescilla,

    I will certainly research the names and get an appointment at MD Anderson. You all know how much I cherish this board, the advice, the hope, the sadness, the community and the love.

    I wish I had a magic wand and could wave it and make everyone here NED. I also wish I won the lottery and paid for everyone's medical bills. That would make me feel awesome!

    I really hate this disease. I hate the "no warning signs/symptoms", the unknown, the searching the patient is left to do in terms of treatment, support, answers. Most of all, I pray they find a cure for this disease!

    Cancer sucks. But I pray each and every night for all of you here.

    Marie

    Hi Marie- When we told our
    Hi Marie- When we told our oncologist here at Wake that we were looking at MD Anderson for a second opinion, he recommended Dr. Eng. As Roger said, after we got the second from Sloan, we cancelled at MD.
    I have been thinking about you and your sister all the time. I do not post as much since Roger has joined, not sure why, but I read everyday. Know that I am sending your sister healing vibes and sending you as much strength as I can!

    Kim

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