Atlanta, GA

[Rendi69CA]

Hello my sisters and brothers. I am moving to Riverdale, GA in May 2009. Atlanta is 15 miles away. I am looking for an oncologist. If you would like to forward that information. Thank you.

Rendi

Hi Rendi,
Welcome to Atlanta! I hope your move goes smoothly!
I love Atl, even though my family is all on the West Coast/Hawaii. It's a really affordable city & yet still metropolitan enough without the extra hassles of a huge city.

All of my docs are part of the Emory University Hospital/Winship Cancer Institute system.
The campus is located in the NE part of the city, though the Crawford Long Campus is a little closer to Riverdale.
I can't say enough about my team of docs @Emory. They truly believe & susbscribe to treating Stage IV disease like a chronic one and have done an amazing job for/with me. (Incidentally, I'm truly inspired that you've been kicking your disease's a** for almost 10 years!)
I was dx'd StageIV w/liver mets @my primary dx in May 2002. I've been on & off treatment throughout, currently ON for activity in the mediastinal nodes & just completed my 94th round of chemo!Ugh!But I feel great, have my hair (thanks to Gemzar).
My treatment's run the gamut -liver resection in 12/05, mastec & reconstruction, rads for supraclav nodes recurrences and have remained on maintenance Herceptin q3wk.

The 1st year of my dx, I was seeing a private practice onc, but with the complexities of my disease, I found myself running around to multiple different docs/surgeons, hauling scan reports, re-telling my medical history to strangers over & over again, then having to wait for the other specialists to communicate with my onc, not to mention waiting for scan results... It was such a hassle.I feel quite certain that I would not be here today if I hadn't changed docs and moved to a truly integrated care system.
Now, all my docs are under one roof, even just a hallway apart! On more than one occassion, I've sat with my surg. onc & if we had a question about my treatment, they could call my med. onc. & she'd walk over & we'd all chat. Or if there's a question about labs, scans etc, they can access the computer in the exam room & pull up any info they need.

We have enough to deal with, remembering all the details of our disease, it's such a relief to be able to sit with docs that you trust and know the details of your disease(or atleast have immediate access to)as you do. And since this is a CHRONIC disease for us, my docs are always willing to adjust my treatment schedule to accomodate the rest of LIFE. I just traveled w/my med.onc & surg.onc to a huge Surgical convention in San Fran last month as a patient speaker about Cancer as a Chronic Disease.The bottom line is they just get it.

Dr. Ruth O'Regan is my clinical onc. She's at the Emory campus. She's a wonderful kind person and an amazing doctor. If there's anything else I can do to help, please dont hesitate to call on me!

Keep the Faith~

Jessica

[Believe51]

Rendi, I hope your move goes well and that you find the doctor of your dreams. You are not moving until May, so I am sure you will. Thinking about you and sending deepest love>>Believe51

[Bill]

Hi Rendi! I hope your move goes smoothly. Moves are always full of stress, but I hope you and your family try to eat and rest well throughout the process. My sister-in-law lives in the At. area and is a rad. tech. I will check with her regarding oncs. in that area, but I'm not sure we can be much help. Keep us posted.

[Rich66]

Jessica,
94 rounds of chemo. My God..
But if that's what makes this beast chronic, so be it.
Sounds like you have a great team with the right mindset.
Rendi,
Sounds like you made a great connection before you even hit the ground. Did you really get rid of liver mets with just Arimidex?

[kcherub]

I am going to answer the actual question in a moment, but HI BILL!

PM me your SIL's name...my DH might know her!

Hugs,

[kcherub]

Rendi,

Hi! I live in Fayetteville, which is the next town over! I own a store in Peachtree City, which I hope (and pray and hope) will be a thing of the past early next year.

I saw Dr. Jonathan Bender at Peachtree Hematology Oncology at Piedmont Fayette Hospital in Fayetteville. The group has several other offices in the Atlanta area, but the Fayetteville location is the closest to you. DO NOT USE anyone with Southern Regional. They are not a nice facility to deal with. PM me for more info on that.

Anyway, Dr. Bender is very forward-thinking, will listen to crazy rambling and will send you for testing if you are really concerned about how you are feeling. He seems to be up on current research, and that is what I need. I don't need someone who has done something one way for too long and refuses to change it. The staff is also great, which helps a lot.

Good luck with your decision. It might be good to make a couple of introductory appointments and see who you "mesh" with.

Take care,

[Rendi69CA]

I want to thanks eveyone for you help. I am so glad I am apart of HER2 support group. I can alway depend on my her2 family.

Rich, I believe so arimdex and herceptin. I went back for my 6 month scan it was gone.

The reason I am moving is affordable living and my dad live out there. In California I am being force to work to keep a roof over my head. My ssi disablity is not enough to pay for my house. I got to make that move. Thanks!

[Mary Anne in TX]

Rendi, good luck for a smooth move. ma