Getting my slides!!!
 

Thought I would let you know I finally remembered to call the lab and ask for my slides. They told me they keep them at my hospital for 25 years!! I asked if I could get possession of them and first she said she didn't think so but asked her supervisor. She told me they are in a block and they would slice part of the block and give them to me. They keep the originals. Is that what the rest of you have been told or understand that they keep the originals? I will pick them up next week. They were very nice about it. hugs, Sandy

Hi Sandy!
 

Hi Sandy!

About four years ago I asked my doctor if they kept any of my cells from my mast. surgery. (I had heard that they do this)My docor said ,"Probably, because they always save a block.)
They got in touch with the hospital and had a sample from my block sent to the lab and there they discovered that my cells were her2+, so they put me on herceptin.
Guess what? Yesterday I had surgery to remove the area under my arm that was causing me discomfort. They sent those cells away and said it will take three weeks to get the results to see if they are still her2+.
I asked the doc. if they then would know what kind of drug would work best for me and he said, "They are not that advanced yet, but eventually that would be the goal."
Is that why you want them sent to the lab - to see if they are her2+?
God Bless You, Sandy! You look so happy and full of joy, peace and beauty! Cathy

Hi Cathy, no that is not the reason I know, I am Her2+++. Some hospitals are saving them only 5 years others longer. With new treatments coming out every day and people surviving longer now it was advised that we should have possession of our slides in case they were needed for these new treatments like 20 years down the road. There are several on this board that have already gotten theirs. Also there is a chance they can get lost. Again it just goes back to it being our responsibility. From the many experiences I have had with filing systems, billing, and paperwork from different agencies since I have been on this journey for 6 years, has prompted me to get and keep copies of ALL of my records. One nurse has called me at least twice for me to bring in my copy because she can't find hers or can't remember whether she even made a copy!!!! That is just me. Hope this answers your question. hugs, Sandy

Taking responsibility yourself
 

Hi Sandy,

I'm not sure there is a "standard practice" or rule yet for what labs do or don't do, but there should be and likely will be at some point. So I don't know how typical the rule they use at the facility where mine were. That facility keeps the tumor easily accessible for the first 5 years, and then it is transferred to a private company that has access to it for research purposes but anytime it is needed for me they could get it back.

I wanted mine. They said I could have either all blocks, or all slides, but not both. I chose the blocks, and they kept the slides.

Also, since my original biopsy was done in Alaska and my surgery was done at a major cancer center in Seattle, there is also a lonely chunk of me that is enshrined at my local hospital from that procedure. I left that one where it is.

A.A.

P.S. The facility said it "has kept blocks for as long as 30 years".

I wasn't given a choice of blocks or slides they told me they were giving me the blocks. They would keep the originals and slice a piece of the block to give me. hugs, Sandy