It felt good Monday to do some stuff. I got on the phone and made a couple of appointments and even ventured out of the house to see an ENT doctor to have a drainage tube put in my eardrum. The ear is wanting to clear, but is still stopped up after 27 hours. Part of the problem, I suspect, is that I’m not moving around much. It feels better than it did, though. I’ll feel a gurgle and a brief drainage, but it won’t quite clear. Also it’s starting to itch a little bit rather than just throb, which is good.
As for the appointments I made for Friday - I’ve got to make a decision about an oncologist.
The first guy - Dr. Ostap G. Melnyk, MD | Alta Bates Summit - is someone who has worked with my surgeon quite a bit. He is extremely eager. In fact, he got in touch with me at the hospital even before my biopsy results had come it. Online research reveals that he is very much into clinical trials, so we suspect he’s always searching for patients. This can be good and bad, I guess. The good would be, as I see it, that he is really pulling for good results and is on top of the newest technologies. The bad would be that he probably has tons a patients with little time for any single one, and he might be wedded to a certain formula because that’s what he’s researching.
The next guy - Dr. Oleg I. Krijanovski, MD, PhD | Alta Bates Summit - is appealing because he works out of Alta Bates Cancer Center - http://www.altabatessummit.org/clinical/cccintro.html - This is where Terry has gone twice. It’s a nice peaceful place that has a full time nutritionist, a meditation room, yoga classes, an acupuncturist etc. It’s also very close to our house. It took us a few days to find him, because we wanted to get a good recommendation from our primary care physician, who had to track down a busy doctor and get his opinion.
I meet with both of them on Friday. I hope I don’t end up not feeling sympatico with either one. I think things will also depend on how complicated my situation is. I believe lymphomas can vary quite a bit. It will be interesting to see how close their recommendations are.
My primary care physician suggested both will want me to have a PET Scan. I was trying to figure out if I'd want to go with our doggie Koz-B or our can Judy, but learned it's a different kind of deal.
In the meantime no word about the more detailed analysis of my lymphoma, so I'm in waiting mode. Within there I continue to hang. My energy level is low, but I have definitely learned how to eat in my current condition.
I welcome comments via email or on the blog here about my oncologist choice.
When students ask me for advice, I listen to them until I figure out what I think they want to do, and then I advise them to do that.
ReplyDeleteYou mention a possible "bad" for Dr. Melnyk (which might be unimportant), but no "bads" for Dr. Krijanovski. You have a comfort level with the Cancer Center, which is in Krijanovski's favor, as well.
Perhaps the most basic comparison is this (if I read the post correctly): Melnyk has worked with your surgeon, Krijanovki was recommended by your primary care doctor. Whichever of those two seem more important to you will likely have a big impact on your decision.
Finally and obviously, if you connect better with one than the other on Friday, that matters.
It's good that you have two strong choices!
Thanks. Yeah, I'm leaning towards Dr. K. My primary care doesn't know Dr. M. She didn't know the other guy either, but went to a guy she trusts to get his opinion. We'll see how Friday goes.
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ReplyDeletegood news about the improvement in your ear. congrats for keeping on it and being so proactive on setting up appts, etc.
first thoughts on oncologists--the second guy seems bttr b/c he's recommended by your doc, whom you respect, & b/c of the proximity & known quality of the care venue. but your gut feelings after meeting with them are the crucial factor, i think.
xxoo
Thanks. You're right.
DeleteWow, a choice of oncologists. Comes with living in the big city I suppose. I took THE oncologist at THE chemo place, and THE oncologist at THE radiation lab in Eureka. Had a friend with the same cancer at the same time, and he went to Stanford. We're both walking the halls of the Eureka courthouse now with our water bottles. To some degree it doesn't matter who you choose, which frees you up to choose on gut feelings.
ReplyDeleteI could end up at Stanford if lymphoma is complicated enough. They're big into lymphoma research down there. No talk of radiation, though web sites mention it for lymphoma. One good thing - unless the mass in my stomach grows into a total blockage, I will not have surgery.
DeleteWhen I had my choice of surgeons 3 mos. ago, I took the one with the most experience. He is, however, a man of few words, and if I had it to do over again I would chosen the one of the two available that was the more verbal and expressive.
ReplyDeleteCommunication is important. Hope your surgery went well.
DeleteYes, big decision. My instinct says Dr. Oleg I. Krijanovski. Here are the reasons: 1) you have a great primary and she recommends him. Good people know good people. 2) the facility sounds very supportive. Close to your house, yoga and meditation rooms.... In my experience with healing, feeling supported and maintaining lower stress levels has a huge impact on the ability for the body to heal. The whole package is important and the doctor is part of that package.
ReplyDeleteYes. Good. Thanks.
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