Calgary or Victoria

canadian

Hello to everyone,

Last week, as the moving van was arriving to move me from Calgary to Victoria, I got the phone call from my doctor telling me my biopsy came back positive for cancer. Not a good day! I am trying to make a decision where I should have my treatment. Victoria would be more convenient, but the best treatment and care is most important, so I would travel to Calgary if necessary.Any thought or experiences?

Thanx and a good day to all,

Canadian 

jembs

I was treated in Calgary, at the same time my friend was treated in BC.  Her oncon was in Vancouver, she went there for initial chemo, start of herceptin and rads. Her subsequent chemos were at a smaller center.

We compared notes along the way and felt we both received excellent medical care.  However, my experience with chemo wasn't the best,  Calgary is incredibly busy and while the nurses were all great nothing seems to move quickly simply I think because of the volume.  It is also pretty impersonal, again I'm sure because of the size.  I had 23 infusions and only had the same nurse twice - that is including, starts, bag changes, pushes, flushes, and being sprung.  My friend on the other hand got to know the nurses and visa versa - they were able to spend some time with her.  Bonus - because they had done her starts a number of times, they knew which veins would work that day, and just had a better all around handle onhow she was that day. She also felt more comfortable and relaxed.

My experience with rads was nothing but positive, TBCC had 2 units devoted to breast and I was assigned to 1.  The same 3 techs looked after me on a daily basis and were truly wonderful.  They explained everything to me, and invited my husband to shadow them during a tx. During that appt. they explained and showed him everything from their end. Because I was traveling, they made my Mon appts. late and Fridays early so I could miss weekend highway traffic.  They made every effort to accommodate people's request for appt. times on a daily basis.  I have to say that for the first time in a year, I felt like a person instead of a patient.

My friend's experience with rads at Vancouver was awful.  She said she felt like a piece of meat, the techs talked over her about their personal lives, etc. and the beginning she was asked what appt. times would work best for her.  She didn't receive 1 appt. in that time block and when she asked about it was told not very nicely "everyone wants them, then".  She felt like too bad, so sad, get over it.

So, while our care was certainly comparable and we both felt like we had good medical care our experiences were not.  My oncon said and from what I observed BC and AB work closely together.  At a nutrition info session, I was even given BC handouts.

Check out their site's www.bccancer.bc.ca and www.albertabreast.com. 

I hope this helps, and that I have not made your decision harder.  Take good care, hugs.

kaye45

Victoria has tremendous breast cancer care! If you can, get in touch with the breast health nurses at Victoria General Hospital (I know Dorothy Yada, and she is incredible). They will guide you through the whole breast cancer journey and help you and support you throught the process with all the decisions you need to make. The Victoria cancer centre is world class. I only hear good things about the doctors and nurses there.

Jill_45

Hi. I live in Victoria and am going to the Cancer Center  there. They are the best! The Docters,nurses, volunteers are super nice. Of course I am partial to it anyway because my daughter works in the pharmacy there. Next week I go for my 2nd chemo on Tuesday.The facility is big, bright and super friendly. I have Dr. Hart there...fabulous guy! Dorothy Yada is super but she is actually the one who looks after you after your surgery but you could get in touch with her.Dorothy's phone number is 250-727-4467 and you could always talk to Shawna as well. After your surgery and you need treatment then they sign off of your case as you are then in the hands of the team at the clinic.If you need more surgery here Dr Hayashi is the best one for breast cancer here.

Let me know if you need more info.

You will get the best care here in Victoria....guaranteed 

Jill 

canadian

Jill,

I thank you very much for the reply to my post on this site. I was questioning weather to have my treatment in Victoria or Calgary and you gave me your opinion and also Dorthys phone number.After reading your post and speaking briefly with Dorthy have decieded to pursue treatment in Victoria.I have DCIS and have been told that radiation is needed so Im hoping I can get started on that as soon as possible.Good luck with your chemo and I hope this is this is all behind both of us oneday soon.

Elaine