My oncologist is leaving....do I follow??

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breathe
breathe Member Posts: 17
edited January 2016 in Stage III Breast Cancer

I am on a 3 month follow up schedule and my office is closing!! It's really just merging with a new facility but my oncologist has decided to move to a new group. My hospital is Memorial Sloan Kettering and I was glad I was able to go there and hate to leave it. BUT I love my Oncologist and she is going to Columbia Presbyterian which is a damn good hospital too. Also my nurse, whom I love, will be staying with Sloan. What would you do? I am so completely divided in this that I'm not even close to a decision! I would love to hear you weigh in.

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  • rainnyc
    rainnyc Member Posts: 1,289
    edited January 2016

    Which oncologist is leaving, if you don't mind my asking?

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  • YoungTurkNYC
    YoungTurkNYC Member Posts: 334
    edited January 2016

    go with your oncologist.

    I "interviewed" three oncologists (Sloan, NYU and Columbia) and selected Columbia SOLELY because of how much I liked my oncologist. Columbia has a very research-oriented and idealistic approach to treating breast cancer, which I love.

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  • breathe
    breathe Member Posts: 17
    edited January 2016

    rainnyc, my oncologist is at sleepyhollow in Phelps Hospital. They are closing that branch since they opened their own building in West Harrison. Only my surgeons are in the city.


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  • sbelizabeth
    sbelizabeth Member Posts: 2,889
    edited January 2016
    If it were me, I would stay with my oncologist. She's brilliant, kind, compassionate, patient-oriented, and has treated me since I first found "the red spot." I would truly hate to start over looking for another one.
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  • breathe
    breathe Member Posts: 17
    edited January 2016

    Thank you YoungTurkNYC. I'm not sure what you mean by idealistic approach, but knowing you chose them over sloan makes a difference whatever the reason. I just think of them as THE breast cancer hospital. I have to wrap my head around others being just as good! I probably would have followed her earlier but now that I am done with treatments I'm unsure. So hard!

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  • rainnyc
    rainnyc Member Posts: 1,289
    edited January 2016

    I think this is hard but if you trust your oncologist and your insurance permits, I'd stay with her. You can always return to MSK for a 2nd opinion in future if you need to. But I think the great relationship with a doc is one to preserve if at all possible.

    Thanks for the name; I'm being treated at Sloan and just hyperventilated for a quick second that any of my team might be leaving!

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  • breathe
    breathe Member Posts: 17
    edited January 2016

    thank you all for the responses! I have a few more months and I guess a new hospital to check out.

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  • Artista928
    Artista928 Member Posts: 2,753
    edited January 2016

    Yeah, I trust and love my onc. She's my second one. You see this person basically for life so it's very important to be with someone you love and trust.

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  • Cowgirl13
    Cowgirl13 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited January 2016

    If I was in your position I would definitely follow my oncologist.

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  • breathe
    breathe Member Posts: 17
    edited January 2016

    I just don't want anything to change. I think that is why this decision is so hard for me. :(

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