Juravinski or Princess Margaret or other?

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Amica
Amica Member Posts: 488
edited April 2020 in Canadians Affected by Breast Cancer

I have just had a recurrence of metastasis after 20 year NED.

I have been referred to Juravinski in Hamilton Ontario but so far have found them slow and inefficient. Also Juravinski has some bad reviews on the internet.

I was wondering if anyone on here has had BC treatment at Juravinski or Princess Margaret in Toronto, or anywhere else in Ontario you would recommend? What were your experiences?

thanks in advance,

Amica

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  • Amica
    Amica Member Posts: 488
    edited January 2019

    I did receive one private message to this which I am thankful for.

    I have my first appointment at Juravinski in Hamilton soon, and I will update this post as time goes along so that someone else wondering the same thing in the future will at least get my impressions, which I do realize individual experiences can differ.

    Amica

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  • wallan
    wallan Member Posts: 1,275
    edited July 2018

    Hi Amica:


    I was treated at Juravinski for my first time around. I'm still here, so they did a good job medically.

    The rest sucked. I am being honest. I have heard Princess Margaret is wonderful.

    wallan

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  • Amica
    Amica Member Posts: 488
    edited July 2018

    wallan

    thanks for your reply. Wallan, would you be willing to send me a private message and let me know more specifically your experience with Juravinski? I mean, was it the staff, the procedures, the facilities, scheduling delays?

    Were you treated there in both 2004 and in 2017?

    take care,

    Amica

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  • Amica
    Amica Member Posts: 488
    edited January 2019

    Unfortunately, in Ontario, if you don't live in the correct geographical area, you can be refused a transfer to another cancer center.


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  • wallan
    wallan Member Posts: 1,275
    edited November 2018

    Hi Amica:


    So sorry you are dealing with Juravinski. HUGs to you.

    Hang in there.

    wallan

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  • Kelly-Anne
    Kelly-Anne Member Posts: 69
    edited November 2018

    Hi Wallan,

    The credit valley hospital cancer centre in Mississauga is really excellent. I’ve had excellent care there these last months. The doctors and nurses have been very supportive of my condition and have addressed a myriad of issues regarding my condition promptly and with compassion.

    I considered looking downtown but in the end decided to stay at CVH. There are just so many appts and things to do that geography should be part of your thoughts.

    Best of luck!


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  • Scottiee1
    Scottiee1 Member Posts: 2,329
    edited July 2019

    I had treatment at Princess Margaret, and in fact, volunteered there for four years. I was very happy with my treatment here and how quickly I started radiarion

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  • DutchieGirl
    DutchieGirl Member Posts: 103
    edited August 2019

    I am with Juravinski Cancer Centre. I know many of the reviews online are for Juravinski Hospital, and not the cancer centre. Easy mistake to make.

    I cannot even begin to tell you how wonderful my care has been there. I have had amazing oncologists and feel very well taken care of. More recently, I was speaking to my radiation oncologist's nurse, and mentioned that I could use some therapy/counselling to deal with all of this. Juravinski offers this service (free) and I got in to the program very quickly. I truly feel blessed and grateful to be a JCC patient. If I have to go through this, I'm glad it's with Juravinski!

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  • Amica
    Amica Member Posts: 488
    edited October 2019

    DutchieGirl

    I'm glad you had a good experience with Juravinski. So different from mine though, so I guess the experience can vary a lot from individual to individual.

    I asked for counselling/help and they gave me ONE session with a social worker. Is there some program that exists that they failed to tell me about? because now in my third progression, I sure could use some help.

    Amica

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  • DutchieGirl
    DutchieGirl Member Posts: 103
    edited October 2019

    Hello Amica and my apologies for not seeing your post earlier. The JCC just implemented a new program for mental health. I currently see a psychiatrist on a fairly regular basis. The intake is about an hour with a nurse and then you see the psychiatrist. I wanted "tools in my toolbox" for dealing with my fears/anxiety, and I asked for no meds. I love my therapist! She is wonderfully warm and compassionate and she lets me guide the direction of my care. I think you should give it another try - it'll be worth it! Good luck to you!

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  • Amica
    Amica Member Posts: 488
    edited April 2020

    thanks dutchiegirl. Sorry I just noticed your post now in March 2020, well better late than never lol. My pain and palliative care support nurse did let me know they had new psych resources but she emphasized the meds part, made it sound like it was only for meds. I am on so many meds already I do not want to add to the list!

    I will look into it though. All normal activity at Juravinski has changed but I imagine a psychiatrist or psychologist would be ideally suited to phone appointments. Just had a home nurse in to give me a Faslodex shot. They did not want to have the shot at the hospital anymore because of the virus. Even that little bit of human contact raised my spirits a bit because I am so isolated. I do not get along with my pain nurse at all. She and I are on totally different tracks. I tried to get a new one to no avail, seems I am stuck with her. When I refused to see the psychiatrist to go on medication, she acted very unpleasant about it, and actually reduced some of the psychotropic medications that I had been on for years, and she did so without letting me know, as a punishment, and because of her ego. Very very unprofessional.

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