Information Needed about MD in Houston

[Guest guest]

Happy Holidays, everyone!

As some of you may have read, my Mom was diagnosed recently with Mucinous

Adenocarcinoma,

originating in the Appendix. It's a rare cancer, so she spent about 18 months

being misdiagnosed.

MD is the closest place to take her (she lives in Rockwall, TX), so

sometime soon, I'm

loading the kid and the dog (we homeschool)in the car, and driving to Texas to

help her out with

all this. My stepfather is 80 and can't do this by himself.

Has anybody on the list had experience with MD ? We'll be seeing Dr.

Lambert for the

Intraperitoneal Heated Chemotherapy.

Is anyone from Houston and familiar with CHEAP lodgings there? It's been a

spendy year for us,

what with having to do some of my treatment out of network, so I am pinching the

pennies until

they squeak.

On the up side, I am loving my new hair. It's white and grey, and thanks to the

chemo-curl, it

waves all over my head. Surprisingly, it's much more flattering than my

previous, somewhat labor

intensive, high maintenance hair.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season. Eat chocolate, swill eggnog, and

count the

presents under the tree.

R.

Ruffing

Grade 3, Stage IIIA, ER/PR+, HER2 neg, 4.9 cm and 5 nodes positive

Chemo and radiation completed 9/28/06

Mastectomy, no reconstruction

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

,

I have not had experience with MD but they are supposed to be one of

the top cancer hospitals along with Vanderbuilt in Tenn. I can't think of the

others. I will keep your Mom in my prayers as well as you for a safe trip.

Hugs

nne

Breast Cancer Patients Soul Mates for Life

http://www.geocities.com/chucky5741/breastcancerpatients.html

BreastCancerStories.com

http://www.breastcancerstories.com/content/view/433/161/

Angel Feather Loomer

www.angelfeatherloomer.blogspot.com

Check out my other ornaments at

www.geocities.com/chucky5741/bcornament.html

Lots of info and gifts at:

www.cancerclub.com

Information Needed about MD in Houston

Happy Holidays, everyone!

As some of you may have read, my Mom was diagnosed recently with Mucinous

Adenocarcinoma,

originating in the Appendix. It's a rare cancer, so she spent about 18 months

being misdiagnosed.

MD is the closest place to take her (she lives in Rockwall, TX), so

sometime soon, I'm

loading the kid and the dog (we homeschool)in the car, and driving to Texas to

help her out with

all this. My stepfather is 80 and can't do this by himself.

Has anybody on the list had experience with MD ? We'll be seeing Dr.

Lambert for the

Intraperitoneal Heated Chemotherapy.

Is anyone from Houston and familiar with CHEAP lodgings there? It's been a

spendy year for us,

what with having to do some of my treatment out of network, so I am pinching

the pennies until

they squeak.

On the up side, I am loving my new hair. It's white and grey, and thanks to

the chemo-curl, it

waves all over my head. Surprisingly, it's much more flattering than my

previous, somewhat labor

intensive, high maintenance hair.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season. Eat chocolate, swill eggnog,

and count the

presents under the tree.

R.

Ruffing

Grade 3, Stage IIIA, ER/PR+, HER2 neg, 4.9 cm and 5 nodes positive

Chemo and radiation completed 9/28/06

Mastectomy, no reconstruction

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Good website for lodging info for MD patients and family:

_http://www2.mdanderson.org/app/new_patients/_

(http://www2.mdanderson.org/app/new_patients/)

Also:

_http://www.mdanderson.org/pdf/hotelslist_0905.pdfhttps://my.mdanderson.org/co

ntent/index.cfm?pld=000BDAD0-ABE8-1BE1-891A8302A07301D1_

(http://www.mdanderson.org/pdf/hotelslist_0905.pdfhttps://my.mdanderson.org/cont\

ent/index.cfm?pld=0

00BDAD0-ABE8-1BE1-891A8302A07301D1)

General Information

1-

Referring Physician Line

Location

Houston, Texas

Travel Assistance

M. D. offers travel assistance.

Lodging

Social workers assist in lodging arrangements for families. The H.

Rotary House International is a patient housing facility exclusively

dedicated to serving the needs of M. D. patients and their families.

Call

1-

_http://www.mdanderson.org/pdf/hotelslist_0905.pdf_

(http://www.mdanderson.org/pdf/hotelslist_0905.pdf)

Merry Christmas, and good luck with your Dad...I'm sure you look

beautiful with your new do!

[Guest guest]

, I see that you immediately received some excellent advice about M. D.

, so I'll try not to be redundant.

I was a patient at MDACC for 7 years until early this year. I only left them

because I was also going to the VA Hospital in Houston. I am in long-term care

now (once annually - I am an 8-year survivor of male breast cancer). When the

Baylor Med Breast Center started handling all BC patients at the VA, I decided

that I could safely stop double-dipping.

M. D. has been rated in the annual U.S. News & World Reports ratings

of hospitals as the number one cancer center in America for five of the last

seven years. Twice they sliped to number 2 behind Memorial Sloan Kettering in

New York.

Their main web site is very user-friendly. Click the New Patients tab and go

from there. I am a telephone volunteer with the Network, so be sure to

visit them early in your visits. They are great, and It's also a nice place to

hang out during long waits.

Be sure and use the host service/counselors. They will advise you on any

concerns or needs. I spent a majority of my long life in Houston, but I now live

in Jasper, in Deep East Texas. We stayed numerous times at the Homestead Studio

Suites, 7979 Fannin St. It's in the on-line list. Be sure and ask any place for

the medical rate. Note that the hotel list is listed by ascending price. Be sure

and find one with the free shuttle. Parking at MDACC can easily cost you $10 or

more per day. Also be cautious of reservations around rodeo time, usually in

late Feb. or early March. The stock show and rodeo are held at the

Astrodome/Reliant Center complex, only a short distance from the Texas Medical

Center, and rates can really be marked up for those two or three weeks. I have

purposely rescheduled twice to avoid the conflict and save a bundle.

Good luck. Let me know if I can help more. MD really does all

possible to help their patients and caregivers along this pathway to the cure.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to All!

Lyn