为什么我选择了MD安德森用于乳腺癌治疗

当我被确诊为I期乳腺癌almost a year ago, I went through all the standard emotions: disbelief, anger, fear and utter confusion.

As someone in perfect health, according to my charts, I was suddenly confronted with something beyond my control. No matter what I did, I still had cancer, and there were no guarantees that I would be cured.

Deciding where to go for breast cancer treatment
After the initial shock of the diagnosis lifted, I knew that I needed to act. Where to start? An oncologist? A surgeon? Was it more important where they had studied, what hospital they were associated with, how many patients they treated or the personal connection between us? I, like others who go down this path, had a dizzying array of choices to make with, frankly, only limited guidance.

我的妇科医生给了我三个休斯敦肿瘤学家从乳腺癌的治疗选择的名字，但它是由我来检查出来。我开始打电话的朋友，谁要么不得不德克萨斯医疗中心的个人或专业联系的同事。

I began making appointments and talking to surgeons and oncologists alike. I had more MRIs. Pretty much all the doctors I spoke to recommended the same breast cancer treatment plan: surgery,radiationand化疗. And at that point I realized that what mattered most to me was a connection with the physicians who would treat me, an open and caring environment and staff, and a definitive plan moving forward.

My breast cancer treatment in MD Anderson's Multi Team Clinic
大约在那个时候，一个朋友建议在MD安德森一个新的多学科方法，并呼吁代表我的设置预约。我所知道的是，在一天的过程中，我将接受额外的测试，并符合与MD安德森的专门医师队伍分配给对待我的尼尔森B·康纳利乳腺中心的多功能团队诊所. As a Houston resident, I felt like this was incredibly convenient. So, why not try it?

After a morning of tests and a round of questions by a very competent physician's assistant, my husband and I patiently waited in an exam room. Suddenly, the door flew open, and there were three animated doctors swarming around me: a surgeon, a radiologist and an oncologist.

每个问我问题，我也一样，他们正在审查我。我们覆盖了从什么我一天到一天的例行当时想，我确实有任何疼痛或其他症状，以及我的恐惧和担心（我将失去所有我的头发，我将能够工作在治疗期间等）

除了我的身体状况，他们还询问了我的个人和职业生活。我是怎么谋生呢？难道我旅行？什么样的运动都喜欢我？我们所有的人，包括我的丈夫，是对话的一部分。

They left to confer, and shortly thereafter the surgeon returned. To my amazement and joy, she said, "OK, here's the plan." She outlined surgery that was scheduled for the following week, the option to have in-cavity radiation and then timing on chemo based on what the pathology from my tumor showed following surgery.

What? A plan of action and a timetable? And it was all confined to one, incredibly caring place with a team who talked to each other and, more importantly, to me? Done deal.

其余的，正如他们所说，是历史。感谢家人，朋友和同事一个充满爱的支持系统，我能继续我的整个乳腺癌的治疗工作。我的医生和技术人员做了一个艰难的时间更容易，因为我一直觉得我是一个多统计数字，我可以（现在仍然如此）问我想任何问题。

And today? I appear to be cancer-free, and feel strong and sassy as I happily watch my hair grow back.