› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Mixed feelings after consult @ Duke
- This topic has 12 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 1 month ago by
Leslie’sHusband.
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- April 1, 2014 at 12:17 pm
Our consult @ Duke yesterday left us with mixed feelings. We were a bit disappointed that the slides of the tumor and lymph node had not been reviewed by the pathology labs before our visit yesterday. On the upside of that, we are happy that they are not just taking the other lab's word for things and are looking at things for themselves before making any diagnosis and plan of attack.
I was also a little disappointed that my main question about the minimally invasive lymph node dissection was not answered until we got the consent form for the surgery to take home. I asked "Are you seeing any improvements in recovery times and fewer complications with the minimal invasive surgery?" The answer was essentially "it's still a trial, that's why we're offering it." The consent form, however, states that wound complications are about 18% with the laproscopic surgery, and about 65% with the conventional surgery. Those numbers may be off a little, I don't have the form in front of me now. They gave us the consent form so that we would have it ready in the event that their lab confirmed the presence of melanoma in the lymph node. "We see more melanoma in a week than most of the local doctors see in a year, lets wait and see if our labs confirm the lymph node diagnosis before we schedule surgery."
Les is committed to having the laproscopic lymph node removal done at Duke if their lab confirms melanoma in the SLN. Treatment afterwards is still up in the air…
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- April 1, 2014 at 1:45 pm
Yes, I understand your disappointment. It seems as though the "not knowing" and the waiting…waiting…waiting are always worse than the knowing. But it sounds like you handled everything well.
Getting a consult at Duke was a great idea. Realizing that it's more important for the pathology to be done correctly rather than quickly is smart. And you did, after some pushing, get the information you needed about the clinical trial so that Les feels comfortable making a decision. So you have to wait a little longer (UGH! there's that wait again!) to get the offical pathology report. That is frustrating. But it sounds like you and Les have a good plan now. That was a successful visit. Good for you!!
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- April 1, 2014 at 1:45 pm
Yes, I understand your disappointment. It seems as though the "not knowing" and the waiting…waiting…waiting are always worse than the knowing. But it sounds like you handled everything well.
Getting a consult at Duke was a great idea. Realizing that it's more important for the pathology to be done correctly rather than quickly is smart. And you did, after some pushing, get the information you needed about the clinical trial so that Les feels comfortable making a decision. So you have to wait a little longer (UGH! there's that wait again!) to get the offical pathology report. That is frustrating. But it sounds like you and Les have a good plan now. That was a successful visit. Good for you!!
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- April 1, 2014 at 1:45 pm
Yes, I understand your disappointment. It seems as though the "not knowing" and the waiting…waiting…waiting are always worse than the knowing. But it sounds like you handled everything well.
Getting a consult at Duke was a great idea. Realizing that it's more important for the pathology to be done correctly rather than quickly is smart. And you did, after some pushing, get the information you needed about the clinical trial so that Les feels comfortable making a decision. So you have to wait a little longer (UGH! there's that wait again!) to get the offical pathology report. That is frustrating. But it sounds like you and Les have a good plan now. That was a successful visit. Good for you!!
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- April 2, 2014 at 6:23 pm
Hello,
I am a patient at Duke and am Stage 3C Met. Mal.Mel. I was actually a little disappointed when I went there for my first visit back in Sept 2012. In addition to being scared to death about my future, it did not seem that my information from my existing tests had been reviewed thoroughly. I will say that my opinion did change after my first visit. I had a lymph node dissection under my right arm and have had 2 other surgeries to go after tumors that ended up not being Melanoma. My surgean Dr. Tyler is amazing. My Oncologist, Dr. April Salama has been great. I wish you and Lee all the best.
Wolverine
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- April 2, 2014 at 6:23 pm
Hello,
I am a patient at Duke and am Stage 3C Met. Mal.Mel. I was actually a little disappointed when I went there for my first visit back in Sept 2012. In addition to being scared to death about my future, it did not seem that my information from my existing tests had been reviewed thoroughly. I will say that my opinion did change after my first visit. I had a lymph node dissection under my right arm and have had 2 other surgeries to go after tumors that ended up not being Melanoma. My surgean Dr. Tyler is amazing. My Oncologist, Dr. April Salama has been great. I wish you and Lee all the best.
Wolverine
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- April 2, 2014 at 6:23 pm
Hello,
I am a patient at Duke and am Stage 3C Met. Mal.Mel. I was actually a little disappointed when I went there for my first visit back in Sept 2012. In addition to being scared to death about my future, it did not seem that my information from my existing tests had been reviewed thoroughly. I will say that my opinion did change after my first visit. I had a lymph node dissection under my right arm and have had 2 other surgeries to go after tumors that ended up not being Melanoma. My surgean Dr. Tyler is amazing. My Oncologist, Dr. April Salama has been great. I wish you and Lee all the best.
Wolverine
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- April 3, 2014 at 11:50 am
POW,
Thank you! Les is getting tired of the waiting, and so am I, but we realize that they need time to make sure their diagnosis is correct. Understanding and liking are two completely different things, I guess. Still no word, though, and Les is getting frustrated. Hopefully we will hear something today.
Wolverine,
It's good to hear first-hand experience like yours. Dr. Tyler, his Nurse Practitioner, and the Chief Resident, who were all in the room at one point or another, all seemed like they really care about Les and what she is going through. They all took time to answer all of the questions we had, with the one exception in my original post. Maybe I was expecting too much for the initial consult? The ddelay could have been caused by the local offices dragging their feet on sending the slides out.
At any rate, I'll post back when we know more.
Dave
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- April 4, 2014 at 5:16 pm
We still had not heard anything from Duke, so Les called this morning to see what is going on. Turns out that the hold-up is on this end. Duke requested the slides on 3/25 and still have not received them. Duke called the docs/hospital again yesterday to prod them along, so hopefully things will move along soon. The waiting stinks!
Dave
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- April 4, 2014 at 5:16 pm
We still had not heard anything from Duke, so Les called this morning to see what is going on. Turns out that the hold-up is on this end. Duke requested the slides on 3/25 and still have not received them. Duke called the docs/hospital again yesterday to prod them along, so hopefully things will move along soon. The waiting stinks!
Dave
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- April 4, 2014 at 5:16 pm
We still had not heard anything from Duke, so Les called this morning to see what is going on. Turns out that the hold-up is on this end. Duke requested the slides on 3/25 and still have not received them. Duke called the docs/hospital again yesterday to prod them along, so hopefully things will move along soon. The waiting stinks!
Dave
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- April 3, 2014 at 11:50 am
POW,
Thank you! Les is getting tired of the waiting, and so am I, but we realize that they need time to make sure their diagnosis is correct. Understanding and liking are two completely different things, I guess. Still no word, though, and Les is getting frustrated. Hopefully we will hear something today.
Wolverine,
It's good to hear first-hand experience like yours. Dr. Tyler, his Nurse Practitioner, and the Chief Resident, who were all in the room at one point or another, all seemed like they really care about Les and what she is going through. They all took time to answer all of the questions we had, with the one exception in my original post. Maybe I was expecting too much for the initial consult? The ddelay could have been caused by the local offices dragging their feet on sending the slides out.
At any rate, I'll post back when we know more.
Dave
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- April 3, 2014 at 11:50 am
POW,
Thank you! Les is getting tired of the waiting, and so am I, but we realize that they need time to make sure their diagnosis is correct. Understanding and liking are two completely different things, I guess. Still no word, though, and Les is getting frustrated. Hopefully we will hear something today.
Wolverine,
It's good to hear first-hand experience like yours. Dr. Tyler, his Nurse Practitioner, and the Chief Resident, who were all in the room at one point or another, all seemed like they really care about Les and what she is going through. They all took time to answer all of the questions we had, with the one exception in my original post. Maybe I was expecting too much for the initial consult? The ddelay could have been caused by the local offices dragging their feet on sending the slides out.
At any rate, I'll post back when we know more.
Dave
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