Someone in or near Chicago???

[jamie]

Hi-

Im just looking for some Hospital, operation advice from anyone who might have been reffered to a doctor/surgeon in Chicago, or near.

My dad's oncologist is in Berwin, Illinois, through MacNeil hospital, and I was surprised when he said his surgery will be done elsewhere!

They told him MacNeil is NOT the place for Lung surgery. (Makes me kindof nervous)

They told him to pick from either Loyola University Hospital, or University of Chicago.

Both of my sons were born at Loyola, and I love that hospital. They also have the Cardinal Bernidine Cancer research center there, but University is supposto be one of the top tech. hospitals.

Any advice from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

My Dad is leaning toward University.

Does anyone know if it really makes a big difference where he goes??? Is'nt it really all the same surgery?

P.S. This is going to sound stupid... but they are thinking that they will be removing half of the lung... what is that called? Are there any questions we should be asking????

[MurielK]

Sorry you have to be asking these questions, but they are good and very important ones. In my opinion and those who rank hospitals, the more experience a hospital has in doing a procedure, the more likely you are to have a good outcome. The nursing staff will have more experience with patients following the particular procedure and may be able to identify little problems more quickly and keep them from becoming big ones. You also want a surgeon who does a lot of the particular procedure (lobectomy or pneumonectomy).

If they are removing a lobe (there are 3 in the R lung; 2 in the left), its called a lobectomy. If they remove the entire lung, it's called a pneumonectoomy.

It's wonderful that your father can now have surgery. Good luck. Be sure to let us know his progress.

Muriel K

[Donna G]

I don't live in Chicago, and some how I missed ever living there but you can use this site to find a thoracic surgeon

www.physicianreports.com

Hope that helps Donna G

[dadstimeon]

Hi Jamie,

Sorry to hear about your dad. Not from your neck of the woods. But being from Boston with great hospitals I can say that not all hospitals are the same. Some are better/specialize depending on what the situation (care/surgery/treatment etc) is. Below are some websites that might help you. Hope this helps. Peace, take care and God Bless.

Rich

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/treatme ... osurg.html (Surgery - General Information & What to Expect)

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/hos ... p_home.htm (Directory Of American Hospitals)

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/nycu/healt ... hqcanc.htm (Best Hospitals)

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... h&DB=books (NCBI / BookShelf)

http://www.lungcancerfyi.com/lung_cancer_faq.html ((Lung Cancer - Frequently Asked Questions)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/treatme ... osurg.html (Surgery - General Information & What to Expect)

http://www.lungcancerfyi.com/lung_cancer_glossary.html (Lung Cancer Glossary)

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 008,00.asp (Receive the PLWC Bulletin)

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/hos ... p_home.htm (Directory Of American Hospitals)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/tests/index.html (Lung Cancer Online / Test And Procedures)

http://www.vh.org/adult/patient/cancerc ... index.html (Understanding Blood Tests / A Guide for Patients with Cancer)

http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/pdq/tr ... ng/patient (SCLC)

http://www.meds.com/pdq/smallcell_pat.html (Medicine OnLine / SCLG)

http://health.allrefer.com/health/prima ... -info.html (Diseases And Conditions / SCLC)

http://www.hospicefoundation.org (Hospice Foundation Of America)

http://www.hospiceweb.com (Hospice Web)

http://www.hospice-america.org/consumer.html (Hospice Association Of America)

http://www.hospicenet.org (Hospice Net)

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 151,00.asp (PLWC Feature: Talking to Someone With Cancer)

http://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/ ... 87526.html (3-year-old keeps her smile in battle with rare cancer)

http://www.rfalung.com (Radio Frequency Ablation Of Lung Cancer)

http://www.lungcancercoalition.org (Global Lung Cancer Coalition)

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 008,00.asp (PLWC Feature: Financial Support Resources)

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/nycu/healt ... hqcanc.htm (Best Hospitals)

https://www.alcase.org/advocacy/sign_the_petition.html (Advocacy /Sign the Petition)

http://www.cancersymptoms.org (Oncology Nursing Society)

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 008,00.asp (Questions to Ask the Doctor)

http://www.alcase.org/education/publica ... reath.html (With Every Breath A Lung Cancer Guidebook / From ALCASE / A Wealth Of Information / Free)

http://www.cancersurvivaltoolbox.org (The Cancer Survival Toolbox / Free / From NCCS)

http://www.centerwatch.com (Clinical Trails Listing Service / Center Watch)

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&editi ... ung+cancer (Lung Cancer In The News)

http://www.thewellnesscommunity.org/pro ... /guide.asp (The Wellness Community / National Cancer Support, Education And Support / Free)

http://www.drugs.com (Drug Information Online)

http://www.alcase.org (ALCASE / Alliance For Lung Cancer Advocacy, Support, Education)

http://www.nlm.nih.gov (Unites States / National Library Of Medicine)

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/encyclopedia.html (Health Information / Medical Encyclopedia)

http://www.google.com (Great Search Engine)

http://blochcancer.org (R.A. Bloch Cancer Foundation, Inc. / Please read: A Letter to all newly diagnosed cancer patients)

http://www.cancer.org (American Cancer Society)

http://www.cancer.gov (Cancer Information Service / NCI)

http://www.cancerresearchcenter.org (Cancer Research Center)

http://www.aicr.org (American Institute for Cancer Research; Nutrition Hotline / AICR)

http://www.cancerhopenetwork.org (Cancer Hope Network)

http://www.acor.org (Association of Cancer Online Resources / Free Online Lifeline For Everyone Affected By Cancer & Related Disorders)

http://www.meds.com/lung/lunginfo.html (Lung Cancer Information Library)

http://www.lungusa.org (American Lung Association)

http://www.ama-assn.org (American Medical Association)

http://www.docguide.com/news/content.ns ... g%20Cancer (Doctor’s Guide / Lung Cancer)

http://www.healthfinder.gov/Scripts/Sea ... ?topic=506 (Healthfinder)

http://www.medicinenet.com/Lung_Cancer/article.htm (Medicine Net)

http://www.cancerindex.org/clinks2l.htm (Cancer Index / Lung Cancer Resources Directory)

http://www.nfcr.org/site/PageServer?pag ... ncers_lung (National Foundation For Cancer Research)

http://www.patientadvocate.org (Patient Advocate Foundation)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/effects ... fects.html (Lung Cancer Online / Hematologic (Blood) Effects)

http://www.cancerlinks.org/lung.html (Lung Cancer Links)

http://www.cancer-free.com (Cancer Free Connections)

http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/C ... ung_cancer (Health Insite)

http://www.lungcancerclaims.com (Lung Cancer / Lung Cancer Information Page)

http://www.cancerlifecenter.com/engine. ... =dictionar (Cancer Life Center/ Cancer Dictionary)

http://www.canceryellowpages.com/Resour ... G%20CANCER (Cancer yellow Pages)

http://icare.org (ICARE / The International Cancer Alliance)

http://www.vh.org/index.html (Virtual Hospital)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/support/financial.html (Lung Cancer Online / Financial, Legal & Insurance Issues)

http://cancernews.healthology.com/focus ... cancernews (Cancer News)

[kimblanchard]

I live no where near Chicago and can offer no advice on a good hospital.....but I will say "GREAT" on the fact that your dad is now operable....More hope...I'm envious.

jim

[chloesmom]

I had my lobectomy at the University of Chicago. I live about three blocks from the hospital in my city and would not even consider going there for something as serious as a lobectomy.

First, the University of Chicago is number 6 in the country for cancer care and it is right in your dad's back yard. The thoracic surgeon there is highly experienced and does these surgeries every day. That is what you want--not a general surgeon or someone who does heart surgery but will tackle a lobectomy if need be. They are very efficient at U of C and the aftercare you get from the nursing staff and pain management at the hospital is outstanding.

I don't hear anything bad about Loyola, but I know that U of C does this all the time, and also their oncology staff is constantly involved in clinical trials--I don't get regular treatment from them because chemo is chemo, but I did have a consultation with them last year after surgery and will be checking in with them this summer just to keep current with treatments.

I wish your dad the best of luck.....

[Guest Phyllis]

Hi, My hospital and oncologists are the University Of Chicago Hospital. Dr. Vokes is the world's leading expert in chemotherapy of head, neck and lung cancer. It is a wonderful facility. I went to Loyola for a second opinion, but decided to stay with the Unversity. My neighbor just got sent there for a heart operation because even though the local hospital has a wonderful cardiac care unit they did not have the cutting edge equipment needed to do the operation. lol.

[Lisa O]

I treated with Dr. Albain from Loyola for quite a while.... she is great. I had to travel from Michigan and would recommend her --- HOWEVER-- she is an oncologist -- not a surgeon. The center is great and you may want to get her advice.

[SandyS]

I'm thrilled with my doctors out here in the western suburbs of Chicago, but if at any point I wasn't, or needed a second opinion, I'd be heading for the University of Chicago.......

Best of luck,

Hugs and prayers,

SandyS

[stand4hope]

Hi Jamie,

Don't know about Chicago, but we've got some great hospitals in Indianapolis - COME ON DOWN!!!

Jim: GREAT picture!

Love,

Peggy

[jamie]

Just want to say thanks to everyone for their input and info. My Dad has officially decided on University for the surgery. He meets with the surgeon tommorow, and were all real excited. I know its crazy, I never thought we'd be EXCITED for surgery, by any means, but this is a big step for us. n

Again thanks for everything, and if you guys can think of anything we should ask the surgeon for tomorow, please post. My dad's oncologist told us to have our questions ready, but we really dont know what we should be asking about!!!!

Thanks again

Jamie

[Elaine]

Oh how I wish I lived in that ex-cow town called Chicago, second or even the Kansas City cow town instead of this cow town. Jamie, I am soooo happy for you and your dad and whole family. I'll be thinking, thinking of you a lot.

Best Wishes and keep us posted.

Elaine

PS I am sure others will help you out on surgery. There have also been many many posts on it previously.

[MurielK]

Questions to ask (and if the surgeon is anything like mine, ask them FAST) Many surgeons aren't known for their bedside manner. Doesn't really matter, as you don't need to see him too often.

1. How do they manage post-op pain in the hospital and at home.

2. Can you have a Rx for your "at home" pain meds a day or so before you leave the hospital, so that it can be filled and waiting for the patient at home. You really don't want to stop at a pharmacy on the way home from the hospital.

3. How long will the hospital stay be?

Have you checked out the websites re: lung surgery? There are some excellent ones (if you have a strong stomache). Looking at those sites might trigger some questions for the surgeon.

Good luck.

MurielK

[mhutch1366]

Jamie,

I'm glad your dad is now a surgical candidate.

I'm wishing him good luck tomorrow with the surgeon!

always, prayers...

XOXOX

MaryAnn