Treatment Options
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Brad,
Thank you for taking the time to write to me about the Block Center. It’s nice to know what someone thinks who has been there.
I hope you are having success in your search for your treatment. It is a big decision to make and I hope you will find more than one option.
Best wishes to you.
TheresaJohns Hopkins does more whipple surgeries than any other hopsital in the country. Dr. Richard Schulick not only trained at Hopkins, he did his fellow ship at Sloan Kettering. He is a fantstic physician and meticulous surgeon.
Please research him. My mother was diagnosed August 2010, she will start radiation soon.
Best wishes, and sending many hugs your way.
Roni
443-394-6163Thank you to all of you for your supportive comments.
Regarding Block Medical Center, I have been very happy with their approach to treatment, with one exception. I will share the exception and end on many high notes. My experience is, they do not return phone calls or emails promptly, their communication when I have been in the office is amazing. Once I leave, if I have a question or concern, they put it off until my next treatment date.
The good news is; they are right on top of their game when it comes to administering chemotherapy and other supportive modalities. The support they give in terms of “Mind, Body, Spirit” is unparalleled. In addition to the chemo treatment, a typical visit includes dietary counseling, cooking classes, yoga, massage and more, all while the chemo is being administered. The vitamins and diet support your immune system and help to minimize the effects of the chemo.
Dr Block is the lead doctor and I have ultimate confidence that he is a champion for health and wellness when treating cancer patients, this is his and his wife’s life work. Dr Block works with the medical side, While Penny, his wife (a PHD) focuses on diet/nutrition.
I am also very impressed with the numbers of folks who travel from all over the country to be treated at Block. Through the years I have done quite a bit of personal growth work, finding the best of these offerings in California. I feel the natural health movement usually starts west and moves east… I am impressed with the numbers of patients who choose to be treated at Block from California. I guess to me it reinforces my confidence in the natural side of what Block offers.
Further, Block is building out a new office space and I am impressed with the thought and consideration they put into design, planning a hypo-allergenic environment, making sure the materials they use on their new space will not harm or contribute to their patients disease.
I would give Block a 8+ on a scale of 1-10. (this is a very high rating coming from me, I hold folks to a very high standard)
Sending you Love & Light,
BradHi Brad, If travel would be difficult for you, the Surgeon that operated on my father was amazing. He was able to perform the whipple and remove my dads tumor. He was honest and imformative and very patient with all of our many questions. Im so thankful to him. His name is Dr Malcolm Bilamoria and he was working out of Evanston Northwestern, but has since moved to Alexian Bros in Arlington Heights(illinois)
I wish you the best in your treatment.
BarbaraBrad…Additionally I would like to attach this link established by our members
http://www.cholangiocarcinoma.org/punbb/viewtopic.php?id=3126
All my best wishes,
MarionHi Brad..This is a bit far from you, but Dr. Michael A. Choti at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore is excellent. He has also just received a research grant from the organization that sponsors this website so obviously they think well of him, too. I was operated on by him late Sept. He is skilled, compassionate, accessible…I can’t sing his praises enough. I know there are residential options that JH provides for people out of town. At least try to talk with him…his nurse practitioner, Eden, will get you to him..ask for her when you call his office and she will get you access (front desk not necessarily!) It is good to get several opinions anyway. I was also told Mayo although I didn’t use them, but still may contact them for chemo options.
Best of luck,
KathyWhen one member sings high praises of an institution and presumes to speak for another member, who has had mixed results, the one spoken for has no choice but to correct the member, in this case jathy1125 regarding Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. Sorry jathy 1125, I have been treated by Barnes but not by Dr. Chapman, and I’m afraid the jury is very much still out on my positive thoughts about the outcome. Please do not presume to speak for all others or to speak for me on this one. Thank you for your consideration. -Tom
Brad, I am a cc survivor. I was diagnosed with stage 4 inoperable cc. I am a live today, bacause of Dr. William Chapman (google him) at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis MO. (amtrak station a few blocks away!) Barnes doesn’t get enough recognition on this site, but they just openned a new transplant floor because they are “one of the few cholanagio centers” in the nation, as reported in local paper. There are several people on this site who are or have been treated by them all with positive thoughts.
Don’t hold it against a surgeon for wanting to operate, thats how they know how to save lives. Thanks to 2 liver transplants I am alive. There is hope out there. Good luck and lots of prayers-CathyBrad,
I am from Indianapolis and I had surgery at IU Med Center in Indy. My surgeon was fantastic. She came to Indy from Sloan Kettering. Her name is Mary Maluccio and her office number is (317) 278-1531. Her specialty is the liver and she is both an oncologist and a surgeon. I always felt like she was honest and straight-forward with me and I trusted her with my life. (And still do). I am almost four years out from surgery and cancer free.
Best wishes and hugs,
SueTheresa, just a suggestion. Have you tried our search engine at the top of the page? Enter Block Center and just see if anything comes up in older Posts on that facility. Good Luck.
Hi, Brad,
I have just started reading LIFE OVER CANCER and I am curious what you thought of the Block Center. You said that you did go there. Do you think it helped you? I will be finished with my second go around with chemo next month and I was just wondering if I should look into some place like the Block Center. I would appreciate knowing what you thought about the facility and what they have to offer.Theresa
Kathy – I’m sure you haven’t always been like that and chemo brain is frustrating. But, look at you – 17 months! Keep fighting! You inspire me. Blessings, Susan
Hi Brad,
So glad to hear you are feeling good. I’m probably a bit different from some people as it’s ok with me not to have surgery. As long as I feel well, it’s all good for me.
I am treated at Mayo clinic in Rochester. They agreed with others that I was not a candidate for tumor removal and did the testing for liver transplant. The tumor had grown too large in the month it took for insurance approval so I did not qualify.
I’m sure there are other excellent doctors and treatment centers, but we went to Mayo for chemo and radiation rather than have it done locally. I personally would always want Mayo to replace/clean out my stent. They are tops. My oncologist and GI doctor are so good to me. One big thing for me is always getting the results of MRIs and other testing on the same day. I’ve learned from this site that it’s necessary at many clinics to wait for results. That would so hard.
My original prognosis was 3 months to 14 months max. Tomorrow I will be at 17 months! I am presently off chemo and feeling very good. My main complaint is chemo brain. (My family keeps telling me I’ve always been like this, but I don’t think so
Kathy
Brad – The two hospitals mentioned by Lainy are mentioned on this web site often as the best. My son was seen at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and they were a wonderful group of doctors and a fabulous, well organized facility. However, he was not a candidate for surgery so there was not much that they could offer for him there, and we wanted to be closer to home once we knew surgery was out of the question. Best wishes….keep on healing – Nancy
Thank you for your quick welcomes, I am glad I found this site! It’s been a lonely journey…
I am from the Chicago area. When first diagnosed I had 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th opinions, which included Northwestern Memorial Hospital (their top liver Oncologist told me I had 6 months without treatment and 1 year with treatment). I actually was scheduled at MD Anderson for a 5th opinion, although at the time (July) the pain became to great and I began treatment at Block Center for Integrated Cancer Treatment.
My symptoms from the CC have subsided, although I am experiencing quite a few from the chemo. with the recent news of mixed results, I am thinking it is time to continue my search for better treatment/cure options.
Northwestern says I am not a candidate for surgery. I am 49 yrs old and healthy other than this disease. Based on blood tests, energy and response to treatment, my doctors say I am responding well to treatment, markers are all going down. The doc’s at Northwestern say if I keep looking I will find someone who would want to operate, that to a carpenter everything looks like a nail. To a surgeon, every answer is operate.
I am searching for a successful approach to healing. I am open minded and have not pre-determined surgery is the best answer. Soooo, surgery may be the answer, the big question is where to continue my search on healing?
Thanks so much,
Brad
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