I had no option but to go public, in the north of Brisbane, but I have been really happy with the care I have received in the public system, with Diana Tam as my surgeon (TPCH), and Penny Mackenzie as my radiation oncologist (RBWH).
Hi LP020406 , Can I ask how long you had to wait for your treatment to start when you went through the public system? Only if you feel you can share, of course.
I am Brisbane metro too. I am brand newly diagnosed and have initial appointments to see a surgeon (private). I have no idea what my treatment will be but am slightly worried about the cost of going private. However I will get the quotes etc and weigh it all up.
though it seemed like such a long time it wasnt barely a month I think , including the biopsy at caboolture then to RBWH for treatment, 5 days a week for 5 weeks of radiation therapy.
Hi KalGal. I thought I was clear after my screening mammogram - it was 3 weeks from screening to call back - biopsy the following day, also at Chermside Breastscreen. Then it was 7 days for results, and they had already booked an appointment for me to see Diana Tam, surgeon, at TPCH for 8 days later ...so by then it was 30 April. The first surgery date she offered me was 3 June, but my husband had a long-planned trip and were not going to be back until about 12 June, so she booked me in for 17th & put me on hormone blockers, "as insurance" because that time frame was a little outside of the guidelines. I had a couple of phone calls while we were away, from breast nurse and schedulers, and then had a prep appointment on the Monday before going in for radioactive scan for nodes, CT scan, lumpectomy and sentinal node surgery on the Wednesday. I only stayed in hospital (TPCH) for 1 night.
Before I left hospital I had seen the breast care nurse and she had organised a follow up with the surgical team in 8 days. The nurse saw me again a week after that to check on the swelling in my armpit, and ordered an ultra-sound, and did a phone review with me a week after that, by which time I had an ultra-sound appointment for a couple of days later, when they scanned my axillar and needle drained it.
Whilst I was with the nurse, for one of those reviews, RBHW rang me to arrange an appointment for a consult with the Radiation Oncologist - I think that was about 2 1/2 weeks after they called. From consulting the Rad Onc I had another review with the surgeons, nurse, and a physio the following day and the planning session and scans with the radiation oncology technicians a couple of days later.
I am due to start 3 weeks of Radiation Oncology next Monday, and next Wednesday will be 8 weeks since my surgery and 18 weeks since my biopsy. Considering that some of the delays have been due to my 2 short trips away from home, I have no complaints at all about how responsive and speedy the timetable has been, and I can't fault any of the professional I have dealt with. (I too was wondering if I could find the funds to go private, if there was a waitlist, but at the first appointment with the surgeon she talked things through with me and then opened her calendar to schedule the surgery, then and there.)
I hope this helps you! All the best with your decision making, and the journey ahead.
