Hi Tina,
is that POW in Sydney? If so I am having my Chemo there and they realy are a good place and well organised.
Having said that you need to be completely comfortable with your team as it is going to be a long treatment so you meed to go with where you feel most comfortable
I am having my AC Chemo at Randwick at present but I live outside of the area and St George is my nearest Hospital. I am being treated at Randwick as I have several serious medical conditions that make me complicated and my ssoecialist kind of converge at POW so made sense I go where they all have access to my records.
Having said that I honestly do think my life would be easier had I had it done locally. AC is not bad as only once every 3 weeks but I did have a few scares with potential infections and can only really speak to POW guys by phone which makes it a bit harder on me. I have managed to avoid Emergency trips this first round and am hoping it stays that way for the next 3 but the thought of having to drive across Sydney in an Emergency or risk going to local hospital where they have no access to my records does give me a hhwadach. In that aspect I wish I was doing it locally.
Also driving to and from Randwick to get Chemo is a pain as 1st time I went on my own but I did notice on the way back that my concentration was impared so I really will have to get someone to take me home next time byt again being out of the area makes that complicated as whomever comes with me now has to drive across Sydney instead of few minutes had I gone locally so it really narrows down my options.
I can definitely see how while it is still managable now when my Chemo is 3 weeks apart it is going to be a pain when I start daily radiation as will have to trapse across Sydney every day for 5 or 6 weeks ??
Another thing to consider is pathology. They have to do several blood tests every round of chemo (to monitor your immune system) and if the 2 hospitals do not use the same lab then you have to travel to the other one so rhey can get results quickly. Technically you can have them done at any pathology collection centre but if not their centre then there are delays and they do not get your results as promptly.
And you will also need to consider follow appointments with the Oncologist, Breast Care Nurse as believe me you will have a lot of contact with her if things go south or you are unsure or have questions, plus any other tests like heart monitoring and such they may want you to have.
All in all it has made my life more difficult in this whole process even though I have managed to avoid Emergency rooms this first round.
If I was doing it again I am honestly notnsure that I would choose to go to an out of area hospital...
Jel.
