Yes, I’d like your opinion

Well duhhh, of course I am getting a second opinion! Sure, the doctors at Houston Methodist (HM) are talented and have been provided gifts from God, but they are also human! And unfortunately, human beings make errors. So I headed over to those people that are “making cancer history” to get their thoughts. HM provided all of my samples and slides so that they could make their own diagnosis, in addition to providing discs of all the mammograms, ultrasounds, and scans. Honestly, I’m not expecting them to say anything different. My research suggests that Triple Negative Bresst Cancer (TNBC) is treated fairly consistently. Because it can’t be treated with hormone therapy (unlike other Breast cancers), chemotherapy followed by surgery and possibly radiation is usually the treatment plan.

When we arrive at MD Anderson (MDA), we are greeted by a Patient Coordinator in the main lobby. It’s a big facility, with a lot of people bustling around. On the wall, there is a huge sign that reads “Making cancer history” and the word cancer with a red line drawn through it. Welp, guess we are in the right place. Once I check in, they send me upstairs to for my appointment. The nurse welcomes me and takes all my vitals and asks a series of questions. They try to understand whether you are emotionally unstable so they ask questions like “have you ever wished that you hadn’t woken up after a night’s sleep?” Very weird way to ask the question, but hey, I get it. The next question though … I didn’t really quite understand. The nurse asked if I had a will? I thought to myself, Dude we haven’t even started talking diagnosis and treatment and you’re talking death? Theo and I instantly made eye contact, and exchanged side eyes. Later, he shared that he needed to keep an eye out .. seems like they were interested in a little research funding lol

Patiently waiting ….

After waiting a good half hour, the doctor walks in and begins our session. In a nutshell, she confirmed the diagnosis and the treatment plan that Dr. S had provided. She mentioned the same side effects. She had the same sense of urgency. She recommended the same genetic testing because of my age and lack of familial history. She agreed with Dr. S’ guidance that I needed to choose the facility where I felt most comfortable. Wait, there was one more difference. Dr. O gave me a prescription for a cranial prosthesis… yep, you guessed it - A Wig! Tomorrow, we’ll meet with the Breast Surgeon before making the final decision.

Flossing in my MD Anderson Couture robe..

Fast forward to tomorrow (insert fast forward sound .. you know the one they use in movies when it seems like they press the fast forward button.. y’all know what I’m talking about) Today, we met with Dr B, the Breast Surgeon at MD Anderson. She was literally one of THE smartest women I’ve ever met. Like ever. Like … I had to hold my breath, and quiet my inner thoughts just so I could follow her .. that kinda smart. After 90 minutes of holding my breath, the options for surgery were the same. Once genetics are confirmed, surgery options ultimately depends on how the tumor responds to chemotherapy.

So there you have it. The most prominent cancer fighting organization on the planet has spoken. And they’ve given the exact prognosis as the good folks at Houston Methodist.

Now I have all of the information to make a decision. Where will I seek treatment? Same diagnosis and treatment plan. Same surgical options. Equivalently talented. Similar clinical trials. If I consider bed side manner, HM wins easily. In my experience, MDA is not even on the same planet. But there is another thing that sets the two hospitals apart. Dr. O (the oncologist at MD Anderson) is pregnant and set to go on maternity leave in early April. At the moment, she is shifting her patients to another doctor to cover while she was out. Don’t get me wrong.. Tova loves the kids BUT I don’t think I am comfortable with knowingly handing over my care to another doctor in the middle of my treatment. (and I know it’s not exactly the middle T lol) So, that’s gonna be a no for me dawg…..

Dr. S and Dr. T — hey y’all heyyyyyy 👋🏽 HM let’s goooooo !!