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Posted 4/13/2005 12:56 PM (GMT 0)
Finally moved in, and I need to find a surgeon in Northern NJ. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks!

Laure'
Posted 4/13/2005 6:32 PM (GMT 0)

I can recommend a wonderful breast surgeon in Westwood/Hillsdale area for Valley hospital, Pascack Valley and Hackensack hosp, are you near the area? (Are we allowed to give recommendations in this forum?) 

Posted 4/13/2005 7:21 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I think it is ok to give doctor recommendations of someone you have used and have good things to share about. I think it would be unwise to say unkind things as well as probably not allowable under the terms of the agreement here. LOL. Hi Happy are you from that area, too? Laure' just moved there and we have two other long time board members from the area. It is incredible how we have "pockets" of members. All the better to meet for lunch, I'd say. Hugs of welcome, Mary K. (MK)
Posted 4/13/2005 7:27 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, Happy! I think I'm somewhat near that area. I'm in Sussex County. A quick Mapquest search seems to put me within an hour. I'll be needing a mastectomy, perhaps bilateral, so I want to find someone really good and personable. Thanks again!

Laure'
Posted 4/13/2005 7:37 PM (GMT 0)
Laure' Frayda is also in your area and has some medical background so she might know of someone even closer than an hour. I hope she sees your post. She posted yesterday about the death of the head of surgery at the big hospital there. I can't remember and no way to go back and look in the middle of this post. Hugs MK
Posted 4/14/2005 12:32 PM (GMT 0)
Dr Victoria Lee, she knows her stuff, is compassionate, petite, about 40, a bundle of energy and straight forward. I'm in the northern bergen county area, seen several docs in NYC as well, in my opinion, if you can find a dr closer to home it might be better, travelling to see a doctor can be a drag after a while, like I mentioned this is just my personal opinion. I can't remember any doctors names from MSKCC, Dr Schnabel is a well known breast surgeon over at Columbia Pres in NYC. You can always call your favorite hospital for a recommendation too, good luck!
Posted 4/14/2005 1:10 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks alot, happy! I'm still looking and agree with you about location. Insurance is going to play a role, too. Also, seems now is a good time for vacations, so consultations are turning out to be in May. I know I have a bit of time to look around, but I don't want to wait too long. Thanks for your help! I really appreciate it! Are you a new bc patient? The ladies here are fabulous and offer so much support. I hope to hear more from you!

Laure'
Posted 4/14/2005 2:54 PM (GMT 0)
I am a 35 minute train ride from New York City so I have been going to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. That is far for you to travel, but they have an affiliation with St. Claire's Hospital in Dover which is not that far from you. You can call their physician information service to ask if they have MSKCC affiliated breast surgeons working there. I do know a breast group affiliated with St. Barnibas Med. Center in Livingston, but that's about an hour away as well. Let me know if I can help. Frayda
Posted 4/14/2005 4:58 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, Frayda. I'll call St. Clare's. I did call them once directly but they themselves don't take my insurance. However, I didn't even think to ask about affiliated doctors. Great idea! Libby gave me the name of a great surgeon down in Morristown, however, they would be out of network for me. I've made an appointment but first available is 5/9/05. I'm also going to try another surgeon in that group who is known as a breast specialist for a second opinion (hopefully sooner), plus the oncologist on Monday will probably be able to give me a few names, too.

Thanks again! Laure'
Posted 4/15/2005 12:49 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Laure: 

 

You're only about an hour away from me.  You're right near my in-laws, where I go frequently.  I'm in Sullivan County, New York. 

 

I rush to NYC when I need surgery.  I got to Beth Israel.  Vicky and I have the same Surgeon, Dr. Feldman, he's great!!!!!

 

For the oncologist, I go to Middletown, Mid-Hudson Hemotology, Dr. STewart.  That I did near home.  The surgery didn't necessarily have to be right near home, so I went to The City.

Posted 4/15/2005 11:44 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Ellen,

Wow, you're really pretty close. Where in NJ do you visit? Maybe we can hook up sometime!

Do you have a website or phone number for Dr. Feldman? If I can ask, what surgery did he do on you? I've got to have a mastectomy or a bilateral (my choice) and I'm opting for no reconstruction. Thanks so much for the recommendation. Don't know if I'm brave enough to drive into the city, though.

L&H,
Laure'
Posted 4/17/2005 2:24 AM (GMT 0)
Laure'

 

He's wonderful, He's the one who told me I had cancer.  When I had a lump that wasn't showing on a mammogram, my doc up here said wait, it's probably nothing, but I went to Dr. Feldman.  The NYC blackout happened the day before my appointment, and I couldn't reach them that Friday, the day of my appointment.  That Sunday, I got a call from his office, saying they could squeeze me in Monday, but that he was leaving for Japan the next day so I hightailed it there with my mom.  In the morning, he did a needle biopsy, and then told me to wait until after lunch, and come back,because he was leaving for Japan, and he wanted me to have an answer so I could make decisions instead of waiting.  He got the lab done STAT, and told me the results that day.  It was wonderful service, even though it wasn't the answer I wanted.

 

He did a lumpectomy and sentinal node biopsy, and he put in my port and took it out for me.  I go to him for my mammos and check ups.  He always squeezes me in if I'm down there, even if I don't have an appointment.  He's a very nice man, too.

Dr. Sheldon Feldman

10 Union Square East, Ste. 4E

New York, NY  10003

 

212-844-8959

 

I go to Westtown, and that's right by Port Jervis.  That's right by sussex, no? 

 

Getting together would be nice.

Posted 4/17/2005 1:25 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Ellen,
I couldn't find Port Jervis or Westtown on a NJ map, then I did a mapquest find and I see it. Mapquest says that Westtown is about 22 miles away from where I live in Lafayette, but only 15 miles from where my Mom has moved in Hamburg. We'll have to get together sometime!!!! Lots in common (I'm 40, have 2 boys 7 & 10, lived in NY before). BTW, how's your dissertation coming? Did you present yet? Are you going in to academia or professional work or retirement LOL? My background is as an academic librarian, and I'm doing that part-time from home as the Librarian for an online educational institute. I love academia, although when I started my PhD, I decided to have a baby and left the program.

Thanks for the information on the doctor. I hope to find someone closer to home, but will definitely keep this information. Tomorrow and Tuesday I will call all of the surgeons to get consultations and go from there. I'm hoping the oncologist I see tomorrow will have names, too. Have a great Sunday!

L&H,
Laure'
Posted 4/17/2005 3:23 PM (GMT 0)
Laure'
I had the most wonderful Docotor in the world. He is in New York at Sloan Kettering and his name is Dr. Borgen. Please look into seeing him, I know that you'll have to travel into the city but it's your life that we are talking about.
Posted 4/17/2005 3:35 PM (GMT 0)
Someone had mentioned a Doctor being killed this passed week but didn't know where he was from, FYI... he was struck by an automobile in New York and he was from Sloan Kettering.
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