And the Winner Is …

Before you make your final choice, check two more important details. First, does your
insurance cover the services of the doctor and/or surgeon you want? If not, you may
need to reconsider. Second, talk to survivors—particularly those whose doctor and/or
surgeon is the one you’re considering. Were they satisfied?
If worse comes to worse and you feel you need another choice, call your state or
county medical societies or local hospital for referrals. Talk to survivors living in your
area. Ask for their recommendations. They have nothing to lose by being perfectly
blunt about their own care.
Finally, if you are willing to travel away from home, say so. Ask for referrals to area
university hospitals or hospitals in nearby larger communities. Keep in mind, how-
ever, that you will continue to travel to and from your treatment center for about a
year, and then follow-up visits continue afterward for as long as five years. If you
choose to get treatment away from home, be prepared to commit to added burdens,
including …
➤ Travel (perhaps in poor weather conditions and frequently during very early or
very late hours)
➤ Time (including hours on the road and nights away from home)
➤ Effort (even when you’re nauseated, exhausted, and would rather be cuddled in
your own bed)
➤ Finances (including cost of transportation, lodging, meals, and long-distance
phone calls)
➤ Loneliness (being in strange surroundings away from close proximity of friends
and family)
Still, this is your life at stake. Maybe travel, time, effort, finances, and loneliness
aren’t really big issues in your situation. In fact, the battle against breast cancer in-
cludes numerous little side skirmishes, and maybe travel-related hurdles are just
that—inconvenient skirmishes. Our only job is to let you know your options so that
you can make choices wisely, and with your eyes open. That way, you’ll arrive on the
battlefield fully prepared.