Hello and welcome to our family. Anyone that is in your position would be scared if you were not I would be worried about you. This is all new to you and on top of having to get used to the very idea you have to make dictions. A tall order deciding what direction to go in while in an emotional whirl wind isn’t it?
Take a big breath with the time frame you doctor has given you there is time to find the right direction for yourself. A second opinion is important from a center of excellence for bladder cancer. Just because a place is a cancer center does not mean it specializes in all cancers. Listed below are some choices the ones I listed that you can travel to have a good reputation for bladder cancer. Emory seems to have a team approach to bladder cancer but I know little about them. But I do know that University associated cancer centers are a much better bet than ones that are not also Emory is a NCI designated cancer center.
You could ask your present Urologist for the name of someone good for a second opinion. But if you do not wish to do so the first thing you may want to do is call your insurance to find out if the will cover a second opinion and if they do if they have preferred locations some do. Once you have done that pick where you are going and give them a call and set up your appointment. If you tell them your original diagnosis they will know you need to be seen soon. Ask them what they need sent to them. They maybe willing to call your present Urologist and get your medical records. If they do not call your Urologists office and request they be sent if they ask you for your scans, pathology report or your pathology slides ask the office staff who to call to have them sent. You may have to sign forms to have things released. A little work but it will be well worth it for you in peace of mind.
When you are looking at a Urological surgeon the question is how many Radical Cystectomy’s of the diversion you are interested in they have done? This will tell you two things how experience they are and if the hospital they are using are used to handling a high volume of patients having a Radical Cystectomy they deal with. Experience is king in hedging your bets for a good outcome. The Urologist that did my surgery for instance does three to five a week.
I hope this helps and remember we are here for you
Emory
cancer.emory.edu/patient-care/types-of-cancer/bladder/healthcare-team/bladder-team
If you can travel
MD Anderson
www.mdanderson.org/patient-and-cancer-information/cancer-information/cancer-types/bladder-cancer/index.html
John Hopkins
www.hopkinskimmelcancercenter.org/index.cfm/cid/1253
Sloan Kettering
www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/280.cfm
Mayo Clinic
www.mayoclinic.org/bladder-cancer/
Cleveland Clinic
my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/bladder_cancer/urology_overview.aspx
