Diana,

I was going to suggest that if you did not hear back from Essen that you might try using the German forum to see if anyone knew different contact numbers or had any thoughts. I figured someone might be going there for treatment at the moment and might be able to help you.

Wolfgang is that a possibility?

Alan,

Good for you hearing back, please let me know what you find out as to cost.

I have not tried to contact Essen since I have an appointment with a radiologist/oncologist this Friday. I will get the cost of the procedure being preformed in Charlotte and then decide. I have a deductible of $2500 and then a max out of pocket per year of another $2000.00 So I know the worse case is $4500.00 out of pocket. (If they choose to cover it) I will get the procedure codes on Friday and meet with their insurance manager to hopefully figure it out. I know they told me they could give me their exact charges but not the charges for the hospital. I can also see the radiologist at their local center and that might be less expensive than having the procedure done in a hospital.

Regards,

Lori

Diana / Lori,
Good to hear from you both. Diana, I was told the same thing about Dr. Seegenschmiedt not doing the therapy, but I still believe they are much more familiar with this than other places I have read about. I will keep you posted. If you find a cost or details on good places to stay, pass them on. If everything goes well I will be trying to get there by early to mid June.


I did get the book that Dr. Seegenschmiedt was contributor/editor too "Radiotherapy for Non-Malignant Disorders" from our local library (book transfers are great!) Nice to see there are many positive results going back to 1955 for this type of therapy. Looks like the book came from a technical college in Kentucky.....glad to see some interest here in the US.


Alan

Thanks Newman. Do people at that hotel speak English?

I just had an interesting conversation with the Essen Hospital. A woman answered the phone, I said (spelling?) "Spreken ze English?" She said no. I said "Christiane?" She said tomorrow. I said danka and she said bitte. It was pretty funny. Hopefully I can get through tomorrow morning, ask the questions and get an appointment.

Diana

Hi Lori,
You said that you are having an MRI related to your RT. I haven't heard that mentioned before. What will the MRI show?
Flora

Hi, Flora,

Good to hear from you. He believes the MRI will give him a more indepth look of my hand to identify nodules that are just beginning to form. The MRI is best at finding abnormalities like lesions and tumors. Since I am doing the radiation and he says he will only radiate my hand once, we better make sure we get all the areas that show DC. I did ask them today about getting a base line for my left hand through the MRI or an x-ray so that I would have something to compare my left hand to if I notice DC in it.

Who knows Flora, maybe it is just this oncologist/radiologist procedure to use the MRI. I know when I met with the hand surgeon he required an MRI prior to doing the surgery. You had an x-ray? I am attempting to set up the MRI for 5/20th.

Flora, have you seen anywhere on this site if someone has had RT more than once on the same hand? I have searched but can't seem to remember if or did I see something.

Lori