You never want to receive a diagnosis of cancer. Like, EVER! It is a terrifying word that can bring your whole universe crashing to a sudden halt. When I received my thyroid cancer diagnosis, I was in the middle of planning a European trip for a bus load of teenagers. I was also juggling the logistics of leaving a 3 year old behind with my husband. Not the best timing to deal with a life changing diagnosis of CANCER! (eek!) However, I could not have been placed in better hands than Dr. Masha Livhits! Dr. Livhits and her her staff at UCLA were nothing short of completely and utterly amazing! They were able to get me in to surgery so quickly that I didn't even have time to sit on the couch and feel sorry for myself. (Thank you for that!)
Surgery is never fun, but my surgical experience at UCLA was the best ever. Everyone was so kind and helpful. Every single person that I engaged with, from admission to anesthesia, took the time to answer all of my questions, explain every little detail of the procedure and everyone took the time to ask how I was feeling along every step of the way. Recovery from surgery was surprisingly easy! I did have to spend the night in the hospital, but again, this experience was also great.
I have such high praise for this cancer treatment team! It is not everyday that you receive phone calls from your surgical team and nurses just to check in and see how you are doing and healing. Every phone call gets returned and everyone here takes the time to really explain things. This level of personal connection and kindness is something that I will never forget and always treasure. During such difficult times, it is wonderful and extremely reassuring to know that you have a team of very qualified professionals who actually care about their patient's feelings and comfort level. I cannot thank Dr. Masha Livhits enough for her kindness and thoughtfulness. She takes as much time as her patients need in order to inform them and reassure them and explain treatment plans in a way that is not scary or difficult to understand. She is the kindest doctor I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.
