Well, I received a phone call from my Oncologist office at the beginning of this week stating that per my Dr. it is NOW OK for me to make payment's for my Chemotherapy treatment! Why the change of heart all of a sudden? Last week was no money then no chemo treatment! Just wondering why?!!
So I still have to pay my 20% co-insurance. I'm hoping that I will get approved for the AHCCCS spend down but my interview isn't until the 20th. Wish me luck! I have also filled out all of the Foundation applications. So I hope to receive some money there to help me pay my bills.
So on Wednesday I resumed my chemotherapy which goes like this... I go into the office and they hook me up to my chemo for a few hours then before I leave they hook me up to a pump that gives me continuous chemotherapy for the next 22 hours until my next office chemo on Thursday. So I'm in the office again for a few hours, then they hook me up on my pump for more continuous treatment for another 22 hours. Then on Friday I have a home health nurse that discontinues my chemotherapy and needle from my port. And that is another lil problem is that my NEW port is leaking! I sure hope that there is nothing wrong with this one! I'll have a heart attach, I swear...LOL I was told by the nurse to keep an eye on it and the swelling because this can be cause for concern.
So now I'm discontinued from my chemotherapy until I go in on this Monday for my injection which is supposed to help me produce more white blood cells since I will be in my Neutropenic state 7-10 days out from beginning of chemo. During this Neutropenic state all a persons labs like drop, making them very open for infections that can make me very ill. After this injection I'm good to go (unless i get sick), until the following Monday where I go back into the office and have my labs drawn that I have to have before I can have my chemo that week. So on Wednesday I go in and see my doctor first and then go back and have my treatment and start the process all over again.
For right now since resuming my chemo on Wednesday I am feeling pretty good. No nausea or vomiting, just a bit fatigued and have Neuropathy in my fingers and throat. (That is where when I touch or drink anything cold, i get a burning, tingling sensation in my fingers..that's why I have to wear gloves to touch anything cold..and when I drink anything cold it feels like my throat is swelling up with burning also.) So during this time I have to drink everything room temp and wear my gloves...lol It kinda is a pain in the butt but what else am I going to do?!
The biggest and long active side effect of the chemo is loosing my hair!! My Oncologist initially told me that I shouldn't loose all my hair with the medications I'm getting, that it should only just thin out. Breast cancer patients loose ALL of their hair by the 15th day of beginning chemo! Unbelievable! But I think my doctor is wrong in my book because ever since my 1 month of chemo that I had before, my hair has been falling out like crazy! I don't have any bald spots (at least not yet), but my hair is thinning quite a bit and if it continues to fall out the way it is over these next 6 months, then I'm going to have a problem and will either have to shave my head and wear a wig or wear a wrap. I'm DEVASTATED over loosing my hair! I recently went and had 6 inches of my hair cut off and layered so that I can start preparing myself for when more of my hair falls out. I know this sounds very superficial and all, and of course I'm going to chose chemo and ALL it's side effects verses not having chemo and keeping my hair. That is a no brain er, but until you are in this same situation..you really don't know how it feels!!
So I guess that's about it for now...thanks for reading....take care! :-)
Friday, October 9, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
This is my Cancer story.. I need HELP!
I am a 36 year YOUNG, vibrant woman who has been diagnosed with Stage III Colon Cancer in April-2009. This was the worst day of my life! I mean I'm 36, and out of nowhere life hands me a new set of cards to play with. Didn't I already have enough happen with my life and health over the last several years? Why is this happening to me?! Am I going to survive this?
My cancer was removed and about two weeks later I developed a stomach abscess and had to go back and have that taken care of, then a few weeks after that I developed an infection in my wound and in my body and I was back in the hospital for three weeks for antibiotics and such. I then came home and had to be on home IV antibiotics for two weeks. All this time, not even starting my treatment yet.
I then went to my Oncologist and I was told I should be fine, that I'm young and colon cancer is very treatable so I have pretty good odds. He also told me that WITH Chemotherapy I should have an 80/20% chance in five years of my cancer returning. WITHOUT Chemotherapy I would have a 60/40% chance of re-occurrence in those five years. I would have a six month treatment plan of getting Chemotherapy every other week with my shots in between my treatment weeks. So I began treatment for a month when I became ill and developed a blood infection, my port-a-cath was infected and had to be removed and that I had Valley Fever! So there goes another two weeks of my life...unable to get Chemo. I was then sent home for a month without treatment to be on antibiotics again. When I was done with my antibiotics, I made and set up my surgery appointment to have a new port put in. I then went back to my Oncologist to see when I can resume my chemo. I mean, come on.. one month out of six months after being diagnosed without treatment..I didn't want to have to wait any longer. All I keep on thinking of is that my cancer is growing back by the minute. So I tell my Dr. that I'm having surgery this day and he tells me that we can start chemo back the following week. This is where my drama begins..
Just this past Friday I went in to my Dr.'s office to speak with the billing dept. because I needed a copy of my bills that I had the month I had Chemo so that I can try and get on Arizona's Medicaid so that they can pay the remaining 20% that Medicare doesn't pay. Samantha (the billing girl) handed me a copy of the bills and for 1 month of chemo is $38,000. And I'm supposed to pay 20%! She had told me on a previous day that I can always make payments. BUT, on Friday when she asked my Oncologist about the money situation, he said NO, and that I had to come up with at least half of the money up front or else I can't have my chemo treatment. I was devastated! What is going to happen to me now? Is this it? Am I to die in my 30's as my sister did of her battle with Lupus? It's not fair that money dictates whether we live or die!
Being on Medicare which I am on now has a health plan that is set up to cover that 20% that I can't afford, I only make just over $1300/month through Social Security Disability. Well, I am UNABLE to get this plan because I am under 65 years old! I don't even count! There is NO other program to help me with that 20% gap in coverage! I also can't get on the regular plan of AZ Medicaid because I make $300 dollars over the limit in income that you can make a month. So I currently applied for a different kind of plan through Medicaid. But who knows what will happen with that or when it is going to be in effect if I do get it. I have put in applications also through various Foundations to help with funding. I have been searching non stop to find an answer to my prayers! How are all these things fair with Insurances? Why have a Medicare Supp program for people only over 65 and nobody else? And why does my income..little as it is, stop me from getting on Medicaid when I'm faced with paying that 20% of $38,000 each month? What is someone to do? Just roll over and die? I don't want to die! I'm terrified and devastated over all of this! Shouldn't I be concentrating on getting better? I need help!
So there it is..that's my story......If you can please help! I would greatly appreciate it!
GOD BLESS.... :)
Sincerely,
JenO.
**Please leave any comments...**
My cancer was removed and about two weeks later I developed a stomach abscess and had to go back and have that taken care of, then a few weeks after that I developed an infection in my wound and in my body and I was back in the hospital for three weeks for antibiotics and such. I then came home and had to be on home IV antibiotics for two weeks. All this time, not even starting my treatment yet.
I then went to my Oncologist and I was told I should be fine, that I'm young and colon cancer is very treatable so I have pretty good odds. He also told me that WITH Chemotherapy I should have an 80/20% chance in five years of my cancer returning. WITHOUT Chemotherapy I would have a 60/40% chance of re-occurrence in those five years. I would have a six month treatment plan of getting Chemotherapy every other week with my shots in between my treatment weeks. So I began treatment for a month when I became ill and developed a blood infection, my port-a-cath was infected and had to be removed and that I had Valley Fever! So there goes another two weeks of my life...unable to get Chemo. I was then sent home for a month without treatment to be on antibiotics again. When I was done with my antibiotics, I made and set up my surgery appointment to have a new port put in. I then went back to my Oncologist to see when I can resume my chemo. I mean, come on.. one month out of six months after being diagnosed without treatment..I didn't want to have to wait any longer. All I keep on thinking of is that my cancer is growing back by the minute. So I tell my Dr. that I'm having surgery this day and he tells me that we can start chemo back the following week. This is where my drama begins..
Just this past Friday I went in to my Dr.'s office to speak with the billing dept. because I needed a copy of my bills that I had the month I had Chemo so that I can try and get on Arizona's Medicaid so that they can pay the remaining 20% that Medicare doesn't pay. Samantha (the billing girl) handed me a copy of the bills and for 1 month of chemo is $38,000. And I'm supposed to pay 20%! She had told me on a previous day that I can always make payments. BUT, on Friday when she asked my Oncologist about the money situation, he said NO, and that I had to come up with at least half of the money up front or else I can't have my chemo treatment. I was devastated! What is going to happen to me now? Is this it? Am I to die in my 30's as my sister did of her battle with Lupus? It's not fair that money dictates whether we live or die!
Being on Medicare which I am on now has a health plan that is set up to cover that 20% that I can't afford, I only make just over $1300/month through Social Security Disability. Well, I am UNABLE to get this plan because I am under 65 years old! I don't even count! There is NO other program to help me with that 20% gap in coverage! I also can't get on the regular plan of AZ Medicaid because I make $300 dollars over the limit in income that you can make a month. So I currently applied for a different kind of plan through Medicaid. But who knows what will happen with that or when it is going to be in effect if I do get it. I have put in applications also through various Foundations to help with funding. I have been searching non stop to find an answer to my prayers! How are all these things fair with Insurances? Why have a Medicare Supp program for people only over 65 and nobody else? And why does my income..little as it is, stop me from getting on Medicaid when I'm faced with paying that 20% of $38,000 each month? What is someone to do? Just roll over and die? I don't want to die! I'm terrified and devastated over all of this! Shouldn't I be concentrating on getting better? I need help!
So there it is..that's my story......If you can please help! I would greatly appreciate it!
GOD BLESS.... :)
Sincerely,
JenO.
**Please leave any comments...**
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