And usually when you least expect them...
Let's back up a ways so that things make sense. As we all know, I'm in chemo session 2 out of god knows how many to come.
Session 1 seemed to serve to freeze the little fuckers in place - no growth, no multiplication, no nothing - so it made sense to continue with what we were doing to try and keep them that way. It would have been awful nice if they'd disappeared or something, but I don't even hope for miracles of that level.
This week was cycle two, meaning Monday chemo, Tuesday hydration, Neulasta shot and Procrit shot. I'm done with the Venofer or Ferrlecit (iron infusions) for now, unless I need them again.
Last night was pretty horribly gnarly, with the side effects flyin' left and right, and my absolute favorite - an intestinal blockage - taking center stage. I was still so miserable this morning that I had to cancel my appointment with Andy, something I *never* do!
You're starting to wonder about the miracles by now, huh?
Well, the first miracle, thanks in no small part to Lorrie & Andy is that I have Social Security Disability money sitting in my bank account. I'm officially official now!!!! The government recognizes that terminal cancer is rather disabling!
I will get a monthly payment, but at the beginning, I get a retro amount (after paying my lawyer) which will let me get a good start on putting as much money as possible into my mouth.
I will be taking that money to ensure that I do not lose any more teeth in the immediate future. I'm going to do a tiny bit of comparison shopping, and find me a good, compassionate dentist up here who understands that I'm not trying to look like a supermodel; I just want to fill all my cavities and fix all the enamel that chemo has eaten away and get the absolutely necessary crowns or bridges or castles or whatever the hell I need to be able to chew. I do miss chewing.
The second miracle is even more miraculous. Mind-blowing-make-me-cry-miraculous.
The Breast & Cervical Cancer Treatment Program (BCCTP) is a combo state-federal funding deal that has been covering my cancer care thus far. Getting into the program gets you full Medi-Cal coverage for everything related to your cancer. When we first found out about this, we were told that the coverage limits were 18 months for breast cancer and 24 months for cervical.
That would mean that I "expire" in September 2010, which was a rather scary thought, all things considered....BUT, thanks again to the social worker at Feather River Hospital (it was a FRH social worker who got me into the program in the first place - a different social worker, but the same office) we have found out that I qualify for the federal side of the program, which has no limits.
Let's repeat that: It has no limits. I have full medical care coverage for the duration of my cancer, which in my life means, well, my *life*!!!
The only better news I could get about my medical-world would be if my cancer went away. Since I'm not too optimistic about *that* right now, I'll take *this* right now with the most sincere thanks and deepest gratitude there can be.
See, sometimes, there are miracles.
3 comments:
That is so wonderful for you Steph. A relief not having to worry about money stuff. Now you can use that "worry" energy for getting better instead ! And to be able to fix teeth problems is a great morale booster. Now about your "not being too optomistic"........put a cork in it ! You tell yourself this will be cured ! All of this SS and medical care being handled should be proof that things work out for you ! Don't even entertain those kinds of thoughts. You put your mind on good thoughts now, you are very strong and you will defeat this ! Beating cancer is in your genes...just look to your dad ! I'm betting everything on you girl ! Love ya, auntie Annie
All hail miracles, large or small! The miracles have to start somewhere. *g*
This is truly wonderful news and after a lifetime of paying taxes, I'm glad that the money is finally going to someone I love.
Rest and fight hard, sweetpea. I still believe in bigger miracles.
Love you
Mom
Kaiser's 'billing' system liked to send these large documents to me every so often while I was in treatment, each page was three columns left to right, with lots of BIG dollar amounts, the first column was what they say each line item of treatment costs 'gross' and somehow by the third column, if I was lucky, it would not say the same number because it was 'covered' by my policy. But it was a SCARY 'wake up call' as to how much all this stuff supposedly COSTS, did you know for your PET scan, there is a cost for some individual to READ it in addition to the cost of the techs that take the actual scan, and also the cost for the scan itself?! The scan was, I think, somewhere in the neighborhood of $500+/scan (and it's not like we only take one of those!)...Blood tests too, they split out the various costs to do the white count, red, etc. Although I guess I should be happy if someone IS being paid to read these things, they better be damn good at it! ANYway, thankfully YOU will not have to see how much all this amounts to dollar-wise (which is pretty stressful to know or see), all you have to do is focus on getting through all this and feeling as 'better' as you can - hang in there~P
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