insurance woes

I saw my oncologist today. He gave me three handouts: Carboplatin, Paclitaxel, Cisplatin. My chemo is not covered in Seattle, per my insurance. I need to have family with me because my chemo is harsh, requiring 3-4 days of hospitalization for each treatment. He has scheduled a bone marrow biopsy in two weeks and wants me to start chemo as soon as possible. But without family, I cannot tolerate the side effects. My family is critical for my improvement and my insurance company is denying me the ability to be with my family while on chemo.

We have exhausted all family resources and nobody in my family can come to Folsom/Sacramento and take care of me when I am on chemo. What am I going to do? Why does the insurance company care if they are paying for Seattle care or Sacramento care? It might even be cheaper in Seattle.

I am so depressed. My CA125 pre-surgery was over 2700 points. Now it's 241 points. I only need to get it to less than 20. Surgery did so much, I just need a little more treatment.

My insurance is Western Health Advantage. I guess they receive top ratings each year but I have no idea why. I can't believe that I am the only patient who lives away from family and needs chemo.

In the mean time, my lease expires September 30, 2009. I will have to go to Seattle. I am devastated about the insurance. I was really hoping they would at least consider providing me coverage. I can't do chemo alone.

As I recover, I am going to do everything I can to improve my nutrition and overall health, so to eliminate anything that could exaccerbate my ovarian cancer.

For more information on Ovarian Cancer go to http://www.ovariancancer.org

God Bless

better bit by bit

When will universal healthcare be approved? When will individuals be valued equally? If we had universal healthcare, I would already be arranging for help to pack my belongings. I would already have a new doctor in Seattle. I would be preparing to spend time with my family and relishing in the opportunity. Instead, I'm wondering if I will be able to make my meals and wondering how or if I'll ever be able to have chemo or biologics because nobody is in the area to take care of me. I can't go through chemo alone. I feel so alone.


Well, I am up from resting because it completely wore me out just to go to the lab. I was in so much pain that I had to lay down on the bench in the lobby while I was waiting for my aunt to return. She was so sweet to go to the health food store for me. I guess each day will work itself out. The nurse came around 1pm and then we went to the lab. By the time we returned around 3:15, my pain was almost 10/10.

This is what it's like day to day. Everything hurts, but just a little less. I would not have been able to do all that last week, so I am slowly progressing.

When my aunt leaves on Thursday, I will have a few friends who can stop by for little things, but I need to be on my own. I hope I get there.

I'm hoping that some sort of miracle will happen and that my oncologist will be able to convince my insurance company to pay for chemo in Seattle. It's the best option and the right thing to do. Does anyone know how we can convince WHA to approve treatments in Seattle??????

If you are reading this, remember to tell all the females in your life to learn the symptoms of ovarian cancer, take them seriously, and pay attention to their bodies. Some of the symptoms are embarassing, and it's likely that thousands of women are walking around right now with undetected ovarian cancer because they are too embarassed to tell their symptoms to their doctors. Your life is worth more than a little embarassment.

Time to go back to bed, just wanted to say hello. I love God and my family and friends. Be good to yourself.

Love,
Me

hotel move sigh

On this day I am being temporarily moved to a hotel because my roommate/Landlord has friends in from out of town. He "appreciates" us moving out of the house for a few days so that they can have fun and not be around a "sick" person. My other roommate is not tolerating my digestive challenges well either. Sorry, grow up.

I read my operative and post-op pathology report. After literally moving all my organs around and removing multiple tumors, total radical hysterectomy and appendectomy, my digestion is a bit "off'. I am doing the best I can. I am trying to wean off the pain pills.

The Residence Inn at Folsom was kind enough to give us a major discount because of my condition. Yeah!

So aside from the depression creeping up on me because I'll be losing all of my identity as I know it, I am doing the best I can to stay positive. I had a burst of anger last night though. I don't want to go through this. I don't want to have to move, file bankruptcy, go through chemo. I just want to be well. I want to live in a positive and stress free environment. I want my independence. I want to dance again.

Going through this with no husband is going to be hard. I just pray that God is going to really help my family because I am not dealing well emotionally and am very angry at my doctors for missing this. I'll get to "forgiveness" one day, but not now.

Hello

My name is Denise and I have Ovarian Cancer. Unfortunately in spite of having medical care for the past two years and good insurance, my doctors missed it! I have Stage III C OC and am still in shock. I am recovering from major abdominal surgery to include a total radical hysterectomy and appendectomy. My surgeon had to leave just a couple tumors less than .5cm. I am grateful for my surgeon and for the thorough work he did to optimally debulk my abdomen. Now I face upcoming chemo via both intravenous and abdominal catheterizing. I am devastated.

Prior to this news, I was barely getting by as a working disabled female adult. I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at age 15, nobody has ever loved me enough to want to marry me and I currently can only afford $600 room rental in a home. I have not had my own apartment since 1995 because I have been unable to afford such luxuries. Now I will lose everything again. I am hoping that as time goes by and as my chemotherapy or appropriate cancer treatment takes place, I can find new friends.

My family is either in Seattle, Denver or San Pedro. I am all alone except for just a few good friends in Folsom. My family does not have the money to travel back and forth and my insurance does not cover out of Northern California. We are still trying to figure out what to do. My oncologist says that I cannot go through chemo without family. What am I going to do?

For now I just want to thank my family, especially Mandy, Mom and Aunt Deb for coming to Folsom and helping me recover from my surgery.

I know God has a plan for me and I am hoping first and foremost that any woman who reads up on the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer will push her doctors to take her situation seriously if she thinks she may have this devastating disease.

I love you all.

Denise