After several months of doing the insurance company shuffle: attempting to get approval, being denied, and following multiple levels of appeal, my health insurance company (with a little encouragement from an external medical review board) has finally approved the use of a new chemo drug for me. Avastin is of a different drug 'family' so to speak; I'll spare you the medical/scientific details because I would no doubt get it wrong anyway.
Suffice to say that I was so looking forward to getting on this drug for several reasons. First and foremost: the side effects are virtually non-existent. No more chest/esophogeal issues, no nausea, no body aches, no rock bottom white blood counts, no shots to boost WBC, no steroids, no more anti- nausea drugs and thus no violent swings from constipation to crapping constantly. Perhaps I'll even begin to feel my feet again. Sad to admit that at this point, the little tendril of hope that this drug may actually stop the growth of the cancer is a distant second reason I'm glad to be going down a new path.
So for now I'll just be thankful that I caught this break. At least what I perceive to be a break at this point anyway. Just when I thought I couldn't go on, I have a light in my tunnel again. Thanks, big guy, for looking out for me.
dear Dee,
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking of you of late and wondered how you were doing. excellent news about avastin! I am just sorry you had to jump through so many hoops to get it. catching a break and once again being able to see a light in the tunnel is a very good place to be, and without those shitty side effects. I know it must do your heart good to have it filled with gratitude. I am sending you BIG hope along with...
much love and light,
Karen xoxo
Thanks for your kind words Karen. It's funny what you learn to appreciate after slugging along through this muck, isn't it?
ReplyDelete~D.
yeah, our gratitude lists would read like a huge clusterfuck of
ReplyDeleteW-H-A-T??? still...we cling to that which gives us hope and thanks. keep writing - you do it so well.
much love and light,
Karen
Hello Dee and Karen! I didn't realize avastin was well tolerated. good to know! the last thing you should have to be doing is fighting with insurance companies but I'm so glad your persistence paid off. sending you love and light and all things good. you are not alone.
ReplyDeleteDee, I'm so glad you got a break with the insurance company for the new chemo. It's a shame that cancer patients have to fight for months to get a new drug approved that can help save their life, wasting precious time. Keep up the good fight, I'm keeping you in my prayers that this chemo will help!! Time to kick this nasty cancer's a$$!!
ReplyDeleteBabe