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.
