Finances and cancer

You get cancer and then you have to pay for it. Financially - not just emotionally or physically. In addition to nasty treatments that leave you physically drained, you are expected to keep your regular work schedule so you have an income. I was reminded of this by a friend yesterday who referred me to an online discussion of the financial toll of cancer. Insurance doesn't cover everything. Co-pays and prescriptions start to add up and you have to miss work due to surgery and chemo therapy.

My story is a little different but I think the point is there. I was laid off from my job two weeks before my breast cancer diagnosis. I was trying to look for a job through surgeries and chemo. Ha, it didn't work. I did get requests for interviews and accepted them - thinking I could drag myself there with my post surgical pain. Is a surgical drain a good or bad job interview accessory? Finally I just gave up on job hunting and worked a part time job at a local community ed program. At the end of treatment, 8 months later, I found more work part time. I have worked part time ever since. My earnings are approximately 50% of what they were previously.

I was also lucky enough to get health insurance through my husband's job. I never paid that much attention to what was covered and what wasn't. I have a $350 deductible annually - this means I pay the first $350 out of pocket. Then I have co-pays for each visit which range from $20-$40 and then I am responsible for 15% allowable expenses up to $5000 each year.

So if I go for a procedure costs $2000 in the allowable amount, I would have to pay 15% or $300. This out of pocket amount is capped at $5000 each year. I have been hitting this by May or June of each year. But that means I have to come up with $5000 to pay my out of pocket amounts on my reduced salary in six months. So money gets tight while I am scraping up this. The mortgage and utilities still need to be paid, the cars need oil changes and tires, groceries need to be bought. I only need to pay $5000 each year. Many insurance policies do not have out of pocket caps. Instead they offer lifetime caps of what they will pay for treatments for a policy holder.

We are lucky ones. There are many who live paycheck to paycheck or already were in financial straits before adding a cancer diagnosis and the financial burden of medical bills. Or don't have adequate medical insurance. What if the primary or only income earner gets diagnosed and ends up going on long term disability at 60% of their previous income? Foreclosure and bankruptcy quickly loom. I know people who liquidated retirement assets to pay for treatment costs.

Some clinical trial drugs or others which are deemed 'experimental' by insurance companies are not covered. The doctors want to offer the best possible treatments. The patients want to try every possible avenue. Costs continue to pile up.

The financial toll of medical diagnoses can be severe. But can't be ignored. There shouldn't be a financial burden along with the emotional and physical toll.

Politics and cancer

As the saying goes 'there are no atheists in foxholes' there are no politics with cancer. Its an equalizer. No one wants it. Some of us get stuck with it.

I think sometimes I come across as being political when I talk about health care reform, politics, etc. I am not trying to be. Our household consists of one slightly to the left of liberal and one slight to the right of conservative (and a moderate cat). Both of us have dealt with cancer and being a caregiver. We cope. Our political differences sometimes show up - particularly when watching political speeches. But they never show up when we talk about access to health care. Particularly when talking about cancer health care. There may be some differences of opinion on how to pay for it, but we manage.

Cancer has no politics. So lets take the politics out of health care.

Cancer Coach?

In one of the blogs I read yesterday, I can't remember which one, the concept of a 'cancer coach' was mentioned. I thought 'cancer coach'? What can that be? So I turned to Google and found there are people out there making a living as 'cancer coaches'. These people claim they can help someone with cancer navigate their way through treatment and make sure they get the right treatment. I call them scammers who are making a living off people who are dealing with major trauma.

I will not do them the honor of linking to them here. They offer services 'coaching and educational services' or are an 'expert and survivor'. These people are lower than low. Taking money from those who are struggling for their lives through treatment. I am appalled. I am more than appalled. I am beyond words

First of all if these people really wanted to help others with cancer, they wouldn't make a living doing it. They wouldn't charge them. They would set up a non profit or something to help them to offer needed help for free or at low cost.

When someone is diagnosed with cancer or has a recurrence or spread, the snake oil salesmen come out of the woodwork. I can't tell you how many times I have been offered 'a cure' for cancer. If I send a small fee, they will give me the cure I need. These are horrible people who prey on those who are struggling with the lowest points in their lives.

Cancer coach? No, they are not. They are snake oil salesmen. I have been through cancer twice - so maybe I have twice the experience?

Its about the patients stupid.

I don't care about people's politics. The opposition to or support of the new health care law. The whole point of it is to take care of people when they get sick. The judge in Florida who ruled against parts of the law. The politicians who keep speaking out about how it is unconstitutional - frankly it gets very confusing to me. The right is against it because they don't like the president. The left wants to spend more to take care of people but don't think about the budget.

The whole point of the health care reform is to take care of sick people. The whole political thing is getting crazy. I think everyone should take a step back and look at the big picture with no politics or opinions on the president or the Tea Party or Sarah Palin involved.

Why are we reforming health care? To take care of the citizens of the country who can't afford health care. If you are sick, shouldn't you be able to receive health care? Its not just for cases of the sniffles but for the mothers who want a healthy baby or the people who receive a cancer or other disease diagnosis or for the people who are injured in a car accident. These people are citizens of this country and deserve to be taken care of when they need it.

All the politics are blurring the fact that health care reform is needed to take care of people who are dying unnecessarily. I am not even going to get into the fact that insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies are making billions of dollars. Health care providers and patients are being squeezed by the insurance and pharma companies. Doctors are being dictated by insurance companies on what care they can offer their patients.

If you are against the law for what ever reason, do you have any other suggestions on how we can keep people from dying? On how we can stop insurance companies from telling us what care we can receive? If you can afford your health insurance and have a job, you are lucky. What about the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs in the worst economy in decades and as a result they can't afford their health insurance? How are they supposed to keep their children healthy? Suggestions are welcomed.

Its not about politics. Its about the patients, stupid.

Hot flashes can prevent breast cancer

Now that's a breakthrough - not for me! I only am enjoying hot flashes as a result of my chemopause and medications.

I had a hysterectomy six years ago and they left one ovary because it looked find and there was no reason to put me in menopause unnecessarily and I would go through it later, naturally. Well, along came breast cancer and chemotherapy. Chemo for breast cancer has a way of shutting down ovaries, sometimes permanently, and causing hot flashes. My poor little ovary was shut down. And I have had hot flashes since my second round of chemo in mid August 2007. They were worse when I was on Tamoxifen. Now they are slightly better on Femara but I still get them. If they will go away when I am off Femara, I only have to wait two more years. Gee, thanks.

But since I have hot flashes am I at a lower risk of breast cancer? Probably not since I already had it. These little nuggets of knowledge don't always help that much.

Keeping clean

How do we get rid of the chemicals in our lives? Well, start with the stuff we use to keep clean - soap and shampoo, or look good - cosmetics and moisturizers, or protect ourselves from the sun. Why prevent skin cancer with a sunscreen which is full of toxic chemicals that cause cancer?

Environmental Working Group has this great database of products that touch our skin and rates them on a scale of one to ten as to their toxicity. I buy Dove soap because I have such dry skin and if I use it daily, I don't have itchy skin year round. Its a 4 meaning it is in the middle. I'll poke around and see what I can find to replace it - after I use up what I have.

I also use Trader Joe's shampoo and it is rated a 4... But contains Tea Tree Oil which is a no-no for ER+ breast cancer people. Drat. I'll find something new. I am almost out of shampoo anyway. I am cheap and was considering Burt's Bees shampoo - which are 4s or 5s and twice the price. On to another choice... I'll keep researching this one.

Well I need a better conditioner for my hair. The one I use by Pantene is rated a 6, which is a little high but Pantene has some others that are rated a 2... And here's one that is rated a 2 by Hugo's Naturals Vanilla & Sweet Orange Conditioner... but on closer inspection has 14 LINES of ingredients and one of them, right in the middle of the list, is rated a 5 and is a carcinogen...

This is complicated. I am going to research everything and replace them one by one. But it makes for a cleaner me and a cleaner world so its worth the effort.

Getting in shape

This year I wanted to get in shape. I think I wanted to do this each year for the past several years. As we approach the end of January, I am still working on getting in shape. (Yes I know you don't wake up one day 'in shape' but you have to keep working at it.) And I am not happy to report that the 25 lbs that I have been working on getting rid of are still staying attached to me.

Well apparently there are several things I need to take into account.

1. I have to change what I eat - I am trying to do this. More fruit, more vegetables, and lean protein. I think I eat pretty well actually.

2. My workout isn't fun. Well actually it is. I used to try to walk every day. Now with my schedule and the snow on the ground, I have been going to my exercise class twice a week where I am the only student and the instructor and I chat through the entire class. I also walk more with other people instead of being out on my own.

3. I am only doing cardio - not true. See note about class above.

4. My goal is unrealistic - to lose 25 lbs, be able to bend without pain, and to have Michelle Obama's toned arms? Well I also want to be taller, thinner and younger...

So, maybe that article isn't what's wrong with my workout plan. Then I found this list of the 51 fastest fat burners. This isn't going to work for me either. I don't have the coordination or the ability for a lot of these. My physical limitations go into play here.

Because I can't get the flab to leave my body with my current efforts, I have so many limitations, and I have learned from my exercise class that some one on one with a professional might help me. I am taking the drastic results of joining an expensive gym.

I have belonged to the local Gold's Gym for the past ten years and used it off and on depending on my work schedule, health, etc. I haven't been there since last March when a session of treadmill for ten minutes and trials on three different bicycles and two ellipticals resulted in back pain and nothing else. I will cancel that membership today and stop by the new gym and join it on Monday.

This new gym is my last resort in getting in shape. If this doesn't work, I will resign myself to flabbiness for life. The secret to this gym is it is owned by three physical therapists. When you join the gym you get a one hour session for full evaluation and then you sit down with a physical therapist and they set up a custom exercise plan for you. Then every three months they update your plan.

I stopped by once just after I sprained my ankle and was rejected by them and told to come back when my ankle was healed. Its almost finally done. I think one more cortisone injection in March and I am finally done. A few weeks ago, I got some weights from a woman who has MS and recommended the gym for me. Then I stopped by the gym this week and two of the members recommended the gym to me as well.

Maybe I'll be able to post again in a few weeks that I am finally losing more weight and Michelle Obama's toned arms are in my future.