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TracyD

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Posts posted by TracyD

    One Year Ago Today

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    I really thought that I would be able to get through this day just like any other day, but I can't.

    One year ago today Charlie and I sat in a hospital room after my bronchoscopy, which was supposed to show that I did NOT have cancer, and listened to the pulmonologist tell us that I had adenocarcinoma.

    One year ago today my familys world was shaken to its core. One year ago today we sat down and told our three little children that mommy had cancer, and we all just cried.

    I want today to be over, but that will bring tomorrow, which brings scan results at 9:30. I don't really want to deal with tomorrow either. I hate this all so much.

    I have been feeling really well lately and I am expecting the results to be good, but what if they're not? I know, we'll cry a bit, and then we'll pick ourselves up and keep on fighting. Wouldn't it just be great to not have to be fighting?

    I'm really okay, I just want today to be over.

    Tracy

    What do you pay for Avastin?

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    This has been bothering me for a while so I figure it's time to ask.

    I have not received a bill from the hospital for any of my chemos (I need to look into that), I have only received the explanation of benefits statement from the insurance company. The good news is that everything has been covered 100%, but the bad news is that just the avastin is costing from $19,000-$20,000 a pop!!! At this rate I will blow through my maximum lifetime benefit of $1,000,000 within the next three years and then be left without insurance. I figure I should be so lucky if I'm still taking it in three years, as that would mean that it's still working, but what happens when the money runs out?

    I am wondering if the rest of you taking avastin are seeing these $$ too, or if something is wrong here. I am going to contact the hospital this week as I feel that I should be getting bills, even if everything is covered by insurance and I don't owe anything.

    Thanks!

    Tracy

    chemo reaction

    in MEMBER UPDATES

    Posted

    I had a reaction to carboplatin during my sixth infusion. Just as the nurse was coming over to ask me how I was doing I was noticing that my mouth and face were getting really itchy. My heart started with palpitations and I got red all over. They gave me benadryl, which helped immediattly, but I then went on to get dizzy and throw up. Fortunately I was 15 minutes away from being done with the three hour infusion, and it was my last chemo, so no harm done.

    Tracy

    Tarceva question...

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Don't let the appearance, or lack of appearance, of the rash worry you. My doc said that while he hoped to see the rash because there seems to be some correlation between the rash and the effectiveness of the Tarceva, it's not an exact science. By the way, I had a HORRIBLE rash, my face, chest back and arms were covered, and guess what ... Tarceva did not work for me.

    I'm sure there are some people out there for whom Tarceva worked and yet they did not get the rash.

    Tracy

    No Scan Until April??????

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Hi Rochelle,

    Every doctor is different on this one. When I was doing chemo, carbo/taxol/avastin, I had scans after every two cycles, which was every six weeks. When I went on avastin alone I had scans done after eight weeks, and after those showed stability my doctor still wants a CT scan of my chest in eight weeks, with additional scans done in three months. His feeling is that should the cancer start to progress, the sooner we catch it the better. I like him a lot.

    I believe the three month schedule is standard so I don't think you should be too worried. However, as you've just started Tarceva I'm sure you want to know if it's working, and three months is a long time. I think I would definitely push for scans sooner, maybe eight weeks.

    Good luck.

    Tracy

    PET Scan-Cisplatin/Gemzar not Working

    in MEMBER UPDATES

    Posted

    I know it must be hard not to be discouraged right now, you have every right to be. This news is really, really lousy. I am praying that the doctors at Sloan come up with a new plan that will be the thing that turns everything around for you.

    There are still many drugs out there to try, we've talked about them. Take time this weekend to regroup and on tuesday you'll come out swinging again.

    You and your family are in my familys thoughts and prayers always. Hang in there.

    Tracy

    Hello All! I'm new here.

    in INTRODUCE YOURSELF!

    Posted

    Hello and welcome. I am so sorry you have to be dealing with this awful disease, but it sounds like you've got the fighting spirit and that will take you far. I too have young children and I know how difficult it is at times, wondering if you're going to be around to see them grow up. But your children will help you get through this, they are a constant reminder of why you have to get up everyday and fight.

    I hope you have much success with Tarceva. There are many here for whom it has worked very well. Good luck to you.

    Tracy

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