VegasMomOf3

Hi there, I just spoke with my Dad and he did verify that the 7cm tumor on my Mom's left lung is squamous. Is it typical for squamous tumors to begin dying in the middle as my Mom's has?? Be Blessed, Donna

You are all in my prayers!! Be Blessed, Donna

And one more thing - the Surgeon said that he has seen more success when a patient does chemo, radiation or both prior to surgery. Thoughts on this??

Hi there, My Mom saw the Surgeon yesterday so when my Dad called me last night I was expecting more bad news on top of the PET scan results we got earlier this week. What I got was the exact opposite!! The sound in my Dad's voice was wonderful to hear. He said that both he and my Mom really liked the Surgeon and that this was the first doctor to give them thorough information in a positive manner. The Surgeon spent quite a lot of time with them just talking.....which meant so very much to my parents. Especially after the past few weeks of doctors, tests, phone calls.........all overwhelming. I'm so glad that they seem to have hit it off well and I'm hoping this "positive" mannered Surgeon can help instill feelings of hope back into my Mom. My Dad mentioned a few things that I wanted to ask you all about: The Surgeon told them that some of the "hot" zones (thyroid & lymph nodes) shown in the PET scan may not prove to be cancer cells, but instead small infections in the areas which would also show "hot". Have any of you heard of this?? Also, the tumor in my Mom's lung (7cm) seems to be dead in the middle. I'm not quite sure what to make of that. The Surgeon wants to do some more testing on my Mom, to include another CT scan of her neck and chest. He also wants to do another bronchoscopy and biopsy more tissue. It seems that the Surgeon may prove to be the "primary" physician for my Mom. Is this typical?? Be Blessed, Donna

Hi there, For example, if your Mom has an in-network co-insurance of 10% and she is seeing a participating provider (in-network physician/lab/hospital, etc) then the negotiated rate is applied toward deductible. For example: your Mom has a test that costs $150, the participating provider & the carrier (BCBS) have already negotiated a set rate for this test, which we will just use an example of $100. Because your Mom's deductible has not yet been met she will owe that $100 to the provider of this test. The balance of $50 is then written off by the provider. If your Mom has this same test with a non-participating provider(out of network) they can bill what is referred to as "Usual & Customary" charges which can in many cases be higher. Plus, that non-participating provider can balance bill your Mom for the amount that is still unpaid after BCBS & your Mom pay their portions. For example: your Mom has a test with the non-par provider and their usual & customary charge for this test is $400. Your Mom's percentage owed lets say is 25% which is $100. That non-par provider then bills BCBS for $300. Remember my first example where BCBS paid $100 for this test with the participating provider?? Same thing happens here - BCBS will only pay that $100 which leaves a balance owing of $200. That non-par provider can and in most cases will bill your Mom for that $200. Using in-network providers is IMPERATIVE in order to keep your Mom's out of pocket costs down....always ask the provider if they are an "in-network" provider for BCBS prior to utilizing any medical service. In my Mom's case I have alerted everyone in her Pulmonologists office that they MUST use only in-network if referring her out. Even after doing this, I still call the provider my Mom is being referred to AND go online (most insurance carriers have their provider networks online)to double check that the oncologist is indeed an in-network doc AND I call my contact at her insurance carrier to triple check. You MUST take the reigns on this and check, double check and triple check because if for example there is a new employee at the doc's office who tells you "oh sure that lab is in-network" and it ends up not being the case, our Mom's will pay the price.....not that new employee who just made a mistake. Once your Mom has met her deductible this is how it works: If Mom goes in to see her in-network physician for a follow-up appointment and the cost of this is $75. If her in-network co-insurance is 10%, she would pay the physician $7.50. This $7.50 is the amount that will be applied towards her out-of-pocket maximum. Once the annual out-of-pocket maximum has been met, the carrier (BCBS) will pay 100%. Your Mom will receive bills and EOB's in the mail. EOB = explanation of benefits come from the carrier (BCBS)and it serves to explain how a service was paid. EOB's will normally state "this is not a bill" on the top......but not always so you will need to be able to recognize a bill from an EOB. Your Mom needs to start a folder that will contain receipts from every service (including prescriptions) she has. Once an EOB comes in, match it up to the proper receipt AND review to verify that it was paid correctly by BCBS - because yes, insurance carriers make mistakes. I know, hard to believe...LOL. They actually make alot of mistakes so it is imperative that you do the checking. I hope I helped some. Please feel free to contact me with any further questions or issues and I will try my best to help. That goes for EVERYONE!!! Be Blessed, Donna

My Mom has now said she wont pursue treatment. She states "why bother". Mom is more of a quality not quantity person. This is absolutely tearing me up. I was just getting to the point of being able to talk about this without crying then todays news hit me like a ton of bricks. Why does it seem to hit harder now??

Hi there, I've just received the results. My Mom is stage 4 and it has metasticized. The cancer is in numerous lymph nodes, her thyroid, chest wall & ribs. The tumor in her left lung is so large that the entire lung would have to be removed. Her right lung just isn't strong enough to sustain her. Apparently they didn't get enough tissue from the lymph nodes during the biopsy since that initially came back negative. I'm sorry I am just rambling - I'm in shock and trying like heck not to completely lose it.

Thank you all for your input - it means the world!! One point was introduced.....is there anywhere to go for assistance with insurance/provider nightmares?? Be Blessed, Donna

Hi there, My Mom is scheduled to see a Surgeon this coming Friday. She hasn't even been scheduled to see an Oncologist yet - is this the normal thing?? Be Blessed, Donna

Hi there, I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge this website and everyone who is a part of it. In the week I've been a member here I have read so many wonderful stories along with educating myself about lung cancer but the icing on the cake has been the caring support from you all!! I am reaching out to give you all a BIG HUG. You are all truly angels on earth. Be Blessed, Donna

Hi there, I'm becoming very worried about my Dad and his stress level which shoots his blood pressure through the roof. He called me yesterday HIGHLY upset that he received a call informing him that Mom's PET scan wouldn't be "in-network" if the scheduled radiology provider performed it - he wanted to know why they call at the last minute with this as Mom's PET was scheduled for Monday. I work in an insurance brokerage so this was a fairly easy fix for me to handle......I looked at their provider network, called one of the hospitals on it, called and spoke to their nuclear medicine department and got the information I needed. I then called my Mom's doctors office with the info, then they in turn scheduled her at this hospital to do her PET scan this coming Tuesday. Again, this was fairly simple for me........but when my Dad got this call he went through the roof. My Mom told me that she could see my Dad's face just get redder and redder by the second. THIS WORRIES ME!! He would probably poo-poo any suggestions of him visiting his doctor as he is so focused on my Mom right now. Any suggestions?? Be Blessed, Donna

Hi there, I know what you mean about the guilt of having happy feelings or thoughts. I walk around like a zombie since my mom's diagnosis. Is it ok to smile or laugh?? I know it is BUT it doesn't feel right in my heart. Be Blessed, Donna

Hi Heidi, Thanks for the response. I noticed in reading your profile that your Mom had her PET scan prior to her biopsy. Is there a certain method or oder that these are all done in?? Be Blessed, Donna

Hi there, The biopsy results say that Mom has non small cell cancer. The tumor is located in the lower part of the upper lobe of her left lung. The tissue taken from her lymph nodes show negative of cancer - is this a good thing?? Bless you all! Donna

Thank you all for the wonderful responses!! I must share with you all how my feelings and outlook has changed so much since I found this website and began educating myself - all for the better. I spent much of my weekend online - researching and reading many stories that you've all written. These have given me much hope. Bless you all!! My other 2 siblings will arrive at Mom & Dad's this evening. So that makes both of my brothers and my sister are there and here I sit in Las Vegas. YIKES!! It's very stressful to not be there BUT I'm sure it would be extremely stressful to be there with my sibs. The highly emotional state would probably cause problems. So to keep myself busy, yet helping, I've begun the task of researching Mom & Dad's insurance coverage, provider network, etc... Today I straightened out a glitch with their carrier that was holding up the scheduling of my Mom's PET scan. On their plan pre-authorization is not needed for this test BUT because 99% percent of all employer groups do an automatic pre-auth on this test, the system was defaulting. Fairly easy fix. I'm also creating a spreadsheet/plan comparison for them. My Dad was going to retire in a year but may have to now due to Mom's illness so they need to figure out if they will take the company retiree plan or a Medicare supplement plan. So I'm working on the "apples to apples" of each plan. Mom is going in for a test tomorrow - forgot what it's called, but they put her on a bike and monitor her breathing. ????? And she will get her biopsy results too. My Dad and brother took her on a paddlewheel boat ride yesterday - they all had a nice time. Dad said it gave them a chance to just get away from it all. Mom asked Dad to take her for a drive today. My employer is being incredibly supportive which is a blessing. Again, thank you all for the support. It means the world to me!! Hugs, Donna

Thanks so very much for all of your responses - it helped tremendously. Donna

Hi there, My mom had her biopsy on Friday and will know the results this Tuesday. Will we know everything at that point or after she has her PET scan in a week?? Also, what is the best way to deal with a sibling who seems to have a "the sky is falling" attitude and insists that websites like this aren't for him. I just spoke with him on the phone and he told me that "it's not looking good" because Mom can walk 15 yards without getting winded. I suggested that he visit this website to read some of the amazing stories that I had but he refused. I am concerned that his attitude may rub off on my parents. Be Blessed, Donna

Hi there, Thanks so very much for your replies. What is NSCLC?? I've spent so much of my time researching Mom & Dads insurance coverage that I've not educated myself very well on cancer/terms/stages - so I apologize for the questions. My parents have been very clear that they wanted to spend some time alone to digest all of this.....so when I called them this evening and found out that all 3 of my siblings will arrive at Mom & Dad's within the next few days I was floored. One part of me is ticked at them for the blatant disregard to my parents wishes yet another part of me is feeling bad and ashamed that I'm not going to be there with the rest of them. Should I go out there now too?? I'm completely torn!! I want my parents to have control over what is at this point "controllable". Am I wrong?? It's almost 3 am for me now - I can't sleep thinking I should just book a flight and go. Yikes!! Thanks so very much to you all for listening. Donna

Thanks so much for your response Susan. Can I ask what METS is?? Also, how many stages are there?? Donna

My Mom is 63. For the past few months she has been suffering with back pain which the doctor gave her medication for. My Mom has always been a hard worker so we thought she over did it while working on the yard. Last Monday she went back to her doctor for a follow-up. The pain was not getting any better. A chest x-ray was done. The doctor told her she had pneumonia and gave her antibiotics. That same week on Wednesday another chest x-ray was done, which looked worse. She went in for a CAT scan this past Friday which showed a tumor on her left lung. At this point, I was still trying to keep everyone thinking positively. Yesterday my Dad took her to see the Pulmonologist. The doctor advised that this was indeed cancer on her left lung. She also has cancer on one of her ribs, her chest wall & lymph nodes. Today she went in for a biopsy. They were going to go in through her nose and sinus cavity. I haven't heard anything from my Dad yet. I'm sitting here at work going completely out of my mind and trying to not lose it. My folks live in Washington state while I live in Nevada. My Mom has stated that she will not seek treatment. When I was speaking to her last night she wasn't sure she was even going to have the biposy today. So this morning when I called her, she told me that she was going to go ahead and have it done and that she was doing it for Dad. He knows this and it's tearing him up. We all want her around for as long as possible BUT we don't want her to suffer. She refuses to waste away everything that her and my Dad have worked so hard for all their lives - she wants him to be financially secure once she is gone. She is very anti-doctor and prefers to seek natural/homeopathic treatments for anything that ails her. She has said that she doesn't want anyone coming out there for a visit right now and I do respect that as I know that her and Dad really do need to digest this. Then I find out that my older sister is going there this next week for 10 days - which is incredibly aggravating because she refuses to respect Mom's wishes. In my 41 years I've never heard my Dad cry until now. Yikes.....I just realized that I am rambling and that what I've written probably doesn't make much sense. I'm not ready to lose my Mom!! How can I resolve to the fact that my Mom is dying?? This is making me crazy. Donna